2019 Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee Reserve des Terrasses

A wine that has almost always ranked high on my top value list over the past decade or more, the 2019 Ventoux Terrasses offers a slightly deeper, richer style than the Edition 1912M, with plenty of black cherry and redcurrant fruits intermixed with more peppery garrigue, earth, and a touch of meatiness. More medium-bodied, lively, and beautifully textured, with silky tannins, it’s another no-brainer red that would be one hell of a house red. You can enjoy bottles today or safely cellar them for upwards of a decade. I recently finished a case of the 2005 that was still going strong, so this wine has plenty of longevity.

The 2019 Ventoux Terrasses remains one of the top values in the Southern Rhône. A 60-40 blend of Grenache and Syrah aged exclusively in tank, it offers aromas of black cherries and raspberries, underscored by hints of black olives. Medium to full-bodied, it's round and silky-firm in feel, with a long, salty, mouthwatering finish.

Clean, rounded and drinkable with light apricot fruit and some cereal character on the finish. (RH)