Wines from France’s Rhône Valley have long been favorites of mine. I'm more drawn to the Rhône whites, but it’s great to have a nice red blend from time to time, especially when it doesn’t require us to empty our wallets to get it.
The 2024 Gabriel Meffre Saint-Mapalis is a red blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah grapes grown in the limestone-studded soil of the Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu region. Varieties can be vinified separately or together. The wine is aged for at least six months in tanks. Alcohol sits at 14.5% abv and the bottle retails for $22.
This wine is very dark in the glass. Its nose is dark, too. Blackberry, plum, and raspberry notes dominate, with a savory streak of earthy minerality cutting through the middle. The palate shows black fruit, too, with earth and tar along for the ride. The tannins are medium-firm and the finish is medium-long.
