My friend recently took a short boat trip to France and while there stocked up on some bottles of wine. Luckily for me he picked up some Côtes du Rhône on request. Albeit, I made it an easy enough request as it is everywhere in France- bars, cafes and supermarkets.
It’s extremely versatile and is the second-largest in France (after Bordeaux).
Côtes du Rhône wine is traditionally a core blend of three different grape varietals: Grenache (60%), Syrah (30%), and Mourvedre (10%). The percentages can differ, but you get the point. On many occasions, Cotes du Rhone has other varietals such as Carignan or Cinsault included, but this depends on the producer.
What I love about Côtes du Rhône is that even the less expensive bottles taste great. They go with rich winter stews as well as lighter grilled and barbecued foods.
Lidl have a lovely and inexpensive bottle:
Côtes du Rhône Villages 2020, Lidl 13.5%, €8.49 Medium- to full-bodied with soft rounded strawberry fruits – this would go down nicely with richer beef or lamb stews, roast lamb or baked Mediterranean vegetables.