The wide-ranging Côtes du Rhône appellation covers hundreds of square miles and offers a full spectrum of wine styles and prices. Some are light, lively and Beaujolais-like while others are immense, inky wines that will cellar well for years. It's a perfect red for a winter's night and a great wine to have around the house for casual entertaining or just simple enjoyment after a hard day's work.   The red wines of Côtes du Rhône are known for their distinctively rich and spicy flavor. Jean Lefort produces a wine that is supple, aromatic, structured, and very elegant.  It is both richly flavored and a perfectly enjoyable wine right now.This award-winning wine is meant to be served with food and is ideal for aging.

Cépages: Grenache and Syrah.

About the Producer: Jean Lefort, perhaps only distantly related to the famous artist, became a winemaker out of passion as opposed to heritage. A winemaker of tremendous skill and talent, he has focused his efforts primarily on expressions of the specific grapes – like Pinot Noir and Viognier. While not a vineyard owner, per se , he searches out vineyards with unique attributes which affect the maturation of the grapes. A purist and a perfectionist, his wines inevitably reflect the personality of the vintner. With a vineyard located where the sun and the limestone clay soils give life to this high-quality, complex wine, Jean Lefort oversees the harvest, as well as the vinification and aging of this remarkable wine. This is a wine that is terrific today and will be incredible in a year or two.

Tasting Notes: A brilliant purplish-ruby in hue, the wine has a rich and enticing bouquet of black cherry, plum and strawberry fruits interwoven with nuances of vanilla, earth and black-pepper spice. Its rich, round and smooth flavors show the elegant strawberry-like fruit of the Grenache combined with the deeper, black cherry style of the Syrah. The luscious ripe fruit is enhanced by subtle elements of vanilla, earth and herbs, with the black-peppery spice adding liveliness and length to the finish. With its dense red coloring carrying hints of violet, so too it  tastes of the aromas and flavors of ripe red fruits, hints of pepper and spices on the finish.

Recommended Food Pairings: Red meat, lamb, pork, and poultry. This is a very versatile wine which complements both simple dinners of grilled or roasted meats as well as those served with sauces. Part of the enduring appeal of Rhône reds is their versatility with a variety of menus. This excellent Côtes du Rhône will be a superb accompaniment for pasta, pizza, red meats, medium-full cheeses and richly flavored Southwest fare.

See also from this producer: AOC Pinot Noir, Chorey les Beaune, Moulin a Vent, Pernand Vergelesses , Viognier