MCF Rare Wine Ltd.


 
Cotes du Rhone

I just tasted a really good wine.

It's a Cotes du Rhone (from the Southern Rhone), but it's all Syrah, something you usually expect from the Northern Rhone.

It kind of perfectly captures the essence of 'the Rhone' as a whole, though.  The fragrant savoriness of the North mixed with the meaty, dark nature of a classic Southern Rhone red.

Maybe it's because it's a horribly wet day here in NYC, but on the first whiff of this wine, my eyebrows quickly shot up...it was as if I wasn't aware that I was in the mood for exactly this wine until the very moment I tried it.

'Hey, Chris...come taste this wine,' I said.

He had some manner of very similar reaction to it.

It was edgy/perfumed/spicy and yet also deep, dark and pungent on the nose.

On the palate, it was more of the same.

There's plenty of spice and other savory nuance (again, being that it's all syrah), but the weighty funk so associated with classic Southern Rhone quickly reminds you of where you are.

I really loved the texture - there's lots of energy and tenacity and grip, but it's also got some really nice chew to it.

I suppose that saying 'it's a wine of contrasts' would be a good way to describe the feel...

I also suppose that now would be a good time to mention that this is the Domaine de Ferrand Cotes du Rhone Le Ferrande 2014 - 100% Syrah, all tank, no wood.

It's rainy, it's Friday, I'd love to kick back and stare out the window with a glass of this and some good snacks.

The only problem is that I just tasted/ordered it on a Friday, so that means it won't be here until Monday.

In the meantime, I'm taking orders with special pricing (10% by the bottle, with an additional 10% off of a case)!

Matt Franco