La Bastide Saint Dominique, Côtes du Rhône (Rhône Valley, France) 2012

 I have next-to-no experience with this producer, but we are off to a very good start thanks to two standout 2012 Côtes du Rhône bottlings–not to mention the fact that the achieved results were equally strong with the Blanc as the Rouge.  This delicious red shows an alluring earthiness and rusticity that never shades over into anything that could be mistaken for an overly rustic flaw, and the pure red fruit notes that follow the initial aromas show the wine’s purity and pedigree.  Young bottlings of Côtes du Rhône often need time in bottle to show complexity, but this one has already arrived, and will be great right now with lighter grilled meats.