Les Dauphins Côte du Rhône Reserve 2024
- 92
- $20
- Drink by: 2026-2034
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A terrific value wine that is made purely for enjoyment. This organic red is from the Côtes du Rhône region of France. The makers have the option of including a wide range of grapes, but as usual, the dominant variety is Grenache. That is well supported by a range of what they describe as “friends”. Purple/magenta with a crimson rim, this is all about instant gratification. A wine full of flavour and drinking beautifully at this early stage. On the nose we have aromas of chocolate, mushrooms, dried herbs, freshly unearthed beetroot, smoked meats and black cherries. Succulent, supple and seamless on the palate through to slick tannins, there is good length, ripeness and energy here, and the wine lingers beautifully. Drink over the next six to eight years. This is really good value.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
