The 2015 Cristia Ventoux Has Been Released. $16.95/Bottle. Client Favourite. 2015 Was Stellar in the Southern Rhone.

Cristia’s Ventoux is one of the hidden gems of the Southern Rhone. A serious wine at a not so serious price.

VENTOUX ROUGE BY DOMAINE DE CRISTIA 2015

Perfect balance with a nice long finish…..

Bottle Price : $16.95

Case Price : $203.40

Winery : Domaine De Cristia

Wine Region : France (France), Southern Rhône (France)

Bottle Per Case : 12 x 750 ml

Food Pairing : Breads, Cured Meat, Hard Cheese, Red Meat, Roasted Vegetables

The Domaine de Cristia Ventoux 2015 is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. While the vineyards are situated in the southern Rhone Valley, the altitude and cooler temperatures of Mont Ventoux lend the terroir more northern characteristics of texture and finesse. It’s a yin and yang type of Rhone wine, with pretty aromatics, lower alcohol content, and plenty of power on the palate. Fans of Cotes du Rhone and Chateauneuf du Pape should take a look at this outstanding value!

Every WineOnline.ca client review for Cristia’s 2014 Ventoux was 5 stars. The 2015 vintage was leaps and bounds better than the 2014 vintage in the South Rhone. When i tried the 2015 Ventoux i was taken aback by the quality. There was a ton of fruit, while maintaining the freshness, depth and minerality we look for from wines produced in this part of the world. If you are wondering about the guy in the picture above is, that is Baptiste Grangeon, a member of the family that owns Domaine de Cristia. He is also the winemaker.

WineOnline.ca has been working with the Grangeon Family, for over a decade. They are serious about producing the best quality they can in any appellation in which they work. From Chateauneuf to the Cotes du Rhone, Ventoux and others, the wines always exceed my expectations. See a couple of notes from Parker on the winery below.

One of the nice things about the Ventoux is that though it will age well over the next 5 years or so, you will not be doing yourself a disservice by drinking it now. This is the perfect wine to drink over the summer and will go especially well with BBQ’d meats.

READ ON FOR SOME NOTES FROM PARKER ON THE WINERY.

“If you haven’t figured it out yet, this is one of the up-and coming new superstar producers in Chateauneuf du Pape thanks to the inspired efforts of proprietors Alain and Baptiste Grangeon. The style here seems to be a synthesis of old-line tradition with their emphasis on ancient Grenache vines and a healthy respect for modernist techniques.”

– Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

“Domaine de Cristia has come on like gangbusters over the last decade, since proprietors Baptiste Grangeon took over from his father in 1999…. This superb Chateauneuf du Pape producer also fashions tasty Cotes du Rhones and Cotes du Rhone-Villages meant to be consumed during their first few years of life.”

– Robert Parker

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Sometimes i am reminded that life can be fleeting. You never do know what tomorrow may bring. This is a reminder to enjoy life the best way you know how. Summer officially starts Wednesday. Make sure that you are well prepared for every situation. This includes amazing white wine and Rose.

I can’t help but get excited about the 2016 Gifft Pinot Noir Rose. For goodness sakes, this wine scored 98 points at the California State Fair Wine Competition. Pinot Noir tends to make some of the best Rose there is including all Rose Champagne. This wine is now in stock, though likely not for long. At under $25/bottle, you will not find anything that comes close to the quality in this bottle.

Yes, the 2016 Lopez de Haro Blanco has finally hit the warehouse. We go absolutely nutty about this wine. There is no better deal on white wine anywhere. The wine is incredibly versatile. It is good in the afternoon sunshine, matches well with a variety of foods, and, as i discovered this weekend, is the drink of choice for many late at night. We threw a little party over the weekend and noticed that our guests, not more than 8 of them managed to go through a case of this wine after 10PM. WHOA.

June is double rewards month. If you are going to stock up, now is likely the time. We always work to feature the best wines we can find, but today there are some gems.

Happy shopping!