Laudun & Chusclan Vignerons Cachette Côtes-du-Rhône Red Blend 2012: Rich, ripe full body; blackcurrant and redcurrant tang, juicy cherry, red and black fruits, strawberry, bit of blackberry and chocolate on the finish; smooth, tasty, with interesting touches of barnyard earthiness and rusticity; grenache 70%, Syrah 10%, Carignan 10%, Cinsault 10%, no mourvèdre. Avoids New World jammy over-fruitiness and high alcohol. This effort demonstrates the magic of buyer-friendly Côtes-du-Rhône—grapes for this wine are grown across the Rhône from vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, while the bottle price for Cachette is the price of a short-pour glass of an entry-level Châteauneuf. Clear value winner. $14
