2021 Domaine Roche Côtes-du-Rhône

Professional Reviews

Staff Reviews

KM

Keith Mabry

Keith Mabry

K&L Buyer

Romain Roche took over his family estate back in 2009. He and his family worked tirelessly to elevate the village of Cairanne to Cru status. After years of lobbying, the region was recognized at the same level as Gigondas, Vacqueyras and nearby Rasteau. Romain makes his Cotes-du-Rhone from a blend of vineyards from both his holdings in Cairanne and the Cotes du Rhone appellations. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan, it is a zesty red filled with aromas of strawberry, red cherry, tobacco, crushed pepper and baking spices. The 2021s are more elegant and restrained and a perfect throwback for those looking for the more classical wines of yesteryear.

Notes

Romain Roche returned to his family vineyards in 2009 and began making wines from their oldest vine parcels. Prior to that, Romain's father, Marcel had been selling the majority of fruit to the local cooperative. Since Romain has been making the wines, Cairanne has gone from a Côtes-du-Rhône Villages to Cru and he has garnered the eye of the top wine critics. Regarded as one of the best in his Cru, we were pleased to add him to our Direct Import portfolio in 2020. The Côtes-du-Rhône is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and old-vine Carignan from vines in the Côtes-du-Rhône and Cairanne appellations. All grapes for this wine are vinified in concrete vats by parcel and eventually blended to make the final cuvée. This is an inviting and classic Côtes-du-Rhône that makes a winning introduction to this benchmark producer.