How is it possible to roll all these flavours into one affordable wine? Ask the Famille Perrin, one of the great winemaking families in southern France, who create this complex, fruity, earthy and fresh Cotes du Rhone from a blend of Grenache (mainly from their Prébois vineyard in Orange), Syrah from further north in Vinsobres and Mourvèdre. While many less interesting Cotes du Rhone are made from a straightforward blend of Grenache and Syrah, the addition of the dark, mocha-like flavours of Mourvèdre add depth, richness and smooth soft velvet mouthfeel. 

The grapes in this wine were destemmed and fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks between 150hl and 190hl. Extraction is done by pumping over and the frequency is determined by tasting. The separate component wines are transferred partly to oak barrels and partly to stainless steel vats for a year's maturation, prior to blending. 

The result is outstanding dry red wine flavours with rich soft fruit appeal and a long finish; all to be hoped for from the family who own Chateau de Beaucastel.

This is a great young red with medium term ageing ability and especially fresh and consistent thanks to being sealed with a screw cap.

Succulent drink now Côtes du Rhône from the Sabon family, renowned in Chateauneuf du Pape. This wine has black and red fruits delivered in a beautifully balanced, silky, medium bodied mouthful. The blend is 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah with the rest Carignan, Mourvedre and Cinsault.

This cheeky little French rose is a super fruity, medium dry pink wine made in Anjou in the Loire Valley in northern central France; one of that country's most diverse wine regions. 

It's made from two red grapes, Gamay and Grolleau; both well known for their soft, smooth and fruity style. 

This wine is super popular and has fruit sweetness and an off dry finish.

If Chenin has fallen off your fine wine drinking radar, try this fabulous French example, made from grapes grown on soils of flint and limestone. Flavours of fresh green apples, honey and citrus all combine in every beautifully balanced sip of this outstanding Loire Valley Chenin Blanc from top producer, Bernard Fouquet. 

Dry red wine from the Graves AOC. This is a rich, ripe wine with dark plum, spice and woody notes on the nose. The palate is very concentrated and is defined by its ripe red fruits and smoky intensity.

Chateau Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly, which has remained in family hands for several generations. Grown on steep slopes, harvested manually and vinified using low intervention techniques so as to maximise terroir expression. 

The Brouilly appellation is capable of producing excellent and complex wines, quite unlike the maligned Beaujolais Nouveau. Brouilly produces fruit forward, medium bodied wines, typically from the Gamay grape. 

Le Sept Vignes is a blend of the seven plots of Chateau Thivin, in an effort to represent the region's terroir. This is a delicious, medium bodied red, with slight tannins and a persistent, juicy red-fruit character. Complex yet easy-drinking in it's youth. This wine will grow in elegance given a few years age. 

Dry, dark and full bodied wine with impressive structure, made from 100% Syrah grown on 20 to 50 year old vines planted on limestone, sand and pebbles in the appellation of St Joseph. This wine is fermented in stainless steel and was aged for 16 months in second fill oak barrels.

100% Syrah from the Northern Rhone's appellation of St. Joseph which is famous for its powerful wines. The palate offers Oodles of blackberry, black currant and plum fruit that meld with spicy savoury and herbal elements.  The finish is long with black tea and toasty notes.

Located Northeast of Montpellier, terrasses du Larzac vineyard is backed by the mountainous plateau of Larzac. The coolness of the nights abd the hot Mediterranean days allow a slow maturation of the grappes bringing. Freshness and aromatic complexity. Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault grapes varieties will charm you with aromas of red fruits and notes of spices. 

Grape Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault

Pierre Gonon is one of the great domaines in the St Joseph appellation. This 100% Syrah comes from the great granite rich slopes that the region is known for. The nose is smoky and rich, with spiced cherry hints. On the palate, this wine offers prune, Morello cherry and violet flavours. This smoky, juicy Rhone brings a long finish and excellent tannin structure. An excellent expression of the region.

Champagne Irroy was founded in 1820 and has been owned by Champagne Taittinger since 1955.

Aromatic, rich and fruity with a deliciously crisp palate. The Extra Brut NV, is an elegant yet characterful Champagne, with a lightness of touch that makes it a perfect aperitif or party tipple. It is a blend of 30% Chardonnay (finesse and elegance), 50% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier (structure, richness, fruitiness and a smooth mouthfeel), and is aged for a minimum of two and a half years before release.

Lovely crisp structure and fleshy mouthfeel from a superb Chablis producer in a wine that reveals white fruit notes such as peach, and has a persistent mineral structure. In the mouth, a stony sensation which is so typical of Chablis makes this a round and pure wine.

Chablis is the northernmost wine region in Burgundy, which produces only Chardonnay. The cooler climate gives these wines crispness, acidity and a flinty minerality.

Each vintage, from our base in Cairanne, we are able to select exceptional Grenache and Syrah from the best Côtes du Rhône Villages to make Les Coteaux, which we then enrich with classified wine from Séguret and Sablet.

Production

Common practice in the Côtes du Rhône is to bottle the best cuvées as a single, named, village wine and the rest as more basic Côtes du Rhône Villages. Boutinot’s philosophy, on the other hand, is to start with the intention of making the very best Côtes du Rhône Villages possible by sourcing wine from the vineyards of named villages, and enriching them with a small proportion of barrel-aged wine from Sablet and Séguret. Boutinot's Côtes du Rhône Villages 'Les Coteaux' is therefore a selection of the best Grenache Noir and Syrah from some of the 17 named Côtes du Rhône Villages. We source wine from a number of growers with exceptional terroir and so have the flexibility to select only the very best fruit each vintage (rejecting parcels which do not meet our high standards). Mostly unoaked, a small proportion (15%) is part-aged for up to 20 months in a few new, but mostly older, oak barrels to bring depth and subtle notes of complexity.

Tasting notes

Immediately impressive, this wine reveals its class from the start. Brambly fruit underpinned by subtle oaky nuances, lovely sweet spice - warm star anise with a touch of cinnamon. This classic Côtes du Rhône Villages is enriched with specially-selected parcels from Séguret and Sablet.

Food match

A delicious accompaniment to hearty food: grilled meats, meaty sausages with mash or, as would be served in France, with puy lentils; shepherd's pie, mushroom ragoût or simply a good pizza.