The Rhône Valley came to visit Texas with a tasting of seven different appellations from Gabriel Meffre! From a delicate white Côtes du Rhône to a substantial Châteauneuf, these recent-vintage wines showed the range and drinkability of one of France’s most important regions. The class was hosted by Total Wine, which is the exclusive US retailer for these wines. (I received two complimentary tickets to the Plano, Texas tasting as a Grand Reserve rewards member.)
Admittedly, Plano is only 1/100th as pretty as the hills of the Southern Rhône (generous estimate). But it only took a few minutes with the wines to transport us across time and space to the French countryside, which has been perfecting the art of wine since the time of the Romans.
Anthony Taylor, Sommelier and Public Relations Manager for Gabriel Meffre, began the evening with an overview of the history of the Meffre winery in the village of Gigondas. Located on the same side of the river as the more famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas is one of French wine’s hidden gems. It’s known for producing powerful, Grenache-based reds at head-scratching nice prices.
But long before Gigondas was recognized by the world and established as a cru, wine merchant Gabriel Meffre saw its potential, purchasing his first plot of vines there in 1936. He used his connections and expertise as a négociant to invest in other vineyards across the Rhône region, over decades becoming one of France’s leading producers of AOC wines.
We began with the newest wine from Gabriel Meffre’s signature collection, a 2024 Côtes du Rhône Blanc called “Saint Vincent.” (The wines are named for the patron saints of some of the villages that they come from.)
This Southern Rhône white is an ideally calibrated blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Clairette, Marsanne and Bourboulenc. A perfumed nose of peach, Comice pear, orange blossom, and clover honey gives way to refreshing acidity and a clean, grapefruit-tinged mineral finish.
“Saint Vincent” is not on Total Wine’s shelves yet–but it will be soon! Anthony kindly brought two bottles in his suitcase for us to try. If you love the floral richness of Condrieu–but also want something that you can serve with food and that won’t have you worrying about your checking account balance–give it a try. It retails for under $25. (In fact, all the wines we tasted were under $50 and Total Wine’s usual schedule of discounts applies.)
The Tavel we tasted was on the lighter side of the style, medium in color and body–a sort of gateway wine for palates trained on pale Provence juice. Tart red strawberry and watermelon are joined by tantalizing hints of white pepper and orange-spice tea. The blend is Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault, aged for four months in stainless steel.
Finally it was the moment everyone came for: A parade of Rhône reds! We tasted five from the Meffre collection, including a Côtes du Rhône Villages, Rasteau, Gigondas, Vacqueryas, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. All are made in an agreeable style (savory with ripe fruit, cautious use of oak, ready to drink on day one but suitable for around 5-8 years in the cellar).
The first red, the “Saint Mapalis” Plan de Dieu holds a special place in the Meffre winery’s history. The namesake flat river valley (“the Plain of God”) was once a treacherous, robber-infested route through the surrounding hills. To walk through it, it was said, was to carry your life in your hands and your prayers on your lips. The murderous plain became a literal minefield during World War II, and so it remained until the 1950s when Gabriel Meffre endeavored to clear the land and plant grapevines. It was recognized with AOC status in 2005 and is now the largest (by production) of the named villages in the Southern Rhône.
Also well-priced at $22, this 2022 Plan de Dieu is a classic gastronomic blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. It’s made without oak to allow the freshness of the red fruits to shine through. On the nose, it’s a pronounced blend of spiced strawberry, red cherry, earth, oregano, and sage. Some dried cranberries, too (perfect for Thanksgiving!). Medium-bodied with an iron-y mineral finish and the spicy cured-meat flavor of shaved pastrami.
The other red wine that elbowed its way onto my holiday shopping list was Meffre’s 2020 “Saint Catherine” Gigondas ($40, blend of Grenache and Syrah). It’s the fullest in body of the bunch, and the most aromatically intense. Those delectable ripe, spiced strawberries are here in compote form–along with red plum, black plum, blackberry, and anise spice. At 15.5% there’s powerful alcohol heat, but it only helps to elevate the fresh sage and camphorous breeze of lavender, rosemary, and pepper. Medium-plus tannins give structure but not harshness.
The description of the oak treatment was a mouthful, but evidently perfect for this glorious Gigondas: One-third of the batch was aged in second- and third-use large (600-liter) barrels for 12 months before final blending. (The Châteauneuf-du-Pape was also well-liked by the group, albeit a little thinner, red-fruited, and with more obvious influence of new oak.)
Total Wine’s “Winery Direct” tastings are sometimes a mixed bag, but this Southern Rhône special event was hands-down the best one I’ve ever attended. The class was extremely informative and the mood was jolly. The Gabriel Meffre winery’s motto is “Semper Voluptas” (“always a pleasure”), a sweet reminder that it’s always a pleasure to drink historic Rhône blends in good company.
Wines tasted (prices are Total Wine regular retail):
Gabriel Meffre “Saint Vincent” Côtes du Rhône White (2024) – $22.99
Gabriel Meffre “Saint Ferréol” Tavel (2022) – $24.99
Gabriel Meffre “Saint Mapalis” Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu (2022) – $21.99
Gabriel Meffre “Saint Didier” Rasteau (2023) – $21.99
Gabriel Meffre “Saint Barthélémy” Vacqueryas (2019) – $31.99
Gabriel Meffre “Sainte Catherine” Gigondas (2020) – $39.99
Gabriel Meffre “Saint Théodoric” Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2020) – $49.99
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. (Except as a Total Wine membership perk as described above.) Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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