Rive Droite 2022 Clos du Mont Olivet | Rhône

Clos du Mont Olivet's Rive Droite is one of the highest-quality entry-level wines the southern Rhône Valley has to offer. Made from mid-slope plots on the right bank of the Rhône, this blended red wine combines Grenache Noir with small amounts of Carignan, Syrah, Merlot, and Mourvèdre. The predominantly sandy soils, mixed with rounded pebbles, gravel, and limestone, form a terroir of remarkable geological complexity, imparting captivating depth and freshness to the wine. Founded in 1932 by Séraphin Sabon and still run as a family business by subsequent generations, Clos du Mont Olivet has made the unique choice to vinify this cuvée exclusively in concrete tanks, without any aging in wood. While this decision breaks with local tradition, it above all allows the terroir to express itself with remarkable candor and purity.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin: Clos du Mont Olivet’s Rive Droite is one of the highest-quality cuvées in its price range throughout the southern Rhône. The Sabon family’s bold choice to vinify in concrete tanks rather than wood reveals a complex and authentic terroir, driven by a love of the vineyard passed down from generation to generation with admirable consistency.

The nose is beautifully generous, dominated by notes of ripe black fruit intertwined with a delicate spiciness and a hint of coffee. A noble vegetal note, evocative of the southern garrigue, lends a wild and authentic dimension to this bouquet, which displays incredible complexity for a cuvée in this category.

On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and generous, carried by aromas of clove, roasted hazelnut, and chocolate, balanced by a fresh note of mint. The aromatic profile, remarkable for its breadth, extends to a savory and structured finish, where present yet silky tannins round out the tasting experience with a sense of indulgence and balance.