Piaugier’s Cotes du Rhone is one of those wines that everyone seems to love, and after drinking it for years, I completely understand why.
Easy to drink but not at all simple, it’s honest, soulful, and handcrafted by a hard-working family that cares deeply about what they do. It’s a crazy good value too, and it’s a wine that has brought a lot of comfort to a lot of people over the years, myself included.
For Southern Rhone lovers like me, you’d be hard pressed to find a better CDR deal. Based in Sablet, just north of Gigondas, fourth-generation grower Jean-Marc Autran and his daughter Maude have pushed this estate to new heights over the past several years. Certified organic, hand-harvested, fermented with native yeasts, and sourced from old vines, this is true artisan wine from one of the great terroirs of Southern France.
A classic blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, this is medium-bodied, smooth, spicy, and packed with serious French soul. Offering up notes of dark cherry, raspberry, pepper, dried herbs, and Provencal spice, it drinks beautifully all on its own but really comes alive at the table. Grilled lamb chops, roast chicken, pork tenderloin, burgers -- this handles all of it with ease.
Good Cotes du Rhone is one of life’s necessities, and Piaugier’s version delivers incredible quality for the price. Affordable, authentic, and ridiculously drinkable, this is the sort of red every wine lover should have on hand at all times.
We just bought all of the inventory available in the state. Get some before it's gone!
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
