DRINK DIFFERENT - AVOID CELEBRITY TO FIND VALUE

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the most famous names on any wine list.  The top appellation of the southern Rhône valley, it is a wine made from up to 13 grape varieties, but with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre predominating.  This is a big wine, with fantastic black cherry jam, pepper and spice flavours; unfortunately its celebrity means that the price tag is equally big nowadays.

Fortunately, you don’t need to go very far to find similar wines at a more affordable level.  Just up the valley are a number of other village appellations making wines from the same grapes in the same style.  Some, like Gigondas, are today commanding similarly wallet-busting prices, but there are still bargains to be had in the less well-known villages.

One such is Cairanne, whose wines give the same dark fruit, mixed herb and smoky tannin notes as its illustrious neighbor.  Arguably the best of the southern Rhône villages, Cairanne’s lack of fame has kept the prices down.  Sometimes it pays to avoid celebrity!