Wine World: a bridge too short

When I was a toddler boy my mother was eager for me to learn French and once taught me this old folk song On the bridge of Avignon (” On the bridge of Avignon “). You probably know the one I mean. It is an action song describing the steps and gestures of a country dance. We used to sing the song over and over again, although it is now believed that the locals were probably dancing under the bridge rather than at he. “Under the bridge“, rather than “sure”.

It was therefore with great impatience that many years later, during a trip to Provence, I went to see the famous Avignon bridge, built in the 12th century.^e century to connect the opposite banks of the Rhône. Unfortunately, the bridge was gone. Well, most anyway. Perhaps to avoid disappointment, my mother had failed to mention that the bridge, officially Pont Saint-Benezet had been destroyed in a skirmish in 1226. Although it was rebuilt several times, it tended to collapse during the flooding of the Rhône, so that in 1669 the inhabitants finally gave up on rebuild the bridge, leaving only the four remaining arches standing. It wasn’t until I saw the ruins of the bridge that I realized the song’s rich irony.

The Rhône is one of the great waterways in Europe, rising high into the Swiss Alps. It has been a lifeline for Europe since Greek and Roman times and was the main trade route from the Mediterranean Sea to the heart of ancient Gaul. Just over five hundred miles in length, it is also one of the longest rivers in Europe. The Côtes du Rhône wine region (coat-duh-ROHN) refers to the “slopes” or “hills” of the Rhône and stretches for one hundred and fifty miles along the banks of the river and far into the surrounding countryside, south of Lyon to Avignon.

The Rhone Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in France and divides to the north and south, fairly separate regions, about an hour’s drive from each other. Their wines are different because of the climatic conditions, the position of the vines in relation to the river, the nature of the soil and the grapes used; in short, the terroir. In the smaller, quality-oriented region in the north, they tend to use Syrah almost exclusively for the reds and Viognier, Marsanne and Roussane for the whites. In the southern region, Syrah is also used, but many other grape varieties are as well.

Chapoutier La Ciboise Costières de Nîmes 2017 (red) Bt 670 (+ tax) @ Vines in Vino, Pattaya

Let’s start by decoding the label. Chapoutier is an award-winning former cellar in the Rhône region. As far as I know, is the only French wine company that includes information in Braille on its labels. La Ciboise is the trade name of this particular blend, borrowed from the name of the old family house which once belonged to the grandfather of the president of the company, Michel Chapoutier. Costières de Nîmes is the name of the wine region; the southernmost area of ​​the Rhône region where wine was made even before the arrival of the Romans in 31 BC. It takes its name from the ancient city of Nîmes (NEEM) and about 90 percent of the wine produced there is red or rosé. It is made from what is called the Southern Rhône Blend which is almost always composed of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre (called Monastrell in his native Spain). These grapes make it a robust and spicy wine perfectly suited to local cuisine.

In all its aspects, this Chapoutier wine is typical of the region. It ticks all the right boxes and it’s a great example of a basic southern Rhône. It is a dark inky red with undertones of purple and you will probably notice these characteristic “paws” forming on the sides of the glass. In case you were wondering, they are technically known as Marangoni effect and often appear in wines with a high alcohol content. This wine has an alcohol content of 14% and it has a pleasant aroma of black fruits, earth, dried herbs and a hint of raspberry. The aroma is quite complex and it takes a fair amount of glass swirl before it emerges completely, so I highly recommend that you aerate the wine first by pouring it into a decanter or wine decanter and letting it sit for a few minutes.

On the palate, the wine is ample, with a nice soft and silky texture and a nice balance of supple tannins. It is dry and cleans the mouth, medium bodied but completely satisfying. In my opinion, it’s a little sweeter than a northern Rhône, with characteristic black fruit notes and peppery notes. There is also a long, dry and lingering finish. But it will suffer if you serve it too cold, as a low temperature will mask the aromas and accentuate the tannins. A few degrees below room temperature should be about fine. I would say this is a table wine and would pair well with rich roasts, like beef or game. If southern Rhône wines are new to you, this would be a great affordable introduction.