2009 Côtes-du-Rhône, Domaine la Boutinière

Domaine la Boutiniere

Domaine La Boutiniere was founded in 1920 by Félix Vidal. This family - owned company is now run by Fourth-Generation winemaker, Frédéric Boutin, who has been the owner and winemaker since 1997. Domaine La Boutiniere represents 12 hectares of property with 10 hectares in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation and 2 hectares in the Courthezon region. Vines are an average of 70 years old and the wines are produced from all 13 grape varieties allowed in the Chateauneuf appellation.

Southern Rhône Blend

The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.

The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.