Côtes du Rhône AOC Wines-Be Creative With Your Pairings

Broadwayworld had the pleasure of attending an in-depth open tasting and paired lunch of Côtes du Rhône wines that was presented on behalf of Inter Rhône. It was held at Aldo Sohm Wine Bar in Midtown where delicious French fare was served to guests.

Sommelier and French Wine Expert, André Compeyre led the tasting and shared fascinating insights about the wonderful wines from the region. He encouraged the group to be creative with food and wine pairings by departing from typical choices. While people tend to select white wines for chicken and fish dishes, a medium bodied red wine or crisp rosé can be a delightful choice.

The Rhône Valley is France's second largest wine region, with winemaking going back centuries and offering a large diversity of terroirs. The sunny vineyards lie along the expansive Rhône River in northern France. The Côtes du Rhône AOC encompasses 171 villages throughout the Northern and Southern Rhône, and includes reds, whites and rosés. The grapes grown in the region that are used in the production of red and rosé wines include Grenache and Syrah while whites may be comprised of Marsanne and Roussanne

Some of the outstanding wines we tasted from Côtes du Rhône winemakers included Joseph Castan, Tresor du Rhone, Red 2020; Andre Brunel La Becassonne, White 2019; Delas Freres, St. Espirit 2019; and Guy Mousset, Rosé 2020.

The region has its eyes on the future as they take action to respect the environment. To best achieve these objectives, the Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône AOC have made pledges to ensure the transparency of practices, protect biodiversity, respect the terroirs and preserve resources and pass on a legacy. These admirable practices help wine growers and wine buyers alike.

Côtes du Rhône wines are accessible, of great value and very food-friendly. One of the significant takeaways from the luncheon experience was the amazing versatility of the region's wines. They should definitely be on our readers' radar.

For more information about wines from the Côtes du Rhône region, please visit www.cotesdurhone.com.

Photo Credit: Marina P. Kennedy and Freeimages.com

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