Côtes du Rhône North (France)
Côtes du Rhône is a wine region in the French Rhône Valley.
The grape Syrah is the most planted in the North.
Typical Flavors
 Raspberry |
 Blueberry |
 Cherry |
 Olive |
 Spices |
 Pepper |
 Mint |
 Minerals |
Oak Added Flavors:
 Vanilla |
 Coffee |
 Chocolate |
 Tobacco |
Raspberry, Blueberry, Black Cherry, and Green Olive are typical cool climate Syrah flavors.
With hints of Spices, White Pepper, Mint, and Minerals.
Cool Climate vs Warm Climate
Cool Cimate
Cool climate Syrah has light fruit flavors:
Raspberry. Blueberry. Black Cherry. Green Olive. Spices. White Pepper. Mint. Minerals.
Regions: France. Italy. Germany. USA (Sonoma Coast).
Warm Cimate
Warm climate Syrah has darker flavors:
Darker Berries, Plum, and Jam. Black Pepper rather than White Pepper. Black Olive rather than Green Olive. Licorice rather than Mint.
Regions: Australia. USA (California). South Africa.
Profile
Cool climate Syrah has an elegant body and good acidity:
| BODY | Medium - Full | ||
| TANNINS | High | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium - High | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Sausages |
 Salami |
 Ham |
 Casseroles |
 Mushroom |
 Pork |
 Lamb |
 Beef |
 Wild Boar |
 Deer |
Meat |
 Hamburger |
The massive taste of a full bodied Côtes du Rhône pairs best with bold food.
Côtes du Rhône loves Roasted Lamb and BBQ.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
BBQ. Grilled. Roasts.
Roasted Potatoes and Onions.
Grilled Mushrooms (Portobello).
Grilled Veggetables.
Rich Casseroles. Beef Stew.
BBQ. Chicken. Pork. Rabbit. Game.
Roasted Lamb. Lamb Chops. Lamb Shank.
Hamburger. Cheese Burger. Bacon Burger.
Red Meat Dishes. Spareribs. Veal Chops.
Strip Steak. T-Bone. Kobe. Entrecôte.
Cheese:
Aged Cheese. Goat. Cheddar. Gouda. Pecorino.
Blue. Camembert.
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The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for a bodied red wine.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
Syrah in France
In the Northern Rhône Valley of France, where the cold Mistral winds blow down from the Massif Central there are 5 Syrah appellations:
Côte-Rôtie AOC - a blend of Syrah and up to 20% Viognier.
Saint-Joseph AOC - Syrah and up to 10% Marsanne and Roussanne.
Crozes-Hermitage AOC - Syrah and up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne.
Hermitage AOC - Syrah and up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne.
Cornas AOC - 100% Syrah.
In the Southern Rhône, Syrah is blended in GSM wines (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) to produce famous blends such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Côtes du Rhône.
Côtes du Rhône
Côtes du Rhône is an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) wine region in the Rhône Valley of France. There are two main regions:
- Côtes du Rhône North (Septentrional)
- Côtes du Rhône South (Méridional)
Côtes du Rhône North
In the North, the main grape is Syrah.
The grapes grow on very steep slopes, and are manually picked in hillside trolleys, wich adds to the price.
Côtes du Rhône South
In the South, the main grape is Grenache.
The area is famous for its GSM wines: A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.