Welcome to Rhône Week! Over the course of the next few days we will be bringing you information about this fabulous wine region, special offers, and the producers who make them.
Rhône Week
Information | Special Offers | Wine ProducersE. Guigal
The Guigal family have been one of the standout pioneers of the winemaking industry since 1946 and their energy and passion has continued to drive forward the pursuit for ever higher levels in quality wine.
Perhaps one of the best examples of this can be found in their humble Côtes du Rhône. At just £11 per bottle it delivers a depth of fruit, balance and age-worthiness seldom matched in any wine of this level and indeed in many higher classed examples. Not only is it absolutely delicious right now at 3 years old, but if you were so inclined you could lay it down for a further 3 to 5 years and it would evolve beautifully, developing yet more complexity and even more depth of flavour that would make it a dead ringer for wines at 3 or 4 times the price tag.
The Côtes du Rhône is a great place to begin to discover the wines from E.Guigal, but the quality and value across the entire range is nothing short of exemplary, meaning you’re sure to find something perfect whether you’re looking for value at £11 per bottle, or at £50!
Domaine de Mourchon
Set in a secluded valley between the picturesque village of Séguret and the Mont Ventoux, Domaine de Mourchon was established by the McKinlay family in 1998, and their delicious wines have been part of our range ever since, going from strength to strength with every vintage.
This is one of the Rhône Valley’s true stars, highly rated by consumers and leading wine journalists throughout the world - Jancis Robinson is a fan, and Robert Parker has awarded Walter McKinlay’s wines some impressive scores.
Domaine Le Clos des Cazaux
An estate close to Mr.Wheeler’s heart is that of Clos des Cazaux. Established by Gabriel Archimbaud in 1936, when the Côtes-du-Rhône appellation was still in its infancy, the Domaine boasts vineyards in the communes of Vacqueyras and Gigondas and is widely regarded as one of the region’s leading lights.
Innovative, consistent and producing wines of exceptional quality and value, current proprietors Jean-Michel and Frédéric Vache push the envelope for progressive, modern interpretations of these classic Rhône appellations, yet there is a twist…. Amongst the cuvées in our offer are a rather rare pairing.
Paul Jaboulet Ainé.
Paul Jaboulet Ainé is one of the Northern Rhone’s grandest, most historic and, in the form of their greatest cuvée ‘La Chapelle’, most iconic producers.
From Hermitage’s famed La Chapelle vineyard comes one of the world’s greatest wines; a singular expression of syrah which has few equals, yet the Paul Jaboulet Ainé team carry out their single-minded quest for perfection not just for their high-flying releases, but across a range of appellations and single vineyards acquired over the years since Antoine Jaboulet founded the original winemaking business back in 1834.
Paul Jaboulet Ainé remains a genuine benchmark for quality in the Rhône Valley across numerous terroirs and grape varieties, and the Mr.Wheeler team are enormously proud and privileged to have accessed a range of these sensational wines for our customers to enjoy.
Introduction to the Rhône Valley
As the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy compete for the title of most in-demand fine wines in the world, with ever-increasing prices the result of this rivalry, there is still a classic region in France where one can find outstanding value for money at every rung of the quality ladder– the Rhône Valley.
15 out of the last 17 vintages have been good to exceptional, so the pressure on availability is nothing like what can be found in Burgundy for example, which means prices have been remarkably stable over the years.
The vineyards around Vienne and Tain l’Hermitage are home to some of the finest syrah in the world, which for me is arguably the greatest red grape in the World. Perfumed, structured, it can be intense and rich or delicate and subtle, doesn’t need a blending partner to really shine and delivers delicious wines even at lower price points.