Counoise is the wine you don’t know you need in your life until you try it. This beginner-friendly red wine has pops of vibrant, red fruit flavors, and spicy aromatics, and it tastes delicious with a chill. On the hunt for a great romantic wine for date nights, (or self-care nights!)? Look no further, because this food-friendly wine can be enjoyed from appetizers all the way through the main course.
In this guide we’re going to dig into Counoise as a single variety wine, with recommendations from some of California’s best natural winemakers.
What is Counoise?
The Counoise grape is a dark, thin-skinned red grape variety, known for its high acidity and soft tannins. While Counoise is often used as a blending grape in its native region of Southern Rhone, more and more producers outside of France are creating glubbable, light bodied red wines that showcase this wine’s bright red fruit flavors and spice.
The most important thing to remember about this wine is: Counoise is a light red wine that is best served chilled, and it’s perfect for pairing with charcuterie boards, pizza, or pastas.
What does Counoise taste like?
Counoise wines are medium-bodied with bright, peppy wild berry notes of strawberries and raspberries. Pleasant spices like anise and licorice stick come through as secondary notes. When it’s made in the carbonic style, these wines pop with acidity.
TIP: An easy way to remember how this grape tastes: Counoise tastes like a bowl of spiced red fruit punch under a shining disco ball at your high school winter formal. It’s refreshing, it has a bouquet as gentle as your date’s corsage.
This is a rare grape
According to the 2022 California Grape Acreage Report, there are 59 acres of fruit-bearing Counoise in California. Most of these grapes are planted in San Luis Obispo County – 24 acres. The next largest plantings are in Yolo County and Alameda County, which are both home to 7 acres.
Outside of California, the grape is primarily grown in the Rhône Valley of France, particularly in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region.
How to Pair Counoise
Counoise is an all-seasons wine, which means it pairs well with tons of dishes. Pair these wines with red sauce pizzas and pastas, grilled meats like lamb and pork, and rustic poultry dishes like roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken. Vegetarians can pair this wine with vegetarian lasagna, eggplant parmesan, or basil pesto.
If you love charcuterie boards with salume and pate, you’re in for a real palate pleaser.
Wines to Try
The Counoise grape produces fun, juicy, crunchy (pick your favorite glou glou wine term here) wines, so natural wine producers love working with this variety.
My favorite producers of California Counoise are: Broc Cellars, Benevolent Neglect, Margins Wines, and Tablas Creek in Paso Robles.
My want-to-try list includes:
- Groundwork Wine
- Raft Wines
- Cote West Wines, Rosé of Counoise
- Occteau
Who will enjoy Counoise
Wine lovers who appreciate vibrant, fruit-forward wines with lively acidity and a touch of floral and herbal complexity will likely enjoy Counoise wine. Additionally, those who are interested in exploring lesser-known grape varieties and unique blends will find Counoise to be an intriguing and rewarding choice. As a grape that is often used as a blending component in Rhône-style wines, enthusiasts of this wine style may also find Counoise to be a captivating and desirable addition to their collection.
How to Pronounce Counoise
Counoise is pronounced as “coon-wahz”, with the emphasis on the second syllable.
Try a Counoise Rosé
If you’re looking for a fun, crunchy rosé wine, try one crafted with Counoise. The Benevolent Neglect Rosato is fantastic. Steve Matthiasson also makes a great rosé that’s a blend of Counoise, Barbera, Mourvedre, and Grenache.
How much does a bottle cost?
The bottles on this list are in the $24 – $35 price range. The sweet spot for pricing is around $30.
FAQ
Is Counoise served cold?
Most Counoise wines can be served with a chill on them, although they don’t have to. Feel free to serve these wines at cellar temperature.
What is Counoise similar to?
The acid-driven, medium-bodied, red fruit palate of Counoise often draws comparisons to grapes like Gamay and Cabernet Franc. I would also add Cabernet Pfeffer to that list too, as this wine has a touch of peppery, star anise spice.