Domaine d'Andezon Cotes du Rhone, 2020

This is my good value favorite of the National Tasting Project tasting and the one I intend to rush out and buy. My score (18.5) is just slightly below the scores I gave to the Chateauneuf du Pape and Gigondas wines and a full point higher than the La Nerthe CDR Village. Yet at $14, it is by far the least expensive of the lot.

Very dark, deep with violet tones. Aromas are a bit slow to open but when they do, they are intense and powerful. Dark cherry, blackberry, anise, black olives. This is smelling and tasting like a Northern Rhone. Ripe fruit well balanced by proper acidity. Lingering flavors of fruit and black licorice. I am sad when the glass is empty.

Actually, critics have often compared the d'Andezon Cotes du Rhone with wines from Northern Rhone appellations such as Crozes-Hermitage or even Cornas. It is 95% Syrah and 5% Grenache from vineyards in Sinargues, a cool pocket of the Southern Rhone suited to Syrah grapes.