Vidal-Fleury Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge 2012

If you love cracking value Rhône reds and you know it, clap your hands! *Clap clap*. "Yes," we hear you bellow, "we do!" Well we are not joshing with you when we say that this is, indeed, that very thing.

Wine that is swarthy, hot, rich with spices and dark chocolate and apt to make you clap your hands, regardless of whether or not you are singing children's songs. Which you really shouldn't be, given you are over 18. Really.

Established in 1781 in the Northern Rhône valley Vidal-Fleury claims to be the oldest continuously-operating winery in the region.

Winemaker Guy Sarton du Jonchay studied in Montpellier and Bordeaux and has 19 years’ experience in viticulture, vinification and bottling. His career has taken him to Australia (Rosemount Estate) and Argentina (Bodega Weinert) and, prior to joining Vidal-Fleury in 2008, he was a director of Chais Beaucairois and Barton and Guestier.

The vines are pruning by the gobelet and cordon de royat methods, and the grapes are picked both by hand and machine.

The wine is aged on its lees, 70% in tanks and 30% in large barrels. Natural clarification and stabilization takes place, by settling and one filtration (Cross Flow). The wine is un-fined.

Brilliant garnet in colour, it has bramble fruits and rich spices on the nose. The palate reveals a wine with rounded tannins, full body and a long lasting, aromatic intensity.