Cru Wines from The Cotes du Rhone
I’ve been bringing the Côtes du Rhône into my home for a few years now, through the beauty of wine and food. It’s been a welcome reminder of the South of France, and all of the delicious produce the area has to offer. Most recently I was invited to a wine tasting of Cru wines from the Côtes du Rhône – in particular, Cairanne & Lirac AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée – controlled designation of origin).
The Unexpected Tasting
On the banks of the Rhône river lie two significant Cru (the most demanding level of distinction) AOC Appellations, Lirac and Cairanne. Both produce wines of spectacular quality, beautifully accessible with great ageing potential but tend to be a little lesser-known.
Our evening began with a guided tasting of Lirac and Cairanne wines with the lovely Helena Nicklin, shortly followed by small plates and canapés, provided by Native Feasts, which will be expertly matched to the wines by Michelin starred chef, Chris Godfrey. All set among the unforgettable backdrop of God’s Own Junkyard.
The wines from the evening included (favourites in bold):
Whites
- Cairanne – Alary L’estevenas (Terra Wines) £19.25
- Cairanne – Brusset Vieilles Vignes (The Fine Wine Co.) £19.25
- Lirac – Aqueria (Drinks & Co) £19.90
Reds
- Cairanne – Berthet Rayne Castel Mireio (Carte-du-Vin) 17.95
- Cairanne – Domaine Roche (Lea & Sanderman) £15.50
- Lirac – Loyane Elie (Le Vignoble) £21.20
- Lirac – Ogier Closiers (Marks & Spencers) £10.00
- Lirac – Coudoulis Hommage (Millesima) £22.00
If you’re looking for a bottle or two to adorn your dinner table this Christmas, I’d suggest you keep a lookout for the above next time you’re perusing wine shelves (virtually or physically). You can find out more about Côtes du Rhône wines and where you can purchase them here.
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