Le Garrigon Cotes du Rhone 2020 3L Box

Rhone, France

Le Garrigon Cotes du Rhone 2010 was the top-rated wine in the New York Times panel's review of wines-in-a-box in August 2011! We're now on the 2020 vintage and it's another winner!

Le Garrigon Cotes du Rhone is a beautiful red wine gem from a fine producer in the southern Rhone region of France and it is organic (certified Agriculture Biologique.) The southern Rhone features the Grenache varietal and includes the well-known appellations of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras along with Cotes du Rhone. The region has enjoyed a stunning run of superb vintages over the past 19 years dating back to 1998 with the single aberration of 2002 (severe flooding,) with every vintage except 2002 rated 88 points or higher by Wine Spectator. What's especially interesting about this new wine gem is its innovative packaging. It comes in an adorable wooden Wineberry Box made of Bordelais oak and it holds 3 liters of wine-the equivalent of 4 standard 750ml bottles. Perfect for parties and summer picnics because it's so lightweight and durable-and amazingly compact! It's also a great everyday house wine, and you don't need to worry about 3 liters of wine going bad. Once the tap is opened the wine will last for six weeks in its airtight bag inside the box! What's not to like? Just remember that all boxed wines are meant to be consumed within 12 months, so drink up!

Le Garrigon Cotes du Rhone offers nice purity of fruit with supple black cherry and plum flavors and a bouquet of lavender, spice and mineral notes. The grapes are a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. It is nicely balanced through the lengthy finish.

Enjoy Le Garrigon Cotes du Rhone with daube Provencal, BBQ pork ribs, burgers and hard cheeses. Note three 3L boxes constitute a "case" for case discount pricing.

Opening instructions: Place the Wineberry Box upside down and slide open the bottom wood panel. Remove tape covering hole in front panel and push spigot through the hole with tap facing toward bottom of box. Slide bottom panel closed and turn box upright. When ready to open, simply remove plastic seal from spigot. Place wine glass under spigot and lift up on two side buttons of tap to dispense wine. Swirl and enjoy!

Recycling suggestion: Wineberry boxes are a nearly perfect fireplace fire starter! Just stuff 2-3 pages of wadded newspaper into a box with the bottom panel removed, stack it on its side on the andirons and light through the hole with a match. It sustains a beautiful fire for 10 minutes or more as you add logs on top!