Boutinot 'La Citadelle', Sablet Côtes du Rhône Villages
Producer: Boutinot France Rhone
Product Code: FPB9021
Winemaker: Eric Monnin
Country of Origin: France
Region of Origin: Rhone
Grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
ABV: 14.5%
Case Size: 6x75cl
Vintage: 2009
Bottle Barcode:
Case Barcode:
The One-Liner
Immediately appealing, alluring and luscious!
Tasting Notes
Immediately appealing fresh, plump youthful fruit of redcurrants and black cherries laced with more complex, perfumed oaky nuances of mocha and nutmeg. The fruit lingers to the finish, where the flavours are smoothly textured and beguilingly appetising, beckoning you to have another sip.
Producer Details
Our love affair with the southern Rhône is both enduring and unswerving. We believe to our marrow that we can make great wine here. And for this reason, we have bought our first vineyard in France, here in the southern Rhône – in the village of Cairanne, you’ll not be surprised to learn! Ten years ago we first glimpsed the potential of the vineyards of Cairanne when we released our 2000 vintage of La Côte Sauvage. Now we have several plots of old vines we can call our own and begin to realise our dream of making even better wine.
Over the past decade or so we have built enviable relationships with a network of local growers and we will of course continue to source grapes and wine from their trove of prized vineyards for our full range of Rhône wines.
In the Vineyard
Appellation Côtes du Rhône Villages Contrôlée
The 9th century village of Sablet is a typical medieval stone hilltop village of encircling ramparts and towers, not dissimilar to the neighbouring village of Séguret just three kilometres, barely two miles distant. This authentic Provençal village built on top of a mound takes shape at the foot of the ‘Les Dentelles de Montmirail’, a striking ‘lacy’ landmark (dentelle means lace) of jagged peaks of jurassic limestone which stand tall in the skies of this part of the southern Rhône valley.
The heart of this historic village is a citadel of cobbled streets, shady lanes and covered passageways which wind in a spiral around the church; hence why we have called our Sablet ‘La Citadelle’.
In the Winery
We made our Sablet from Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes selected from two single vineyards, vinified with great care throughout a long cuvaison (35 to 40 days) and matured partly in new demi muids and new barrels, but mostly in a nursery of older barrels, some for thirteen months and some for eighteen months to optimise complexity.
The result is a supple Sablet which retains and expresses the fruit of 2008, deftly combined with oak-aging judged in keeping with the vintage; and above all makes a wine which is enjoyable to drink now.
Awards
2009 Vintage: Sommelier Wine Awards 2012 - Silver
2008 Vintage: China Wine Challenge 2011 - Seal of Approval
Food Recommendations
Serve with a spread of dishes from freshly cut pâté to warm chicken salad or traditional meat courses and of course, French cheese.
