Domaine de la Janasse has become one of the top producers of wine in the Southern Rhone, and it's not just their Chateauneuf du Papes that have made that reputation. Janasse's 2005 Terre d'Argile Cotes du Rhone-Villages is one of the best examples of the appellation that I have ever had. It's a bit pricier than a lot of Cotes du Rhone-Villages (about $24), but it's worth it. You could easily put this wine in a lineup with good mid-range Chateauneuf du Papes and find it difficult to pick out.
The wine is a blend of the three main grapes of the Rhone - Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, in fairly equal proportions. This blend allows for some of the best elements of each to show itself - the cherry flavors and earthiness of the Grenache, the brooding structure from the Mourvedre, and the darker fruit from the Syrah. Anyone who wants a great expression of the Southern Rhone without having to pay the increasingly higher prices of the Chateauneuf du Papes should seek this wine out. It's definitely one I love to drink when I can.
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