Tasting the 2009s from the northern and southern Rhone

france northern rhone southern rhone

Tasting the 2009s from the northern and southern Rhone

Yves Cuilleron

Great tasting of Rhone 2009 put on by Berry Bros and Rudd in the grand but rather dimly lit surrounds of One Great George Street, in Westminster (this place is especially depressing during the daytime in winter; in the evening you can get away with the poor lighting).

Francois Villard

It was a consumer event primarily, with press allowed, but these are pretty well behaved consumers, even though they do tend to block access to spittoons (in limited supply) and tables when things get busy. There was a tremendous turn-out of growers, and it would have been great to have an opportunity for brief one-to-ones with these high calibre individuals, but at an event like this you don’t want to get in the way of the paying punters by asking too many questions.

Rene Rostaing

The wines? I tried 55, which is a reasonable number, with more of an emphasis on the north than the south. This probably reflects my preferences: I’m a sucker for cool-climate Shiraz. In general terms, the north did very well this vintage, with ripe, alluring, seductive wines of great purity and appeal. The south? It’s harder to tell. From my sampling, there were some very nice wines. But stylistic differences in the south are quite pronounced – perhaps even more so than in the north? There’s nothing much I’d rush to buy from the south, but there were quite a few things that tempted me from the north.

Jean-Michel Gerin

The great thing about the northern Rhone is that St Joseph and Crozes Hermitage from dedicated growers are fantastic wines that offer great value for money.

Maxime Graillot

The pictures of growers, from top to bottom: Yves Cuilleron, , Francois Villard, Rene Rostaing, Jean-Michel Gerin, Maxime Graillot (great and great value Crozes Hermitage), and Philippe Chaume Arnaud (brilliant, affordable biodynamic Cadene Blanc Cotes du Rhone and Vinsobres).

Philippe Chaume Arnaud

7 Comments on Tasting the 2009s from the northern and southern RhoneTagged , ,
wine journalist and flavour obsessive

7 thoughts on “Tasting the 2009s from the northern and southern Rhone

  1. Nice tasting, wish I had been there!

    I think you have the pix order mixed up, you have 5 names for 6 photos, and the second photo is of Villard…

    I am in London at Ecobuild all week next week, can you recommend a good wine-friendly place?

    cheers

    Mike

  2. Thanks Mike – all corrected – and terroirs is a great recommendation – also the Whole Foods branch at Kensington High Street (great wine selection – cold plates plus drink wine from shop at +£5 corkage), and 28:50 in fetter lane, plus artisan and vine in clapham for natural/english wines

    Joe TNs on the way

  3. Terroirs is brilliant. However if you turn up on spec you will sit at the bar, which is fine if you are on your own or with at most one other. If you are a steak and chips and great cheese person, then try Shampers on Kingly Street (parallel to Regent Street).

Leave a Reply

Back To Top