The Demeter-certified 2019 Cotes du Rhone is a 70-30 blend of Grenache and Syrah. Scents of black cherries and garrigue emerge on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, supple and spicy. For under $20, this should be on your shopping list of everyday wine values, as it offers ample complexity, bold flavors and length on the finish.

The 2009 Cotes du Rhone exhibits garrigue and Provencal herb notes in a light-bodied style, with hard tannins in the finish. As a frequent buyer of wines from this bio-dynamically farmed estate, I have been an advocate of these wines for over two decades. I was not presented with any 2008s to taste during my trip, which I take as a sign of no confidence in how they are performing. The 2009s, while very good, underperformed compared to just about every top vintage in Chateauneuf du Pape over the last 15-20 years. The two whites revealed contrasting styles. The Coulons normally do a fabulous job with their Cotes du Rhones, particularly their Rasteau from blue clay soils called Argiles Bleus. Importers: A Christopher Cannan Selection, Europvin; Lauber Imports, Somerville, NJ; tel. (908) 725-2100 and Ruby Wines, Avon, MA; tel. (508) 588-7007

The 2007 Cotes du Rhone is a straightforward, pleasant, attractive effort offering loads of fruit, but not much complexity. One of the oldest estate bottlers of Chateauneuf du Pape, the Coulon family boasts an extraordinary track record of making wine. They were one of the first to offer a luxury cuvee, called Boisrenard. The Chateauneuf du Pape (a blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 8% Cinsault, and the rest various authorized varietals) spends time in both small barrel and foudre.