Château Beauchêne
Côtes du Rhône Villages "Les Charmes"
2007
Current price: about $15
Youthful and tight, but fun, too, with lots of good, sharp structure. It has nice cheekbones: the Katharine Hepburn of wine. On the nose we get spicy, peppery notes with some dark brambly fruits. On the palate it offers a satisfying balance of spicy, earthy, smoky, and peppery fruit. It has a finish like warm blackberries. It's food-friendly; we had it with venison ragù and homemade fresh fettucini.
This is what Côtes du Rhône Villages should be: simple, but not easy.
