Vestry Wines

The Rhone, Autumn and Food

by Jason Hatfield

I love cooking and autumn is the time to break out my Dutch oven and get-to-braising. As the leaves turn and the breeze chills my body craves thick soup, meat that melts in my mouth and potatoes n' gravy. Lighter fare is great in the summer, but now is the time to warm your insides with the flavors of Autumn. So put away the lemonade and dust off those red wine glasses.

I can picture your mouth watering as you think of thick steak and a great California Cabernet Sauvignon -but I'm going to stop you there. This article isn't about that. It's about an unsung hero of full-bodied reds: the Rhone. Most Americans don't think of Rhone wines as they begin to pair wines with the heavier fare of the season. For me, it's one of the first ideas I have, only because I know how well it pairs with the heavy foods of the season.

You might know some of the grapes grown there: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault. Most of you have heard of Chateauneuf du Pape, one of oldest and most famous regions for red wine (Yup, that's in the Rhone). For some, Chateauneuf is the apex of Rhone wine. For others, Hermitage takes the cake. However there are a plethora of other villages who have earned there own designation that most people have never heard of, like Gigondas and Sablet. One thing about the Rhone region is that it's huge and can be confusing. It encompasses a wide range of styles. There are more appellation controlee (the French system of controlling the grapes grown in what they consider premier regions) wines from the Rhone than any other region except Bordeaux. In most wine circles the term Rhone means full-bodied, complex red wines from the southern Rhone. These wines generally have notes of raspberry, broth, spice and savory mushroom. This makes navigating the Rhone an intimidating task. Don't worry that's why I'm here. We have a great selection of Rhone wine, here just in time for stews and steaks.

I was introduced to Rhone wines several years ago by a wine buyer for a retail store I worked at in Brooklyn. The first thing I noticed was the prices ...the low, low prices. The second thing I noticed was the wide range of styles. The third thing was the more I drank them, the more I loved them. Back then I wasn't as experienced. I loved California Cabernet Sauvignon as my go-to, full-bodied red. As they came more into fashion I found that my favorite labels went way up in price. That's when I turned to entry-level southern Rhone. I'm not sure why the prices are still so approchable but Rhone wines are huge bang for buck. I could spend $16 and get a spicy, smooth, earthy and full-bodied red. Depending on the style and region in the Rhone, the wine could be high-toned and almost minty, while most Southern Rhone's are the more savory style.

As they appealed more to me I noticed that my palate had expanded to be more sensitive to subtle flavors. Because the general style is to use oak for texture instead of just flavor, the wines weren't just all cream and vanilla. For that reason I believe that Rhone wines are the wine drinker's wine. These wines challenged me to taste more in everything I drink.

The Rhone holds a warm place in my heart. Try it sometime.

Here is a list of all our current Rhone wines. Just click and view them on our website:

Monpertuis, Cuvee Counoise, 2007 $13.50

Domaine Monpertuis, Chataeaunuef du Pape, 2006 $43

Paul Autard, Cotes Du Rhone, 2009 $16

Domaine Marcoux, Chateaunuef du Pape blanc, 2009 $70

Domaine de Givaudan, Cuvee Lea Cote du Rhone, 2009 $18

Domaine la Soumade, Rasteau, 2006 $26

Saladin, Fan de Lune, 2006 $23

Domaine Couroulu, Vacqueras, 2007 $21

Francois Villard, Condrieu Le Gran Vallon, 2007 $69

Les Vins de Vienne, Condrieu Les Amphores, 2008 $60