Domaine Chaume-Arnaud, Cotes du Rhone 'Petit Coquet', 2023

This is the good stuff hiding in plain sight in the crowded Cotes-du-Rhone bin. Chaume-Arnaud has farmed organically near Vinsobres since the early 2000s and biodynamically (Demeter-certified since 2009), well before it was fashionable, and 'Petit Coquet' is their breezy, everyday red, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault built for pleasure rather than patience. Fully destemmed, raised briefly in tank with no oak, it keeps the fruit fresh and the tannins smooth. The 2023 is bone-dry and juicy, a little Provencal picnic in a bottle. Chill it down twenty minutes and pour without a second thought.