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Wine Wednesday: Coon-wahz - Say What?

Say What? That was actually the name of one of our early house curated wines. What I have to say is that it was DELICIOUS! So here is your Rhône 101 lesson for this week!

Counoise is an obscure grape grown primarily in the Rhone Valley. It's a moderately vigorous vine that produces large, thin-skinned, reddish-purple berries and prefers stony hillside soils with intense sun exposure.

Counoise's precise origins are unknown - it is believed to have been brought to France from Spain by a papal officer as a gift to the Pope in the 14th Century. It is still found most frequently in the blends of Châteauneuf-du-Pape (it's also a component of Roses from the Provence region), though small plantings may now be found in California and Washington.

As a blending grape, Counoise brings a rich, spicy character with flavors of anise, strawberry and blueberry. Moderate in alcohol with good fruit and aromatics, it makes an ideal complement to the lushness of Grenache and structure of Mourvedre.

In years when the grapes show good intensity, Counoise has been bottled as a single-varietal wine. Producers in Washington State and California (notably Tablas Creek Vineyards in Paso Robles) have released Counoise' distinguished by notes of earth and spice, intense floral fruit, light body, vibrant acidity and soft tannins. These wines are usually best enjoyed young (within 2-4 years).

Some of Counoise' challenges include a late ripening date (it often cannot be harvested until late October in California) and tendency to oxidize during fermentation.

FLAVOR PROFILE:

Fresh and bright, with a tendency to low alcohol and tannins, Counoise grapes bring rich and spicy notes, with earthy flavors of anise, strawberry and blueberry.

PRODUCERS: UNITED STATES

Steele Wines

Tablas Creek Vineyards

Westwood Estate

VINEYARDS

Tablas Creek Vineyard

Eagle Point Ranch Vineyard

ARTICLES

Complexities of Counoise: A Rhône Region Standout

Here are a few interesting videos that I found online about Counoise!