Les Deux Cols Alize Côtes du Rhone (AC) 2022, 13% ABV
€23.00 at Matsons (Bandon, Grange and Youghal)
An elegant Côtes du Rhone. Versatile at the table
Made by an Irish run company in the Rhone Valley, this red has a mid to dark ruby robe. Aromas of ripe fruit are followed by a juicy and silky palate where the Grenache shines through with spice and a fresh acidity that enlivens the prolonged finish. Very Highly Recommended.
Importers Tindalls say Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah are the grapes here, and the label confirms that the Grenache Noir is the principal grape in the blend. Ninety-five per cent has been raised in the tank with 5% in demi-muid (demi-muid is a large oak barrel, French oak in this case, and half the size of a muid).
The Deux Cols story began in 2012 when two pals Charles Derain and Simon Tyrrell (then well-known as a cider maker in Ireland), set out to achieve a long-held ambition of becoming vignerons in the Rhône Valley. A few years later, Gerard Maguire joined them. Their organically farmed vineyards are aged between 30-70 years old and situated in the hills above the village of Saint Gervais in the northern part of the Gard. The altitude, sandy soils, surrounding forests and exposure to the Mistral* wind, help bring freshness to the grapes.
The AOC wines are the perfect accompaniment to red meats, mature cheeses and Mediterranean dishes. Really well-priced, so no excuse not to get yourself a bottle and enjoy authentic Côtes du Rhône wine with duck breast, veal, lamb stews and hard or semi-hard cheeses. Versatile, isn't it?
* That Mistral, a regular feature here (Mont Ventoux means the windy mountain), was particularly nasty in 1956, blowing for three weeks with wind speeds reaching over 100kph and causing the temperature to drop as low as minus 15 degrees. The majority of the Rhone region’s olive trees suffered serious frost damage but the vines resisted so well that many olive farmers turned to vine cultivation.
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