Cotes du Rhone - St. Cosme 2010 and Guigal 2007

I tasted two economical Rhone wines with my dinner tonight. The first one was the new St. Cosme Cotes du Rhone 2010 (SKU 241224 $19.99) and the second was the Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2007 (SKU 259721 $23.99 Wine Spectator 87 points).

The reason I tasted them was I have always liked the St. Cosme wines, especially the 2007 vintage. It was rated at 90 points by Wine Spectator and most of my friends thought it was an easy drinking wine that went well with most food, including Chinese food. The 2009 vintage was also rated 90 points by Wine Spectator and was No. 88 of their Top 100 wines of 2010. I didn't like the style of the 2009 as much as the 2007. The 2010 vintage had a good nose and medium to full body. It tasted more like the 2007 and should go well with most food.

The 2007 Guigal was recommended by a wine consultant at the Signature Store at 39th and Cambie (hereafter referred to as LDB). Guigal is a very fine producer in the Rhone region. The 2007 Cotes du Rhone was rated by Wine Spectator at 87 points. The color was more brown than the St. Cosme 2010 (of course it is three years older). I found a fuller body and longer aftertaste with the Guigal . Both are wines from Southern Rhone and they are quite similar. It should go well with most food as well.

I would say both are worth trying and you should find both to be good value and easy to enjoy.