 
|
tasting notes
The Rhône
(Prices and stockists in
the UK are listed in brackets; as a rough guide £1 = US$1.50. Date of
tasting is indicated by month/year at the end of the note.)
For convenience, I've broken this region
into its two quite distinct subregions, the Northern and Southern Rhône.
The two are quite different in character, and so this sort of division
makes sense.
Northern
Rhône Back
to top
Overview
 Driving
north from Valence? I strongly recommend that you leave the autoroute
and take the N86, which follows the course of the sleepy Rhône river.
There's a continuous swathe of vineyards following the contours of the
hills on the left of the road for some 40 miles, with the appellations
of St Peray, Cornas, St Joseph, Condrieu and Côte Rôtie merging into
each other. Over on the right bank of the river, the land is flatter and
there's just one large hill, that of Hermitage, with the lower land
around it home to Crozes Hermitage. Some of the vineyards here are
spectacular, and the many of the wines no less so. It's predominantly
red wine country, and Syrah is the grape here. Its expression varies
both with the appellation and the producer, reaching different but
similarly exalted heights in Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, with the best
examples from Cornas lagging not far behind. White wines are less common
but can be brilliant, with the peaks coming in the form of Condrieu
(from Viognier) and Hermitage (Rousanne and Marsanne star). Vineyard
area of the top appellations is restricted, and only small quantities of
wine are made, making availability a problem.
See also:
Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert
1983 Northern Rhône
Intense, rich
and sweetly fruited with lovely fruit: damson, plum and raspberry. There’s
also a lovely savoury, meaty dimension here, with hints of earth,
medicine and black tea. This has aged beautifully and is peaking now, I
reckon, but there’s still lots of life here. 93/100 07/09
Eric
Texier Crozes Hermitage 2007 Northern Rhone, France
This is nice. It's not a big, obvious, meaty style of Crozes, but
instead shows more in the way of elegance. It's sappy, smooth, fresh and
has gently peppery cherry fruit. It tastes like a really good
Beaujolais, with its juicy, open character. Delicious. 91/100 05/09
Chaupoutier
Hermitage La Sizeranne 2004 Northern Rhône, France
I was pleasantly surprised by this.
It shows supple, sweet red berry and dark cherry fruit with a hint of
pepperiness. The palate has elegant, midweight savoury red fruits.
Lovely focus with good acidity and some pure, bright fruit. 91/100 07/09
Crozes-Hermitage Beaufeuil 2008 Northern Rhone, France
Really fresh
cherry fruit nose with a distinctive pepper character. The palate shows
really attractive bright cherry fruit with some grippy tannins under the
sweet fruit as well as nice meaty savouriness. Midweight, fresh and
delicious, this is lovely cool climate Syrah that's expressive and quite
elegant. 89/100 (£8.99 Morrisons) 08/09
Jamet
Côte-Rôtie 2004 Northern Rhône, France
Fresh,
bright, slightly meaty red fruits nose. The palate is quite smooth with
dark, spicy, meaty fruit and good acidity. Spicy and a tiny bit rustic,
but with lots of interest. 91/100 (£39.99 The Sampler)
12/08
Yves
Cuilleron Saint Joseph Pierres Leches 2005 Northern Rhône
Very
fresh, spicy red fruits nose is bright and quite refined, with a lovely
freshness. Juicy, bright, expressive palate with some peppery spiciness.
