Chateau Bonpas Reserve de Bonpas CDR 20

Every year, wines from the South of France are the top-selling category in the shop -- especially wines from the Côtes du Rhône. It seems that my customer's thirst for wines from this region is limitless, so I'm perpetually on the hunt for the best quality at the best price. Due in no small part to the pandemic and the resulting shipping fiasco, this has become a tremendously difficult aspect of my job.

I was delighted when one of our local suppliers presented us with this new best-buy gem. Much like the Cave La Comtadine Côtes du Rhône Rouge we introduced in a recent newsletter, the Réserve de Bonpas is a super-solid bang for the buck at the insider price.

Réserve de Bonpas Côtes du Rhône is part of the Boisset Family wine group, owned and managed by the powerhouse husband and wife duo, Jean-Charles Boisset and Gina Gallo -- yes, that Gallo. Together they oversee a veritable who's-who of venerable properties both worldwide and on the West Coast.

In your glass, aromas of red berry and spice lead to a warm and smooth palate of plummy red fruit framed by black olive and garrigue notes. It's a classic Tuesday Night Côtes du Rhône, and it will pair nicely with grilled meats, chops, roasted game birds, and savory stews.

The fruit for this bottling is sourced entirely from the family's "Estate Vineyards" in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. The warm days and cool nights of late summer and the family's nearly fanatical attention to crop levels result in a beautifully balanced Cab that features perfect ripeness with both power and brightness.