M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône ‘Belleruche’ Rouge
A bold, jammy French red wine.
Organic and biodynamic French wine producer M. Chapoutier takes the stage in today’s wine review. Join me as I dive into the M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône ‘Belleruche’ Rouge and share my insights on this French red wine from such a historic winery.
About M. Chapoutier
One of the oldest wineries in the Rhône Valley, M. Chapoutier is a French winery whose history dates back to 1808. Whilst it’s now run by Michel Chapoutier, the Chapoutier family’s involvement in the winery dates back to when it was first established in 1808. During this time, generations of family members have taken over the business; from Marius Chapoutier in 1929, to Marc Chapoutier in 1937, and then to its current owner, Michel Chapoutier, who became head of the company in 1990.
The Chapoutier winery produces wines from across the Rhône region, but its red and white Hermitage* wines (*a protected wine region in the northern Rhône Valley of France) are what it has received the most recognition for. Whilst the fantastic quality of wine is what M. Chapoutier is so well known for, another feature of the winery that stands out to me is that since 1996 every bottle of M. Chapoutier wine includes Braille writing on their labels. This is a connection to Michel Chapoutier’s “pioneering spirit” and is a lovely demonstration of inclusivity within the brand.
M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône ‘Belleruche’ Rouge
With so many wines to choose from in the M. Chapoutier range, there’s sure to be something for even the most discerning wine drinkers. But, for this review, I opted for the M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône ‘Belleruche’ Rouge. Côtes du Rhône is known for its full-bodied, fruity and spiced characteristics. It’s one of my all-time favourite types of French red wine so I was excited to try this bottle from such a historic French vineyard. The M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône has a really ruby red colour to it, and immediately gives away aromas of red fruit (think red cherry), a kick of black pepper spice, a slightly charred wood scent (oak) and then to round it off a lovely ripe plum scent too.
On the palate, this is a very dry and acidic red wine – typical of a Côtes du Rhône. Whereas the aromas gave ripe red fruits, it was jammy red fruit flavours and stewed fruits that sang on the palate. Again, there was a lovely hit of pepper alongside it, and then that warming charred oak in the back. I let this bottle sit for a while before trying it again, and I found that letting it aerate a bit helped to bring out the stewed and jammy red fruit flavours.
It’s a great example of a Côtes du Rhône and at £12.99 a bottle, I think excellent value too. Where can I buy a bottle of M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône ‘Belleruche’ Rouge? You might be asking. Great question. Well, you can pick up a bottle online and in-store at Majestic Wines. Again, with a price of £12.99 a bottle or £8.99 in a Mix Six, I think this is a really fairly-priced Côtes du Rhône that can be enjoyed now or left to age for a couple of years.
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