*** INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE SILVER MEDAL 2017*** Country: France Region: Cotes du Rhone Varietal: Grenache / Syrah / Mourvedre Blend Vintage: 2018 Colour: Red Style: Dry Producer: Arc du Rhone Estate Description: Boutinot, the producers of the Les Coteaux Cotes du Rhone believe great wine can be made there. They have bought here in the southern Rhône – in the village of Cairanne and now own several plots of old vines for even better wine. Over the past decade they have built enviable relationships with a network of local growers and to source grapes and wine from their trove of prized vineyards for a full range of Rhône wines.Common practice in the Côtes du Rhône is to bottle the best cuvées as a single named Village wine and the rest as basic Rhône Villages. Boutinot’s philosophy 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, Séguret & Cairanne. Boutinot Rhone ‘Les Coteaux’ is therefore a selection of the best Grenache & Syrah from some of the 17 named Côtes du Rhône Villages creating quality wines. Tasting Note: 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 the cru vineyards of Séguret, Sablet and Cairanne. Côtes du Rhône Villages enriched with barrels of classified named Village wine from Cairanne, Sablet and Séguret. Mostly unoaked, a small proportion (15%) is part aged for 22 months in a few new but mostly older oak barrels to bring depth and subtle notes of complexity. Food Matches: A delicious accompaniment to grilled meats, heart-warming casseroles or a classic shepherd’s pie.