It’s been a while, Reddit. I took a little break from the review game (and crushed dry January), but I promised myself I’d give you lovely folks another review if I came across something unique or interesting while window shopping for bottles. Tonight we have a classic enthusiast’s pick – Kermit Lynch’s take on a Côtes du Rhône.
It sits transparent in the glass, and that lack of opaqueness makes it quite shimmery while it bounces around in there. The tint is firmly a rich shade of scarlet – there’s very little color variation between the center and the edge (spare a slight watery/glassy appearance as the corona meets the rim). Swirl is interesting too – it doesn’t leave much of note besides 1-2 large legs, yet weirdly also produces many errant tiny bubbles on the rim and surface edge with even the slightest bit of aeration. Try gently swirling this one without forcing any air into it – you’ll see what I mean.
On the nose, there’s an expectedly strong punch of black fruit, with especially large expressions of currant and plum. It’s a little hotter than I was expecting, but the astringency doesn’t feel out of place given the quality in the fragrance it’s throwing. To be fair, this thing is nearly 15% ABV and I’ve been spoiled by some very muted 14% entries recently, so perhaps my calibration is off.
Palate-wise, this number gives you about 90% of what you’d expect, and then loads the other 10% with curveballs. Before I let it breathe a bit, I was fully prepared to write that this tasted like a “French wine that was raised in Italy” from how grippy the tannin is and how sharp the dryer expressions are – but GOOD GOD does this thing mellow the f**k out once you decant it for a minute. Seriously – don’t bother touching a glass of this stuff within ten minutes of uncorking it. Treat it like the steak you’re probably going to eat with it.
Once the full picture emerges, it does something special – showcasing quality with some sense of personality to match. It’s firstly and ultimately a well-executed Côtes – and yes, this thing runs circles around most bottles I’ve tried at double its price point. What it also gets right however, is what it chooses to show you in its expression. It’s not shy by any means, but nothing feels forced or unintentional. It’s just saying “here’s what Kermit Lynch thinks a prototypical CdR should taste like under $20”, and boy does it deliver on that. Exceptional smoothness, exceptional flavor preservation from nose to palate, and a consistent, expressive statement that jumps out at you without being so loud that it gets offputting.
It feels like the evil twin of that Joel Gott bottle I reviewed last summer. It gets all the technicals right and offers something smooth and appreciable, but does so without forgetting to make a unique statement. I’m tempted to make it the official red of my wedding this fall if I can find enough cases of it in time.
92/100 – A
$15.99
ABV: 14.5%
GRAPES: 64% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre, 7% Other
NOSE: Plum, Blackberry, Currant
PALATE: Plum, Currant, Cherry
CoO: France
by PrestigiousAd9825