Breaking the general rule that going south means more body, the Northern Rhône produces red wines that have more body, structure, meatiness and ageing potential than the southerly Côtes du Rhône. Here the Syrah grape makes the fine wines of Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Cornas and Saint-Joseph. While they are big wines, they have an elegance to them... See more

Most poultry and game dishes generally call for a slightly heavier red wine. Burgundian Pinot noir is an obvious choice but Burgundy can be both eye-wateringly expensive and pretty full-bodied if it has been aged in barrels. An interesting source of lighter-bodied, fruit-driven Pinot noir are the AOPs Menetou-Salon and (for more money) Sancerre in... See more