Côtes du Rhônes are a dime a dozen. They’re cheap, reliable, and abundant — you’ll find them everywhere from a fine restaurant to your local supermarket. Most are mass produced, with low tannin and lots of fruit — they may lack flaws, but they’re short on character too.
Eric Chauvin’s wines share a region and grape varietal with these Côtes du Rhônes, but little else. Chauvin’s tiny Domaine le Souverain has no website, no road sign, and barely a phone number — his cellar is a converted garage. But his wines have more complexity and depth than nearly anything else we taste at their level, and manage to remain a bargain.
Souverain’s 2023 Séguret pulsates with life and energy, a result of his low-intervention style and careful organic viticulture — it’s the best vintage he’s made to date. The nose is dark and inky with notes of crushed berries, lavender, and a cool earthiness. The mouth is smooth, fresh and perfectly balanced – clean dark fruit, just the right amount of tannin, and a smooth, easy finish. Pour with takeout pizza or playoff football (gobirds).
____________________________
Souverain Séguret 2023
bottle price: $22
