2009 Domaine Paul Autard Côtes du Rhône

2009 Domaine Paul Autard Côtes du Rhône

This is another of those Côtes du Rhône with a flashy label that drew me to the bottle like a bee to honey. When I first brought it home, Hegui exclaimed, “I’m enchanted with the label.” Also, I’d tried the 2005 Domaine Paul Autard Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge “La Côte Ronde” on a few occasions so I was passingly familiar with them.

The current vigneron, Jean-Paul Autard, has managed the winery since he was seventeen. (I know, the same age as Edward Cullen!) Domaine Paul Autard is a family-run concern. It is tough to get a handle on how long they’ve been making wine but it appears that they made a significant investment in 2005 with the construction of a new cave which allowed them to take more control over the winemaking. Certainly, it shows in this inexpensive Côtes du Rhône.

We tasted this very enjoyable red on two occasions in the past couple weeks and liked it each time. At only about $15 a bottle retail, it is worth seeking out.

2009 Domaine Paul Autard Côtes du Rhône: Entirely Grenache and syrah, this was an opaque burgundy red to purple color with a rusty tobacco nose. It was medium to full bodied with a long finish. We noted chocolate covered cherry and a bit of caramel with some enjoyable tannins.