They're back! And for the first time in ages, we have them at the same time! Two of our best-selling Cotes du Rhone... same producer... same vintage... two sides of the same coin! One is 80% Grenache, the other, 80% Syrah! Could there be a better way to "learn"? Drink up!

NOTE: There are two wines being offered here.

St. Damien Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes 2018

Sale $15.99 

90-92 pts Wine Advocate

80% Grenache, 10% Carignan, 10% Mourvedre. No oak barrels. For me, few wineries capture the wild, earthy side of Cotes du Rhone like St. Damien. Always in balance, the wines offer loads of voluptuous fruit, for sure, but there is always an earthy undertone that evokes memories of Rhones gone by. There is just a savory weight to the wine that truly separates them from the pack, and elevates them.

The seduction starts upon popping the cork, with gorgeous notes of strawberry, cassis and anise tickling your senses before you even get the glass to your lips. A quick swirl and a tentative dip in the waters reveals loads of upfront, sweet fruit – blackberry, plum, cassis, cherry… washing in waves over your tongue. Hmm… the water’s fine – dive right in! As this expands with air, more nuances of spice, black pepper and wild herbs come to the fore, giving the wine more depth and complexity. A dash of dark minerality on the finish pulls it all together. Wait, this is how much? Whew… baby Gigondas here folks! I paired with a pork shoulder chop, grilled slowly over real hardwood. Hmm…

"An 80-20 blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre, the 2018 Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu Vieilles Vignes features lovely scents of garrigue layered over ripe black cherry fruit. It lacks the extra depth of the estate's Gigondas but remains impressive, being full-bodied, silky and already easy to drink, with a long, slightly briny finish." WA

St. Damien Cotes du Rhone "Le Bouveau" 2018

Sale $15.99

90 pts Jeb Dunnuck

Unlike most Southern Cotes du Rhone we see, this is 80% Syrah, with the balance old-vine Cinsault and Grenache. Compared to Grenache-based bottlings, this has got more Syrah black-and-blue fruit profile, all dark and smoky and brambly. Its aromatics recall a Northern Rhone wine, with expressive anise and tobacco notes.

Here is yet another delicious bottling. It starts with seductive aromas of lavender, pepper and anise, then gives way to a lush mouthful of rich blackberry, currant and black cherry fruit – letting you know you are firmly rooted in the sun-baked South of France. Classic garrigue, lavender, and herbs de provence character (hello old vine Cinsault!) add complexity to the wine. This will drink well for 4-5 years, so grab some extra!

The Syrah and Cinsault, plus small amounts of Grenache and Viognier, are co-fermented in glass-lined concrete vats for 5 weeks, and then matured in concrete for 8 months before being bottled without filtration. What that does is allow the wine to breath, unlike stainless steel, and soften, without adding toasty, oaky flavors. Nothing wrong with a judicious use of wood, but here the goal is to express their fabulous terroir, with the Le Bouveau vineyard just outside the boundary of Gigondas, but with a similar aspect and soil-type...and without the price tag!

"The Syrah-dominated 2018 Côtes Du Rhône La Bouveau is another terrific value from this estate. Deep purple-colored with bright, juicy notes of black fruits, violets, and pepper, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a rounded, silky texture, and loads of charm and character." JD


   Or Reply. The wine is available now in Chapel Hill. Friday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.