La Renjardière, Rhône Valley (France) 2017

 This superb wine is an offering within a set of new imports from Cape Classics, which has long specialized in wines from South Africa but is now working with French wines as well.  The blend is Grenache 50%, Syrah 40% and a final 10% comprised of Mourvèdre and Cinsault.  2017 was a fairly hot year in the Southern Rhône, and this wine really benefitted from all that Syrah as well as the especially late-ripening Mourvèdre.  It is a terrific Rhône perfectly poised between fresh fruitiness and subtly savory notes, with a long, soft finish.  Cape Classics is working pretty aggressively to establish these new imports to the USA, so you might be able to beat the $19 price indicated here, but even if you can’t, you’ll still be getting a great value.