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The Richebois AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages 2023 is a $7.99 Trader Joe’s import wine. A quick internet check showed wine shops not in Trader Joe’s area selling this Red wine for around $12.99. The producer is Vignobles et Compagnie a wine company founded in 1963 and specializing in Rhone Valley wines. They are affiliated with Chateau, Domaines, and Communes as well as brand wines. This wine seems to be a negociant wine which indicates that purchased it for an existing winery and put their label on the bottle. This is an excellent method for obtaining quality wine at a good price.
The southern Rhone Valley mainly produces Red wine blends featuring Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre along with several other grapes.
There are four categories of Cote du Rhone wines. The baseline wines are named Cotes du Rhone and can be sourced from anywhere inside the AOC boundaries. The second is Cotes du Rhone Villages which are sourced from vineyards near villages that are seen as excellent. The third is Cotes du Rhone named Villages and these are wines from vineyards surrounding one of 21 elite growing areas. The 4th is Cru which are 17 top regions and these are the most expensive wines.
The wine history of the Rhone Valley dates back to the 1300s when the Pope left what is now Italy for safety in France. The first thing they did was scout out all the best locations to plant grapes and make wine. They did a good job since the region is still going strong.
As a Trader Joe’s wine, there is no information concerning this wine. I am not sure of the grapes used though it is reasonably safe to assume Syrah and Grenache are included. As a Red wine from the 2023 vintage this Red blend may not have been oak aged. Value-priced wines from this region are often fermented in cement vats.
While cement vats (they are lines) may sound crude they have some excellent advantages. Since wine does not like changes in temperature and humidity, cement vats isolate the wine from climate changes. The alcohol content is 14.5%.
The Richebois AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages 2023 Tasting Notes
The color is a garnet red with black highlights. The nose is ripe fruit, and spice, with a pretty floral edge. The Richebois AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages 2023 is a medium-bodied wine with rich flavors and a healthy slap of spice.
This Red Blend tastes like black cherry, light herbs, dusty tannins, orange zest, and smooth plum. The mid-palate shows tight black licorice, blackberry, and spice.
The acidity is balanced and this Red has a decent length.
The Summary
- The Richebois AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages 2023 is a good, not great Red.
- It is solid for its $7.99 price tag and not a bad place to start if you wish to explore the wines of the Southern Rhone Valley.
