Back to SommPicks US
Early AccessSommPicks EU Direct
2014 Chateau des Tours Cotes du Rhone Grande Reserve #900433651
93
Cellar Tracker
Based on 11 reviews
Reviews 91 points Vinous "The 2014 Cotes du Rhone Grande Reserve is magnificent. It seamlessly knits together elements of strawberry compote, crushed rose petal, tangerine peel, forest floor and hints of raspberry jam. Elegant to the core, this medium-bodied and de-classified Vacqueyras outperforms most of the same-vintage Vacqueyras wines. Its delicate flavors linger gracefully, framing this seductive red with great finesse. (NG)"
Ridiculously low 2-day shipping. Add to cart to calculate cost.
Also From Chateau des Tours
About Chateau des Tours
For fans of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château Rayas needs little introduction. This benchmark Southern Rhône estate distinguishes itself by its fine, sandy soils—an unusual departure from the appellation’s classic terroir of galets roulés. Emmanuel Rayas, grandson of the founder, farms Rayas’s iconic single vineyards—Le Couchant, Le Levant and Le Coeur—using organic methods. What’s more, he dedicates the better part of his holdings to Grenache, a tribute to his faith in the grape, when by appellation law, he has the right to use up to 13 different varietals.
Pine trees protect the vineyards from the harsh mistral winds, creating a cooler microclimate, and resulting in a long ripening season. Once in the cellar, Emmanuel keeps the grapes on their stems for an extended fermentation, racks the wines once into enamel cuves, and the ages them in neutral oak casks and foudres. He finally bottles the wines two years after the harvest, unfined and unfiltered in all of their aromatic glory.
In addition, Emmanuel also manages Château des Tours, his own family estate in Sarrians under a Côte du Rhône appellation, and its second label, Domaine des Tours, a Vin de Pays de Vaucluse, both delicious entrée-level bottlings of organic Grenache and Syrah.