Getting a good Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape was top of my list when I started WineSpark.

And after kissing far too many frogs, I finally found my prince.

Olivier Hillaire was raised on a healthy diet of red wine and rugby.

He grew up on his parents’ vineyard, and started making wine aged 18. He also played rugby for Grenoble and Bayonne - in the equivalent of Top 14 back in the day.

He’s built like a bull, but he was an inside centre when he played.

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’s wines are here, so I’ve mixed a 6-pack along with another great Rhone producer.

In this discovery pack you’ll get… 

• 3x Olivier Hillaire Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes 2022 - a rich, juicy blend of Syrah and Grenache, farmed organically and made in exactly the same way has his Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• 1x Olivier Hillaire Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022 - this is a blend of a few of Olivier’s favourite vineyards dotted around Châteauneuf - some are on sand, others on pebbles, and others on limestone. The average age of the vines is 85 years - you can taste the concentration and complexity in every sip
• 1x Martinelle Ventoux 2022 - from a mountainous vineyard east of Gigondas and overlooked by the famous Mont Ventoux, this is a classic Rhône blend made by German-born winemaker Corinna Faravel, one of the region’s rising stars. This red is dark, lush and herbaceous and it has a lovely freshness to it too
  1x Martinelle Beaumes-de-Venise 2022 - a show-stopping red from an area more famous for its fortified wines, this explosive Grenache and Syrah blend will remind you of a good Chateauneuf-du-Pape, at a fraction of the price!

All the wines are made with organic principles, and will come alive when pairing with something sizzling off the grill this summer.

With outdoor season about to start any day now(!), this French six has come at just the right time.