2008 Côtes du Rhône, Les Cranilles, Les Vins De Vienne

One of the most exciting projects in the Rhône in the last decade, Les Vins de Vienne was the brainchild of three established vignerons, Francois Villard, Yves Cuilleron and Pierre Gaillard, who set about the resurrection of the famous vineyards above the Roman town of Vienne.

With plantations of Syrah and Viognier they have created wines which resemble their famous progenitors in Condrieu and Côte Rôtie, yet with subtle, fascinating points of difference.

The three musketeers have now spread their wings to create a whole family of wines including this extraordinarily good Côtes du Rhône, which is a blend of Grenache ( 65%), Syrah ( 25%) and Mourvèdre ( 10%). The wine is unoaked, its components vinified separately and has a purity of fruit and spicy depth which so often exemplifies the best wines from this seemingly humble appellation.

From the smart aesthetic of the packaging through to the sheer class of the wine itself, this is an extremely impressive example.