Some wines are best praised as clean. No off tastes; no odd smells from the alley behind the house. The 2004 Paul Jeune Chateau Valcombe Signature from Côtes du Ventoux is a reliable expression of the Grenache-based red wines from Provence. We drank and gave away more than a case over the holidays. Everyone liked it. It went well with two lamb steaks tied into a bundle and roasted with garlic and thyme. But I’ll also confess to drinking it with a cheese soufflé and even with leftover fish at lunch. A clean wine is the world’s easiest companion.

The Chateau Valcombe is a mixture of Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Cinsault – all traditional Rhône varieties. The wine has a light dry smell, like pavement on a cool day. The taste is crisp and just a little acidic. To find a place for this wine in the fruit parade, we might pick “cranberry” although the choice is more adjective and metaphor than direct description. The taste is unmistakably grape, but an uncomplicated extraction – no billowy fruit or lingering sachet.
A wine as direct as Chateau Valcombe will flatter and enhance the food you can make at home. You can drink a glass quite happily while you read a book. I tried this experiment twice. But at the end of the day, this wine is best enjoyed as a friendly domestique who wants only to help you enjoy your meal. Dedalus carries this wine at $12.00

Chateau Valcombe Côtes du Ventoux “Signature”, 2004
$12.00/Bottle