Whenever Joanna Simon finds herself explaining Ctes du Rhne to someone she wonders, "which of us will fall asleep first?" She ploughs on regardless, however, as "understanding the hierarchy of the southern Rhne appellations contrles (AOCs) opens the door to some of France's best-value reds". The 2006 Ctes du Rhne-Villages (5.99, Sainsbury's TTD) features for "spiced-raspberry fruit and soft, savoury tannin".