Côtes du Rhône has become synonymous with holidays in the French Region of Provence – ever since we holidayed (vacation) there a few years ago. I had tried it some years ago and hadn’t really liked it – the stuff that the supermarket had been importing at the time (maybe ten years ago) was quite harsh and unpalatable in my opinion so I didn’t bother with Côtes du Rhône for a while. On that holiday we decided to give it another chance for two reasons – firstly, it was the local produce and we were keen to indulge, and secondly, it has been our experience that they keep the best wines back for themselves – and why not?

I have been drinking Côtes du Rhône fairly regularly since then; I found that the quality had improved dramatically. Much of the supermarkets offerings have all been from the same producer – Celliers de Dauphins – even the supermarket “own brands” although, you need good glasses to see it on the label. So, I was now a big fan of Côtes du Rhône again. I was quite excited to find this one, partly because it wasn’t “Celliers du Dauphins” nice as it is. It turns out that Famille Perrin is quite an established name in Côtes du Rhône circles so I had fallen on my feet with this one!

I purchased this one from Majestic – we are working our way through my Majestic purchases at the moment, as you may have gathered, and it was priced at £7.99 (as usual, this is the six + mixed case price – full price £11.99):

Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Reserve 2013.

Price: £7.99 (as part of mixed six)

Vintage: 2013

Area/Region/Country: Beaucastel, Orange, Provence, France.

Alcohol Content: 13.5%

Grapes: Grenache, Syrah

Colour: Purple (probably a little young).

Bouquet/Nose/Smell: “Plums and Custard” , Cherries.

Taste/Palate: Cherries, ripe red berries, Tannins, spices – Majestic tasting notes also suggest peppermint and vanilla.

Finish: Rich and long  – very pleasant.

Famille Perrin say:

TASTING
This 2013 Reserve has a great minerality with abundant freshness. Primarily made from Grenache, it is the Syrah variety that dominates this vintage. Nice aromas of red and black fruit, with a strong aromatic concentration. The mouth is fresh and full-­‐bodied. The tannins are soft and give a long aromatic finish.

I say – well worth the money – better than my usual 😉