My wife and I often lean toward Rhône reds when we’re unfamiliar with a restaurant’s menu and wine list –particularly if we’re dining in the summer. Most new-style Rhône reds are so food friendly that they’re practically a can’t-miss choice for a varied menu, and their soft tannins go down easy in a warm climate. So during a recent meal at Norman’s at the Ritz Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes we opted for a 2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge from E.Guigal.

E.Guigal is located in the famous Côte-Rôtie appellation in the Northern Rhône Valley, but it specializes in the Southern Rhône’s flagship wine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge. E.Guigal’s 2009 CDP Rouge is a blend of old-vine Grenache (75%), Mourvèdre (10%), Syrah (10%) and a few others grapes (5%), and it was aged in oak foudres (large wooden vats) for two years.

It’s a deep red, medium to full-bodied wine that offers cedar and sweet red fruits on the nose. On the palate, it displays rich flavors of plums, currants and decadent fruitcake with hints of hazelnuts and vanilla. It’s also rather easy to find, as 15,000 cases were produced.

In 2012, Robert Parker rated E.Guigal’s 2009 CDP Rouge a 90-92, and I think it has fulfilled such lofty expectations with additional age.

Santé!

Suggested pairing:

You Don’t Know What Love Is – Chet Baker Quartet (1955)