2016 Pierre Gaillard Operation Dragoon Cotes du Rhone is sold out.

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Stunning Red from “One of the Rhône’s Most Distinguished Producers” — Vinous

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  • 90 pts Jeb Dunnuck
    90 pts Jeb Dunnuck
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2016 Pierre Gaillard Operation Dragoon Cotes du Rhone 750 ml

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  • Curated by unrivaled experts
  • Choose your delivery date
  • Temperature controlled shipping options
  • Get credited back if a wine fails to impress

A Côtes du Rhône So Good, It Stopped Lunch

Côtes du Rhône day meant one thing: a working lunch at the Napa Valley’s legendary Angèle Restaurant. Sunlight poured in through the windows, exposing a slew of bagged bottles that covered every inch of the table. As foie gras torchon and croques-monsieurs made their way to the table, Eduardo interrupted the concentration-filled silence.

“Dump whatever’s in your glass—you’ve got to try this,” he said, and poured us all a taste of sample N-4. 

It was stunning—exactly what we were looking for in a Côtes du Rhône, with achingly pure flavors of black cherry, dusty blackberries, and rosemary, thyme, and pepper. Both intense and elegant, it worked perfectly on its own and cut through the richness of the food with ease and grace.

Gaillard is no stranger to us (and to Rhône collectors writ large) for his $100+ Cote Rotie bottlings, and his Operation Dragoon Côtes du Rhône delivers outstanding pedigree with over-the-top value. Josh Raynolds, in Vinous, listed him as one of the “Rhône’s most esteemed producers” alongside Chapoutier, Jaboulet, and Clape—and delivering a wine of this quality from a modest appellation is proof of his brilliance. 

The Operation Dragoon Côtes du Rhône is based on fruit from the untamed Gard region of the Southern Rhône, just outside of Nîmes, where warm temperatures meet Mediterranean breezes to ensure wines with both ample fruit and fantastic freshness. This 2016 was helped along by the exceptional vintage, which was a rising tide that lifted this particular boat well beyond its humble origins.

Gaillard took that exceptional raw material and matured it entirely in tank, preserving a purity of fruit and texture that left us dreaming of pairing possibilities. It’s a perfect bistro red, with the plushness and texture to pair with duck breast and burgers, and enough freshness and acidity to gracefully cut through a cassoulet.