2024 Domaine des Gravennes "Lou Pitchoun" Côtes-du-Rhône

Thyme, brambleberries, peppercorns and orange rind on the nose, followed by a bright, medium-bodied palate with medium tannins. Attractive herbal influence. Grenache, syrah and mourvedre. From organically grown grapes. (CN)

There is so much to love about a good Côtes du Rhône. They’re food-friendly, offer a wonderful mix of terroir and fruit, and seldom do much damage to your bank account. Outside of a few other southern French reds and a handful of delicious Spanish and Italian regional wines, Côtes du Rhône remains one of those categories that—dare I say it—consistently punches above its weight class. Gravennes was a discovery through one of our local import partners, who I always enjoy working with. They have a knack for hunting down fun, eclectic wines with little or no representation in the market, and quite often we’re able to secure an exclusive. Gravennes is one of those sweetheart deals. A top performer at the Decanter World Wine Awards, this was already a wine I had on my radar. Luckily, our partner was able to track it down and get a sample in front of me—and it was terrific right out of the glass. Brambly blackberry fruit leads the way, with notes of tobacco, wild thyme, candied strawberry and lightly smoked meat adding the savory complexity that can really drive this style of wine home. Few things speak more loudly in the glass than a humble Côtes du Rhône that overdelivers, and this one projects its voice beautifully. Sadly, we weren’t able to secure nearly as much inventory as I think the wine could support, so we only get one pass at it. Grab a few bottles—or a case—before it disappears. This is exactly the kind of wine you’ll want in the weekly rotation as summer gives way to fall.