Domaine de la Janasse, Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2010

Press

I would wager that you have already heard of the prowess of the 2009 vintage in France. This, of course, means that at the top of the wine ladder there are a load of frighteningly expensive, totally rare wines that we will never get to have a go at. What a shame. However, the clever and well-informed among us also appreciate that these vintages also bring us untold bounty in the lower price reaches, too. This is where I often hunt in search of everyday drinking stars with obscene over-performance stats. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is on top form in 2009 and so the finer Chnf producers are likely to have made excellent CdRs. Janasse has long been a favourite of mine and this year’s entry level wine from this reliable estate is a stunner. At a recent tasting of around a hundred new releases, at all price points, from all over the world, this was the one wine that I remembered clearly at the end of the day. It is beautifully balanced, pure, smooth, classy and authentic. It’s just about drinking now but it will look smashing for another three or four years. This is a great Côtes-du-Rhône and that means that it is an essential member of your everyday drinking armoury.

Matthew JukesMoneyWeek, February 2011