Category: | Red Wines |
Sub-Category: | Red Wines |
Producer: | Fonsalette |
Label Name: | Cote du Rhone |
Vintage: | 2003 |
Country: | France |
Region: | Côtes du Rhône (Southern Rhône, near Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape) |
Volume: | 750ml |
ABV: | 14% |
Grape(s): | Grenache (50%), Cinsault (35%), Syrah (15%). |
Acidity: | 3 |
Tannins: | 4 |
Sweetness: | 1 |
Body: | 5 |
Length: | 4 |
Aroma Intensity: | 4 |
Best Temperature: | 16-18°C |
Awards/Ratings
Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) 90 pts (2004 review) and Wine Spectator 90 (2006); La Revue du Vin de France 17/20; Bettane & Desseauve ~16. 5/20
Tasting Note
Concentrated dark-plum, kirsch and raspberry fruit with cocoa, lavender, pepper and gamey/roasted-meat notes; firm, grainy tannins and a long savory finish.
Food Pairing
Roast lamb, beef stew, grilled steak, aged cheeses; Asian: Peking duck, char siu, Korean BBQ short ribs, Sichuan-style beef, rich miso dishes.
Production Method
Traditional fermentation of southern Rhône blends; aged in old oak casks (old barrels) to retain fruit and produce fine-grained tannins.
Vineyard Info
Château de Fonsalette (linked to the Raynaud family/Château Rayas) — a small estate producing Rhône blends with a Rayas-like style under Emmanuel Raynaud.