M&S "Pont de Fleur" Côtes du Rhône Rouge AOP (2024)
Curated for Marks & Spencer / Côtes du Rhône AOP, Southern Rhône, France
Deep ruby-red with a youthful purple rim in the glass. The nose is aromatic, savory, and inviting, opening with notes of ripe black cherries, dark raspberries, crushed black pepper, and dried lavender garrigue herbs. Medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, offering juicy red-and-black fruit flavors, soft rounded tannins, and a satisfying, peppery finish.
⭐ (Sitting at a comfortable 13.5% to 14% ABV and vinified in concrete/stainless steel with minimal heavy oak intervention, it drinks cleanly and stays remarkably easy on the head)
M&S gastropub lamb shank, beef stew with root vegetables, a classic Sunday roast, or an earthy mushroom risotto.
When you're in a country without vineyards, you're at the mercy of the local Marks and Spencer—and "Pont de Fleur" is a shining example of why M&S French sourcing rarely disappoints. It delivers that quintessential Southern Rhône charm: warm red berries, a pinch of cracked pepper, and a rustic herbal kick that instantly warms up a damp, gloomy British evening. It's smooth, versatile, well-structured, and easily one of the best value-for-money reds on the high-street rack.