Michel Chapoutier continues to produce wines of unbelievable value and his Cotes du Rhône is the leader of the pack. For under $20, medium bodied reds don't get better than this.

"Replacing the Petit Chapelle cuvee and first made in 2015, the 2016 Hermitage La Maison Bleue is smoking good. Black fruits, charcoal, powdered rock, currants and chocolate notes all give way to a big, concentrated, impressively structures barrel sample that has tons of potential. I expect the tannin will have integrated by the time this is released, but a few years of bottle age still recommended." - Jeb Dunnuck

Maison Tardieu-Laurent was founded in 1994 by Michel Tardieu and Dominique Laurent in the small but beautiful village of Lourmarin in Provence, although today it is completely in the hands of the Tardieu family and is one of the premier wine producers of the Rhone. This is from the famed appellation of Chateauneuf-du Pape and boasts all of the fabulous flavour attributes that this region can offer. The cepage is mourvedre, syrah and grenache. The wine exhibits savoury red fruit, a regional earthiness and hallmark silky tannins. Tardieu-Laurent are regarded as one of the consistenly high performers of the Rhone Valley.

A legendary cru... Over centuries, this mythical cru has built its reputation on a single hill and an epic history. La Chapelle comes from the blending of the greatest Western terroirs of the Hermitage. Very old Syrah vines - 40-100 years old.

The Vieux Château Certan estate has existed since the mid-1700s, though the date of establishment is unknown. Like all of the wines in the Pomerol Appellation, Vieux Château Certan is not classified but is widely regarded as one of the great growths of the region and one of the worlds great wines.

A truly beautiful blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah from the Rhone, that feels like a warm hug in a glass.

Les Trois Clefs (The Three Keys) is the emblem of the historic city of Avignon, capital of the Cotes du Rhone wine region. Chateauneuf du Pape is a superior Grenache Syrah that delivers all the juicy red fruits, power and complexity the region is famuos for. Lovely dark forest fruits with a hint of spice, the finish is long and smooth. Enjoy with Cassoulet or Grillades de Boeuf!

Michel Chapoutier produces a wonderful, modern style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape here with a forboding Grenache and Syrah (Shiraz) blend that has lashing of blackcurrant, fig and licquorice root. A wonderful balance between power and elegance.