Rhône Valley Wines, Oldies but Definitely Goodies

One of the staple celebratory items for special occasions is a nice bottle of wine.  Whether it’s red, white, or rose; sweet, dry, or crisp, a nice glass of wine always completes the celebratory atmosphere of Valentine’s Days, birthdays, anniversaries, and dinner parties.

Rhône Valley, one of the largest wineries in the world is adding another worthy holiday for celebratory wines, Mother’s Day, and why not?

With vines dating back to over 2,000 years, Rhône Valley is the second largest Appellation d’Orgine Contrôlée (A.O.C.) in France with more than 6,000 grape growers, covering 188,700 acres and delivering more than 400 million bottles of wine per year.

Located in southeastern France along the Rhône River between Lyon and Avignon, the scenic Rhône Valley wine region produces exquisitely crafted wines that show exactly why they’ve been around for as long as they have.

Rhône Valley offers an elite spectrum of red, white, and secondary varieties of wines.  Their reds tend to be more intense, aromatic, and contain high anti-oxidant content.  The whites tend to be lower in acidity than the reds in general, and possess a more light, delicate floral aroma.  Rhône Valley’s secondary wines are everything in between.

Unlike some earthy wines native to Napa Valley, Most of Rhône Valley’s wines concentrate on more intense floral, fruity, and honey aromas.  Their website offers wine pairing, tasting, and serving suggestions that best bring out the unique attribute of each of their wines.

Here are several recommended wines to consider:
· Château de Saint-Cosme, Gigondas, Hominis Fides ($70) is aged for 12 months and offers depth and finesse, as well as power and fruit.

· Château de Saint-Cosme, Gigondas, Valbelle ($50) is a well-known wine of the region that ages beautifully. It has a deep taste and is bottled without filtration.

· Château de Saint-Cosme, Gigondas, Le Poste ($65) is a very limited wine with only 120 cases made each year. Made with pure Grenache, only 30 of these cases are sold in the United States, making this wine experience truly special.

Rhône Valley wines are widely available in the U.S. through sites like www.wine.com or www.thewinebuyer.com.

The prestigious English Wine Society has also published a “How to Buy Rhône” guide for people just trying out and for more avid wine connoisseurs.