Savouring off-the-beaten-track wines

HUMANS are creatures of habit. The current fashion in wine is Burgundy - "Burgundy Burgundy, everywhere... Nor any drop (of Bordeaux) to drink!" - with apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Rhone wines? Virtually neglected. To our loss. It was not always so. I am reminded of the time when Gerard Jaboulet was still alive. His annual visits to present the latest vintage of his wines, in particular Hermitage La Chapelle, kept local interest in Rhone wines very much alive. He was a great, and the most generous, of wine-men.

I mentioned Chateau Rayas of Southern Rhone in this column many moons ago and his Cote du Rhone La Pialade a couple of weeks ago. This week it is the second wine to Chateau Rayas, Pignan. It is a little less rare than Rayas but nonetheless if you see one available just grab it. Ask for the price after you have it in your hands; yes, it is very affordable.