2015 Domaine de Fondreche Cotes du Ventoux 750 ml

CdP Legend Protégé’s Remarkable Red

Today, reading is optional. Hitting “Buy” on one of the best Rhône wines you’ve never met is a must. When it comes to Sébastien Vincenti’s Domaine de Fondrèche, there are simply too many great quotes from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate to choose from. “Nearly every shrewd wine consumer is aware of the remarkable wines that emanate from this high-quality, biodynamically run estate in the Ventoux” makes the cut. We’ll add: “Long, elegant and with a supple finish, you’re not going to find this quality at this price very often.” “This” refers to Vincenti’s 91-point 2015 Côtes du Ventoux. Just $16.99 per bottle — priced to stock up on by the case.

Ventoux is one of the great appellations of the Southern Rhône — essentially a satellite of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Believing in Ventoux’s promise, great producers like the Perrin Family (Beaucastel) and Saint Cosme have set up shop in the appellation — as has Sébastien Vincenti of Domaine de Fondrèche. Vincenti studied under André Brunel, the legendary winemaker of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a Wine Advocate “Personality of the Year” behind “one of the world's most profound dry red wines.” More than just a bit of that golden touch was transferred to Sébastien, who took the reins at Domaine de Fondrèche’s estate in 1995.

Stone and gravel-rich limestone soil allows for Fondrèche’s finessed reds, yielding incredible depth, an ideal terroir for Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Carignan. Hit with bracing Mistral winds that blow from southern France, their grapes cool under the hot sun, slowing maturation and lending lower alcohol levels and bright freshness. A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre, the 2015 Côtes du Ventoux was aged in concrete eggs, foudre, and barrels (one-third each) for 18 months, exemplifying a classic Southern Rhône red.