Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food The Other Châteauneuf
by David Scott Allen
Winery: Selected by Kermit Lynch, in cooperation with Demazet Vignobles
Cuvée: Côtes du Rhône
Appellation: Côtes du Rhône
Type: Red
Vintage: 2023
Grape Varieties: Grenache 64%, Syrah 21%, Mourvèdre 8%, Carignan 6%, Marselan 1%
Alcohol: 14.5%
Average Retail Price: U.S. $14-17
Just north of Avignon and its famous “pont,” is the viniculturally famous town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. To the east of Avignon is a much less famous town — though not necessarily less important: Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne. And it is from this “other” Châteauneuf that the grapes for today’s wine come.
Wine merchant Kermit Lynch works with growers and producers in the region to bring us some of the best wines showcasing the terroir of the Southern Rhône. While the grapes for the wine come from Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne, the wine itself is made in cooperation with Demazet Vignobles in Morières-les-Avignon. It’s all in the family… er, region.
For my recipe this week, I chose (at the suggestion of PWZ’s Susan) the KL Côtes du Rhône, and it was the perfect foil for the rich and savory combination: Flank Steak with Portobello Mushrooms. You can get the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender.
The wine is a dark ruby red with intense aromas of dark fruit and leather. After opening, I let the wine breathe for an hour or so. On the palate I tasted black cherry and plum with notes of thyme and lavender. It is full-bodied with a wonderful, velvety mouthfeel. With the steak, it developed a more earthy profile with a bit of oil-cured olive and black pepper. The finish is long and spicy.
To me, this is no ordinary Côtes du Rhône; it is intense, fruit-forward, and a bit like a good American Zinfandel. It is extremely well balanced, considering the 14.5% alcohol, and the price cannot be beat. It is widely available in boutique wine stores as well as in the big box stores. And the prices vary significantly; the average is $14-17 but I found some sources selling in the $9-10 range. I plan to stock up for the holidays.
Sounds like an excellent wine to pair with the Flank Steak and Portobello Mushrooms!
Sorry, I missed this comments because for some reason they’re going to my spam box. Barb, now that I know mushroom alchemy, I would definitely season the steak with some of it before searing it. It would just add a nice punch to the mushrooms.
I’m a big fan of Marselan (Monastrell) grapes and often drink a wine solely made with them from Jumilla in Murcia. They say that some of the vineyards in Jumilla escaped the phylloxera plague, perhaps down to the sandy soil. Your Côtes du Rhône sounds like a perfect wine for the flank steak and what a great price!
Yes, it’s a small percentage of Marselan. But every little bit makes a difference, right? I’m very lucky that our local wine store has several wines from Jumilla — We shared several bottles one night when I had one of our food blogger friends for dinner.