Côtes du Rhône Rouge '23

A Rhône red for the dinner table. Grand Nicolet’s Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2023 is a Grenache blend from France’s Rhône Valley, a region where blending is central to the identity of many red wines. It’s a good starting point for exploring the Rhône without making the label more complicated than the meal.

Côtes du Rhône refers to the slopes of the Rhône, the river that gives the region its name. The appellation covers a broad wine-growing territory rather than a single village, so the producer and the blend help tell each bottle’s story. Here, Grenache is the thread to follow; the grape is closely associated with the southern Rhône and its tradition of blended reds.

Open it with roast lamb and rosemary, grilled sausages, or a slow-cooked beef dish. For a vegetable-led dinner, try mushrooms and lentils with thyme, or aubergine roasted with tomatoes. A firm sheep’s-milk cheese or aged mountain cheese makes a good finish, alongside crusty bread. Serve slightly cool rather than warm and give it a little time in the glass while dinner comes together.