Domaine Olivier Hillaire Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes 2023
Member Price €17.67
Olivier Hillaire grew up on his parents’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard, and started making wine aged 18.
He also played rugby for Grenoble and Bayonne - in the equivalent of the Top 14 back in the day. Although he told me back then there was ‘plus de bagarre que le rugby’ - more fightin’ than playin’.
He’s built like a bull, but played at inside centre.
Which is exactly how you could describe his wines - strong, powerful, but with a lightness and deftness which is the signature of great Grenache wines.
Olivier makes this Côtes du Rhône in exactly the same way as his Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
- Older vines, grown with organic principles and harvested manually - to promote the freshness and purity of fruit
- A long fermentation in tank - to develop complexity
- And a long maturation in oak and concrete - to add softness and structure.
It’s a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah - so you get the red fruit and juiciness of the Grenache, along with the spice and power of the Syrah.
I’d been looking for a great value southern Rhône red for yonks - and as soon as I tried this at a wine fair in Paris, I knew I’d found the one.
| Wine type | Red |
| Grape(s) | 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah |
| Country | France |
| Region of origin | Vallee du Rhone |
| Appellation | Cotes du Rhone |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcohol % | 14.50% |
| Oak? | Yes, 25% |
| Months in Oak | 9 months |
| Type of Oak | 225L |
| Allergens (e.g. does it contain Milk, Egg, Fish, Nuts) | None |
| Average age of vines | 80 years |
| Average altitude of vines (m) | - |
| Soil type(s) | Limestone clay and rolled pebbles |
| Closure Type | Cork |
| Is this wine organic? | No |
| Biodynamic? | No |
| Sustainably produced? | |
| Suitable for vegans? | |
| Ageing potential | 5-7 years |
| Ideal drinking window | 2024-2030 |
Olivier Hillaire has two big passions in life - wine and rugby. He modestly tells me he played at a ‘reasonable’ level - for Grenoble and Bayonne in the Top 14 equivalent back then. Of course rugby wasn’t professional back then, so he’s been a winemaker since the age of 18, growing up on his parents’ vineyard.
FOR IRELAND
We know how important it is to get your wine order quickly and efficiently. So we’ve partnered with UPS to offer next-day delivery on our wines.
Here’s what you need to know:
- It’s free - delivery is already included in the members' price
- It’s fast - you’ll get next-day delivery if you order before 12pm Monday-Thursday
- It’s environmentally-friendly - all of our orders are shipped carbon neutral with UPS.
€2 per case is added to all Northern Ireland orders to cover additional shipping costs. The point of sale occurs in the Republic of Ireland.
Our minimum order requirement is 6 bottles and we ship in multiples of 6’s. This can be 6 different bottles!
You may need to show your ID on delivery.
Please read our Terms & Conditions for more information.
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FOR UK
1. Order minimum & case sizes
We ship exclusively in full cases of wine. Your order must be a minimum of 6 bottles and in a multiple of 6 (for example 6, 12, 18 bottles).
2. Where we deliver
We deliver across Great Britain, with a small number of exceptions. Delivery is currently not available to the following locations:
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Channel Islands (GY, JE)
Please also note that some more remote areas take a little longer to reach. For the postcodes listed below, delivery may take 2–5 working days due to their location, and there is an additional £20 charge applied to these areas:
KA27, KA28, AB31–AB56, IV1–IV63, KW1–KW17, PH15–PH150, PA20–PA78, HS1–HS9, PH42–PH44, ZE1–ZE3, FK16–FK21,BT
3. Delivery timeframe
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Place your order by midday (12pm) Monday-Friday for next working-day delivery.
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Saturday delivery is available when you order by midday on Friday.
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If you order after midday, your delivery will fall on the next working day, and in some cases it may arrive sooner - but this is not guaranteed.
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Orders placed after 3pm on a Friday will be delivered on the following Tuesday.
4. Courier & delivery options
We use DPD Local for all deliveries with the default method as delivery to your address - handover required. You’ll receive text and/or an email notification to let you know your case has been shipped and another with your 1 hour delivery window, with both giving you the options to:
• leave in a safe place
• leave with a neighbour
• change the delivery day
• deliver to a different address
• deliver to a DPD Pickup ParcelShop
If you choose a safe place or a neighbour and the parcel is delivered to that place or person, responsibility passes to you from that point onwards.
5. Age verification
This site is for adults only. We operate a Challenge 25 age verification policy. When in doubt DPD will request valid photo ID on delivery to confirm you are 18 or over. Accepted ID includes a passport, driving licence or other recognised photographic ID.
6. Damaged goods in transit
If your case of wine is damaged during transit, we will be notified by DPD and will reorder and dispatch a replacement for you at the earliest opportunity and keep you updated throughout.
7. Returns once delivered
If you decide you need to return your order after it has been delivered, please get in touch with us and we will arrange a collection. Returns are handled on a case-by-case basis once you contact us.
8. General provisions
By placing an order you agree to these delivery terms. We may update or amend these terms from time to time - any changes will apply to orders placed after the update.