Paul Jaboulet Aîné Parrallèle 45 2009 (White)

This is a white Côtes du Rhône blend, produced in the famous Syrah-producing commune of Tain L'Hermitage. Today I found it sitting at the bottom of the shelf in Waitrose. The stock was down to about 10 bottles and when I asked the in-store wine specialist why the bottles were almost half price, she told me the line had been discontinued. Cynical as ever, I decided I wouldn't grab them all and run lest they were all nasty. Instead, I grabbed just one to see how it goes...

Appearance: Green-tinged yellow.
Aroma: Yellow fruit.
Flavour: Strong, fresh fruit flavours entwined with nice biscuity complexity.
Ripe yellow apples, grapes and shortbread.


Medium-bodied, off-dry and a little oak; all of these qualities lend this wine to pairing with food. This wine is very good and I wonder why it's no longer being stocked by Waitrose. Hopefully I'll manage to get a few more before they're all gone.

Wine Name: Parrallèle 45

Producer: Paul Jaboulet Aîné

Grape/Blend: 50% Grenache Blanc, 20% Marsanne, 20% Viognier, 10% Bourboulenc

Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 13.5%

Country: France (Côtes du Rhône)

Bought at: Waitrose

Price: £5.99 (Discontinued, was £9.99)

Value for money:♦♦♦♦ Very Good

Over all rating: ♦♦♦♦ Very Good

Sainsbury's House Côtes du Rhône NV

Appearance: Mauve-tinged, dull red.

Aroma: Light, unidentifiable 'fruits'.
Flavour: Acidic and sugary, a bit like strong blackcurrant and apple squash. A bit of mustiness hangs on after swallowing.
Blackcurrant, pepper, fungus.


I've decided to try as many of the Sainsbury's House wines as I can over the next few weeks.
I thought this Côtes du Rhône was OK. There wasn't anything particularly exciting about it though it's no reason not to buy it. As with the other House wines, it's very competitively priced and is great for stocking-up on for parties, cooking or whatever you like.

It's almost Summer. Why not make up a big jug of Sangria?

Wine Name: House Côtes du Rhône

Producer: Sainsbury's

Grape/Blend: Grenache, Shiraz

Vintage: Non-vintage
Alcohol: 13%

Country: France

Bought at: Sainsbury's

Price: £3.99

Value for money: ♦♦♦ Good
Over all rating: ♦♦ Average