What's Pressoir Drinking?

by Edouard Bourgeois

September 22, 2020

Château des Tours, Côtes du Rhône 2015

Last week, during David Gordon’s THIRST class on Châteauneuf du Pape, I decided to open a bottle of Château des Tours, Côtes-du Rhône 2015. It did not disappoint! As soon as I sank my nose in the glass, I was reminded of the importance of the producer over the appellation or even the vintage. After all, this was only a simple Côtes-du-Rhône, an appellation that designates the entry level wines of the region. Frankly, many wines made under this lower designation can be very uninteresting. However, in the hands of Chateau Rayas’ superstar winemaker Emmanuel Reynaud, even this Côtes-du-Rhône had the panache of some of the best Chateauneuf du Pape. Light in color, the Grenache core was evident, offering a generous, heady bouquet of sweet figs, laced with Provençal herbs. The alcohol level was high (14.5%) but not overwhelming. Yet, I suggest to drink it at around 55 Fahrenheit as service temperature is key to kind of “tame” that power.

Emmanuel Reynaud