Tasty Under Twenty | 2023 Richebois Côtes du Rhône Villages

Hi everyone! As I move forward in my wine journey, I've developed a heightened interest in finding tastier-than-expected wines in places where wine lovers have typically had difficulty finding anything drinkable. To that end, I thought I'd share my notes from time to time when I find something I enjoy on the cheap.

The first installment of what I hope to grow into a series--tentatively titled Tasty Under Twenty--is the 2023 expression of Richebois Côtes du Rhône Villages, which I ran across at Trader Joe's. It's a simple GSM (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) blend, typical of the style common to the Southern Rhône.

Note: I'll be using the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine here, as I'm working through WSET for wine.

Appearance

Clarity: clear

Intensity: deep

Color: ruby

Nose

Condition: clean

Intensity: medium

Aroma Characteristics:

• Primary:

  • black cherry

  • black currant

  • eucalyptus

  • blackberry

  • rose

  • licorice

• Secondary:

  • vanilla

  • coffee

• Tertiary:

  • none yet--still quite young

Palate

Sweetness: dry

Acidity: medium

Tannin: medium

Alcohol: high (14.5%)

Body: medium

Flavor Intensity: medium

Flavor Characteristics: black cherry, black currant, licorice, blackberry, eucalyptus, black pepper, vanilla, coffee, rose

Finish: medium

Conclusions

Quality Level: good

Notes: Nothing to write home about, but nothing to sneeze at, either. This is thoroughly drinkable by itself, but you would be smart to have some brie, chèvre, or gorgonzola on hand. Would also be lovely with leaner grilled red meats, roast duck, or ratatouille. More importantly, it is quintessential Côtes du Rhône Villages: muscular but without the grippy tannin structure of bigger wines of this vintage, with just enough acid to balance the black fruit character, and high alcohol contributing body and heat without overwhelming the youthful character of the wine, as is often seen in old vine zinfandel or even Châteauneuf-du-Pape in warm vintages. Definitely worth the buy (as manifest by the fact that whenever I go to TJ, I pick up 2 of these).