How to pour it
a Côtes du Rhône in
Place the bottle somewhere cool for a few hours, so the wine reaches 15 to 17 degrees. Room temperature in a heated house quickly reaches 20 degrees or more, bringing the alcohol to the fore. Twenty minutes in the refrigerator is a quick way to bring it back down.
Cut around the capsule just below the ridge on the neck, place the spiral in the center of the cork, and turn it straight down. Smell the cork briefly, then pour a small amount into the glass to taste before pouring the rest.
A young Côtes du Rhône often benefits from half an hour in a decanter: the tannins soften and the spicy aroma opens up. An older bottle with sediment should instead be poured over slowly, solely to leave the sediment behind, and should not then be left standing for long.
Pour until the bowl is about one-third full. The empty space above gives the wine air and captures the aroma, and because there is only a small amount in the glass, the temperature rises less quickly. It’s better to top up with a small amount more often.
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The story
The Rhône runs from Lyon to the Mediterranean Sea, and the wine region is divided into two parts. In the north, the vines grow on steep terraces above the river, often on granite, and the red wine is almost always made entirely from syrah. The south is broader and warmer, with gravel and clay, and blends are used there, with grenache usually taking the leading role. Côtes du Rhône is the appellation that covers almost the entire area, with villages and a series of villages allowed to use their own name when they meet the higher levels.
The right glass
A côtes du rhône is spicy and needs air, so a large bowl works best. We do not offer a glass made specifically for syrah, so we choose the model that comes closest: the Bordeaux bowl. It is tall and tapers towards the top, which concentrates the pepper and spices and gives the tannins room to soften. For the sizes, see the red wine glasses; for decanting, the models are listed under decanters.
Schott Zwiesel Fortissimo Bordeaux glass 63.2 cl (4 pieces)
Zwiesel Glas Belfesta Bordeaux glass 68 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 107,65.
The right tools
For a côtes du rhône, besides the glass, you mainly need a corkscrew and, for a young bottle, a decanter to give the wine half an hour to breathe. You use the bar tools below when the wine goes into a sangria: a zester for an orange peel and a jigger for measuring. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 58,85.
Which wine goes with this?
A côtes du rhône rarely stands alone on the table. These are the wines that come alongside or after it, from a glass of champagne beforehand to the bourgogne further on in France. On each drinks page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails pair well with it and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The appellation has three levels. Côtes du rhône applies to the entire area. Côtes du rhône villages comes from a more limited group of communes and ranks one step higher. Some of these villages may also add their own village name after villages, and this is generally the most concentrated wine of the three. The region also produces white and rosé wines: white from varieties including viognier, marsanne, roussanne and clairette, and rosé from the same red grapes as the red wine. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Serve at 15 to 17 degrees, so slightly below room temperature. This spicy, lightly peppery style goes well with lamb, stews, grilled barbecue meat, ratatouille and dishes with thyme and rosemary. It also holds its own with a firm hard cheese. Drink a simple bottle within a few years; villages and village wines can be aged for longer.
Good to know
What exactly the GSM blend is
GSM stands for grenache, syrah and mourvèdre, the three grapes that form the backbone of southern Rhône red wines. Grenache contributes ripe red fruit, suppleness and alcohol. Syrah brings colour, black pepper and darker fruit. Mourvèdre adds structure and a firm, somewhat wilder note. Each producer chooses their own proportions, which is why two bottles with the same label can still taste different.
Which other grapes are permitted
Alongside grenache, syrah and mourvèdre, the appellation allows a range of other grapes. Among the red varieties are cinsault and carignan, often used to add freshness or colour. The white varieties include grenache blanc, clairette, bourboulenc, marsanne, roussanne and viognier. The permitted amount of each grape is regulated by level and colour; the label does not break this down.
The difference between the northern and southern Rhône
In the northern Rhône, red wine is almost always made from syrah alone, and the vineyards lie on steep terraces that must be worked by hand. The wines there are tighter and more peppery. In the southern Rhône, the landscape is broad and warm, the soil often rich in pebbles, and blends based on grenache are used. These wines are rounder and riper. In practice, the name côtes du rhône is found mainly on bottles from the south.
The levels on the label
Côtes du Rhône is the broadest level, covering almost the entire region. Côtes du Rhône Villages comes from a smaller, designated group of communes. Some of those communes may add their own village name after it, and those bottles come from the best-regarded parcels in the region. In addition, there are independent appellations within the Rhône with their own names; those labels no longer say Côtes du Rhône.
What to eat with it
The combination of ripe red fruit, pepper and spices makes this a wine for savory food. Lamb with thyme and garlic is the classic choice, but stews, grilled meat, sausage, ratatouille and dishes with eggplant and bell pepper work just as well. Thanks to the soft tannins, the meat does not necessarily have to be fatty.
How much alcohol it contains
A Côtes du Rhône usually contains roughly 13 to 14.5 percent alcohol. The south is warm, and Grenache arrives ripe there, which drives up the percentage. The label states what is in your bottle.
Frequently asked questions
Which grapes is Côtes du Rhône made from?
The core is the GSM blend: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. The appellation also permits more grape varieties, including Cinsault and Carignan for red wines, and Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier for white wines. In the northern Rhône, red wine is almost always made from Syrah alone.
What is the difference between the northern and southern Rhône?
The north uses Syrah on steep terraces above the river, often on granite, and produces more structured, peppery wines. The south is warmer and broader, with gravel-rich soils, and uses blends in which Grenache usually plays the biggest role. Those wines are rounder and riper.
What does Villages mean on the label?
Côtes du Rhône Villages comes from a more limited, designated group of communes than the standard appellation. Some of those communes may also add their own village name after Villages, and that is generally the most concentrated wine in this range.
At what temperature and in which glass do you serve Côtes du Rhône?
At 15 to 17 degrees, so slightly below room temperature, in a glass with a generously sized bowl. We do not offer a specific Syrah glass; a Bordeaux bowl comes closest, because it is tall and tapered and concentrates the pepper and spices.
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