A Côtes du Rhône that’s a cut above others
- 95 pts Decanter World Wine Awards95 pts DWWA
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
2020 Chateau Courac Cotes du Rhone Rhone Valley 750 ml
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
One of the Southern Rhône’s Hidden Gems
Château Courac is a star producer in Laudun—one of the southern Rhône’s hidden gems. The village has long been recognized by insiders for its quality, but was only elevated to cru status this year. Now it has joined the circle of AOCs—headlined by Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape—that occupy the top rung of the Rhône quality ladder.
This is an astonishing value, delivering the deep red- and black fruit and complex herbaceousness that the Rhône is known for. It earned an impressive 95-point score from Decanter’s World Wine Awards.
Owned since 1995 by Frederic and Josephine Arnaud, Château Courac sits on the right bank of Rhône river. Since the right bank is less subject to heavy winds, the grapes are less prone to dehydration. Coupled with the cool nights and soils that feature sand over clay, Courac’s grapes retain a freshness that allows for long hang times and plenty of concentration in the finished wines.
The Arnauds bring exceptional attention to detail in the vineyard: Cover crops are carefully selected to add nutrients and compete for water with the vines, driving roots deep into the earth. Leaves on the vines are pulled to increase airflow, while leaving the bunches in dappled shade—an essential move in a warm vintage like 2020.
Once the grapes are picked, everything is done traditionally. The Syrah-heavy blend is destemmed to promote rich fruit and silky tannins, while fermentation is kept cool to make sure delicate aromatics stay in the wine. The result is spectacular—truly a cut above.