I’ve been doing some work with one of my favourite French wine brands Les Dauphins and I wanted to share the love as I always forget how good the wines are AND how Côtes du Rhône wines generally are a brilliant go-to when you want to zhuzh up a simple dish in the middle of the week - or take a bottle to someone’s house for dinner.
There’s full overview of the various quality levels of Côtes du Rhône on my website over here, but for now, here’s a cheeky little midweek recipe, which goes brilliantly with red, white or even rosé from Les Dauphins, depending on your vibe and whether it’s lunch or dinner. Here’s what I went for:
IN THE GLASS
Les Dauphins, Côtes du Rhône Villages ‘Grand Réserve’, *£12 Waitrose
With a bottle that looks like it’s come straight out of a 1920’s Parisian bistro (I want a poster of the label!), this is a silky, concentrated red packed full of brooding damson fruit and licorice spice with a waft of fresh herbs and a touch of grilled meat.
The ‘villages’ on the label means it’s a step up in quality from a simpler Côtes du Rhône. These wines come from a more tightly defined group of communes, mostly in the Southern Rhône, where soils, exposure and vine age tend to give greater concentration and character. With stricter rules around yields and ripeness, they are still largely red (around 85–90%), but show riper fruit, more depth and a touch more polish than the more generic Côtes du Rhône wines.
* NOTE! Price £9 for a special Dine In offer from 8th to 29th April *
ALSO TRY:
Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône White, £10, Waitrose
A great example of a white blend, featuring Grenache Blanc and Viognier. This is a fruity and aromatic white with generous notes of acacia blossom and white peach.
Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé, £8.75 (was £9.75), Ocado
A vibrant and perky pink made from soft Grenache and dark berried Syrah, showing off notes of summer berries with a refreshing slick of citrus.
ON THE PLATE
A Classic Croque Monsieur
Ingredients:
4 Slices white sourdough
20g Melted Butter
1 tsp Dijon mustard
100g Grated Gruyère
4 Slices Smoked Ham
For the Béchamel sauce
125ml Whole Milk
125ml Cream
1 Crushed Garlic Clove
2 Bay Leaves
1 Chopped Small Onion
20g Butter
20g Plain flour
1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Method: Start by making a classic béchamel. Gently heat the milk and cream with garlic, bay leaves and onion until just below boiling, then take off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes before straining. In a separate pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour, cooking until it smells lightly biscuity. Gradually whisk in the infused milk, bring to a gentle boil, then stir in Dijon mustard, a little freshly grated nutmeg and seasoning until you have a thick, creamy, deeply flavoured sauce.
Meanwhile, butter the bread and toast one side under the grill until golden. Turn the slices over, spread with Dijon, then a layer of béchamel, top with grated Gruyère and ham, and sandwich together. Finish with a little more béchamel and cheese on top, then bake in a hot oven (220°C/200°C fan) for 10–15 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with a simple mix of mustard and mayo on the side. Serve with chips and a side salad. Enjoy!
Want to know more about Les Dauphins? Look here!
Want an overview of Côtes du Rhône wines? Read here!