Côtes du Rhône and Clearwater Lake Camping: Charcuterie in God’s Country

This month the Winophiles are talking about wines from Cotes du Rhone.  I paired mine with a charcuterie tray at Clearwater Lake in Piedmont, Missouri, during a weekend camping trip.  Yes, our camping trips do have a certain sophistication to them, and that makes me oh, so happy!

First, let's look at Cotes du Rhone.  It is one of the oldest wine-producing areas in the world. According to Wine Enthusiast, Côtes du Rhône is among the oldest vineyard regions on the planet. Greeks, Romans, and Medieval Popes liked the native-grape rocky soil tastes. As the reputation of these great wines grew, a 1729 royal edict required each cask to be branded “C.D.R.” (Côtes du Rhône), marking the best from the rest.

I find it easy to find and buy a Côtes du Rhône. I have found some bottles at a price point of $10 that are really deep and delicious. They are a food-friendly wine, so bring one to a party and everyone will be impressed!

We love visiting Missouri's parks.  Clearwater Lake is a Corps of Engineers property which means much of the natural beauty is preserved.  Our campsite did have an awesome view of the lake as you can see above. We highly recommend it as a place to go and spend some quality time with nature.

On the first night of camping, we always do a charcuterie tray after set-up.  We bring a good bottle of wine and create a tray of meats, cheeses, crackers, and fruit.  Our charcuterie this time was uncured salami, thick-cut, herbed goat cheese, slices of good cheddar, parmesan crisps, and smoked gouda. A perfectly ripe Missouri apple completed the tray.  We selected a Domaine Bellevue wine, known for its deep dark red fruit, bold and dry, complex flavors of wet leaves, leather, beautifully balanced.  Each cheese, the meat, and even the crisps were enhanced by this wine.

If you are interested in learning more about this wine region, join us Saturday for a Twitter Chat starting at 11:00 Eastern Time and follow the hashtag #Winophiles.  See you there!

To learn more about this wonderful wine region, visit these wonderful websites on wine.  You will be happy that you did.

• A Côtes du Rhône from Franck Balthazar and A Deconstructed Pairing by Crushed Grape Chronicles
• A Côtes du Rhône Tasting by Keep the Peas
• All the Colors of Côtes du Rhône with Famille Perrin by Somm's Table
• A Trio of Côtes du Rhône Pairings by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• A Window Into Chateau-Neuf-Du-Pape Through Maison M. Chapoutier by Avvinare
• Back on the Rhône Again by Christy Majors
• Beef Tongue Stew with a Côtes du Rhône Gigondas by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Côtes du Rhône and Clearwater Camping: Charcuterie in God’s Country by Our Good Life
• Côtes du Rhône: Essential French Wines by L’Occassion
• Lamb Meatballs Paired with Côtes du Rhône by Always Ravenous
• Leaning Savory with a 2016 Alain Jaume Côtes du Rhône by My Full Wine Glass
• Rhône Roam for Viognier and Syrah by Wine Predator
• Rhône Wine with Brisket by Cooking Chat
• Turkey Does the Côtes du Rhône by The Quirky Cork
• What the Heck is Côtes du Rhône Villages? by Wining with Mel