OpenTube

Is this the BEST VALUE RED WINE in the World?

Konstantin Baum - Master of Wine

246,635 views

Check out Cellar Class to take your wine knowledge to the next level: https://www.cellarclass.com/
Learn from a Master of Wine at your pace, wherever you are with Cellar Class!

Follow me on ...:
Instagram: konstantinbaum_mw
https://www.threads.net/@konstantinba...
TikTok: konstantinbaum_mw

Check out my website:
https://www.cellarclass.com/
https://www.konstantinbaum.com/
https://baumselection.com/

I have used the following glass from my partner Spiegelau in this video:
SPIEGELAU Definition Universal Wine Glass: https://www.spiegelau.com/en-int/spie...

I have tasted the following wines in this Video:

2023 Chateau de Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone Les Deux Albion, Rhone, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/de...

2020 Maison Francois-Xavier Nicolas Cotes du Rhone 'Solera', France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/ma...

2023 Domaine Santa Duc Cotes du Rhone 'Les Quatre Terres', Rhone, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/do...

2022 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Esprit Nature, Rhone, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/le...

2024 Domaine de Beaurenard Cotes du Rhone, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/do...

2022 Domaine des Bosquets Cotes du Rhone 'Les Bosquets', France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/do...

2023 Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone Les Garrigues, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/do...

I use this wine key: Forge de Laguiole Ebony

The 100 Point Scoring System (from www.robertparker.com):
96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.
90 - 95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.
80 - 89: A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.
70 - 79: An average wine with little distinction except that it is soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.
60 - 69: A below-average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.
50 - 59: A wine deemed to be unacceptable.

One region produces amazing-quality wine with character at looooow prices.
It is a region that has been around for a long time, and while everyone knows it—and famous producers make wine here—it continues to trade at, sometimes, ridiculously low prices.
I have a whole lineup of wines to taste from this region. All of the wines have scored 90 points or higher with leading critics, and most of them sell for under €20 / $20.
Which region am I talking about?

Côtes du Rhône stretches 180 km / 112 miles from Vienne in the north to Avignon in the south, but most is produced south of Montélimar, with close to 27,000 hectares under vine. So it covers a lot of ground.

While Côtes du Rhône AOC can be made in both the Northern and Southern Rhône, the vast majority of the wines come from the south, where Côtes du Rhône vineyards can border famous AOCs like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas.

Production is 83% red, 9% rosé, and 8% white, with a lineup of 23 permitted grape varieties.
Most red wines are based on Grenache, Syrah, and/or Mourvèdre.

These wines tend to be concentrated and full-bodied, and in many cases, the wines are solid but unremarkable.

What is exciting, though, is that there are outstanding Côtes du Rhônes that retail for similar prices but offer very high quality.

20 Comments

@KonstantinBaumMasterofWine Creator 3 weeks ago Pinned

Which wine from the lineup would you want to drink?

@pkre707 3 weeks ago

I think it would be nice if you showed the appellations on a map when you reference them, along with some pictures of the region.

@belsha 2 weeks ago

I remember last year spending a night in a hotel with a Michelin (non starred) restaurant with a japanese chef in Fontvielle, next to Les Baux de Provence. Instead of ordering the overhyped "Coteaux des Baux de Provence" wines, we ordered the two cheapest wines on the whole menu. A generic Loire Sauvignon Blanc from François Chidaine, and "Les Deux Albions" from Chateau de Saint-Cosme, both for 30€ in the restaurant; Both were mind blowingly good. Entry level budget wines from legendary producers. More recently, at "Les Grands Buffets" in Narbonne, were they sell wine at producer prices, we had Santa Duc's "Aux Lieux Dits" Gigondas, a truly spectacular wine at only 30€, especially after spending an hour in a carafe.

But one critique I would make of this selection, is exactly that: you chose the entry level Côtes du Rhônes from ultra-famous producers from ultra-prestigious appelations, like Gigondas (Saint-Cosme, Santa-Duc, Domaine des Bosquets) and Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Clos du Caillou, Beaurenard and Janasse). But if you delve further into more remote areas in the Souther Rhône, you will find many even cheaper wines that don't have this prestige or pedigree, but yet are decidedly really great.

@TheRealGnolti 2 weeks ago

The amazing cost to value ratio of Rhones has been a well kept secret for a very long time. Hopefully that will never change.

@omrizach5846 3 weeks ago

Glad to see Cotes du Rhone getting the recognition it deserves! As always, great content. Thank you!

@doctor_andy_unger 3 weeks ago

St.Cosme CDR has been my “house red” since the 2nd Reagan Administration. Nice to see I haven’t been drinking plonk these last 40 years. 😂. Be Well Konstantin.

@fabianporst5847 3 weeks ago

Pierre Amadieu (Gigondas), Domaine Le Pointu (CDP), Domain Montine (Insane whites from lesser know Grignan-Les-Adhemar) and most Vinsobres are absolutely stunning.

@joe-zp7ge 4 days ago

uNREMARKABLE IS THE KEY WORD! Complexity is rare with these wines.

@simon_dupp 3 weeks ago

Still hoping for a Best value Pinot Noirs video!

@garyamartin 3 weeks ago

I've been enjoying Chateau Pégau Maclura and Saint Cosme (the one just labeled CdR, which I think is 100% syrah). I've rarely been disappointed with Guigal.

@SmartDave60 2 weeks ago

This is invaluable information.
Thank you Konstantin.

@christiana117 2 weeks ago

I personally love Lirac and Vaqueyras, they're always good value for money.

@williamrobinson7435 3 weeks ago

A great call for people who want to get wine in for a big social party.
The wines of the Cotes du Rhone are a go to for this, especially if there's some of that "without moderation" vibe. Then there's a chance of everyone having a good time but no one breaking the bank.
Nice one Konstantin! ✨🌟👍

@Sakkura1 3 weeks ago (edited)

15:47 Dentelles means lace, not teeth. It's wavy pieces of lace sticking out of the ground, not teeth.

@markh7484 2 weeks ago

Can I wholeheartedly recommend Les Dauphins Cotes Du Rhone. It's available from major supermarkets but especially in Morrisons when they regularly run 25% off for 6 bottles and you can get it for £7 or less. Sometimes they have it on offer AND 25% off and it can get as low as £6. This is a crazy price for an outstanding wine.

@bulldogsv2 2 days ago

I'm going to have to fly to Europe to buy a $9 wine - Solera.

@BartWagener 3 weeks ago

That Solera has been sitting in my cupboard for some months now. Time to crack it open! And perhaps time to order the rest as well. Thanks Konstantin.

@lucgruffaz7750 2 weeks ago

As a French I will agree , the first one coteaux de Scome is available at Costco for us$ 14...
But Spanish red and white are amazing for quality value.

@privatprivat9213 3 weeks ago

As a Janasse lover, the Garrigue is actually my least favourite wine. I prefer the Terre de Bussiere for 12€, the Terre D‘Argile for 18€ and the Chateneauf Du Pape for 35€. All are real qpr winners! (And btw: I adore the Chaupin! 😍). You just have to consider vintage variations and sometimes a bit too much heat.

@noholds0318 3 weeks ago

The Quatre Terres is hard to beat for the money but I really like the Les Cornuds Vinsobres from Perrin. It's technically not "just" a CdR but a cru but it's priced below 15€. Just insane value.