Finishes quite grippy. Lovely bright Syrah. 90/100 (£16.99 The Sampler)
12/08
Gilles
Barge Côte-Rôtie Le Combard 2007 Northern Rhône, France (cask sample)
Just delicious. Fresh, bright nose of meaty, peppery raspberry and
just-ripe cherry fruit with lovely floral aromatics. The palate is
expressive and elegant, with a meaty, subtly animally edge to the
beautifully textured sweet and sour fruit, combining pure, sweet
cherries with tart acidity and peppery freshness. It’s complex,
brooding and quite profound: the antithesis of clumsy, dark, extracted,
oaky Syrah. 92–94/100 12/08
Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet ‘La Souteronne’ Gamay
2007 Vin de Pays de l’Ardèche, France
Fresh, slightly sappy, herb-tinged nose. The palate has a lovely smooth
texture and shows pure red cherry and cranberry fruit, with freshness,
elegance and just a little spicy grip on the finish, making this a
delightful, food-compatible wine of great purity. 91/100
(www.lescaves.co.uk) 07/08
Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet Syrah
2007 Vin de Pays de l’Ardèche, France
This is simply beautiful. There’s
a distinctive cool-climate Syrah peppery kick on the nose, which is
otherwise really pure and focused, with a gentle leafy character
underneath the red fruits. The palate is beautifully supple, slightly
sappy, and fantastically elegant, with real purity to the smoothly
textured fruit. I guess the granite soils may have something to do with
this: it’s light, but aromatic. Just 11.7% alcohol. 93/100 (www.lescaves.co.uk)
07/08
Dumien-Serrette
Cornas ‘Patou’ 2005 Northern Rhône, France
Very smooth, ripe, lush nose is pure and shows seamless liqueur-like
red and black fruits. The palate is bold, dense and pure with nice
gravelly, savoury, tannic structure. Intriguing stuff: bold and full
with lovely weight and purity. 93/100 (£22.49 UK agent Richards Walford)
02/08
Gilles
Barge Côte Rôtie Cuvée du Plessy 2004 Northern Rhône, France
Very perfumed, open, aromatic nose of violets, meat, herbs and
olives. The palate is elegant with lovely expressive dark fruits. Not a
heavy wine, but beautifully perfumed and elegant in a traditional style.
93/100 (£24.99 UK agent Richards Walford) 02/08
JL Chave
Sélection Hermitage Blanche 2004 Northern Rhône, France
Mainly Marsanne. This is a lovely, rich-textured, soft
wine with real intensity and a bit of spicy wood. Really deep and bold
with a hint of tangerine and fat melony fruit. Remarkable stuff. 90/100
02/09
Gilles Robin
Crozes Hermitage Cuvee Alberic Bouvet 2005 Northern Rhone, France
I really like this wine: it's a fantastic expression of
northern Rhone Syrah. Deep coloured, it has a fresh, peppery dark fruits
nose with a meaty, slightly animally complexion to the sweet blackberry
and blackcurrant fruit. The palate has a lovely earthy, meaty, spicy
edge to the ripe black fruits with good acidity and a subtle plummy
bitterness keeping things nice and savoury. Tight and youthful, this is
great with hearty food right now, but could be kept for another five
years to mellow out a bit. 13.5% alcohol. 91/100 (£14.95 Great Western
Wine) 12/08
Chave Hermitage 1983 Northern Rhone,
France
A fantastic wine. Beautifully aromatic, with a fresh, spicy
personality and a complexity that’s hard to put into words. I was
getting notes of tar, earth, herbs, blood and meat. It’s sweet but
savoury at the same time. The palate showed spicy red fruits with a
subtle medicinal character, as well as tangy citrus notes on the finish.
A complex, multifaceted wine with nice definition. 95/100 09/08
Chapoutier Hermitage 1978
Very fresh and complex with minty, herby notes emerging, as well as
some dark fruit character. This an appealing wine with brightness and
elegance to the fore. It's not a big, heavy wine, but instead shows a
precise, well focused personality, and you get the feeling that this has
still got a bit more to give. 93/100 05/08
Dard
& Ribo C’est le Printemps Crozes Hermitage 2007 Northern Rhône,
France
Very pure, elegant, light nose with fresh perfumed cherry fruit. The
palate has a hint of fizziness but it’s really well focused and quite
long with amazing purity of fruit. Approachable and more-ish. Remarkable
stuff. 91/100 05/08
Dard
& Ribo St Joseph 2006 Northern Rhône, France
Wonderful pure, meaty, olive-like nose with sweet, pure raspberry
fruit playing second fiddle to the savoury meaty notes. The palate has a
lovely purity to the fruit with a subtly green meaty character and some
spicy tannin on the finish. It’s intensely fruity. A really
interesting expression of northern Rhône Syrah. 91/100 05/08
JM
Stephan Côte-Rôtie Vieilles Vignes 2004 Northern Rhône, France
Spicy, earthy, complex nose, showing warm spicy notes together with
earthiness. The palate is complex and earthy with nice elegance. Lovely
wine. 93/100 05/08
JM
Stephan Côte-Rôtie Vieilles Vignes 2005 Northern Rhône, France
Assertiv, bright, focused red and dark fruits here with a bright
spiciness to the nose. The palate has real structure and depth with firm
tannins than clamp down on the fruitiness. Earthy, too. One for the
future. 93/100 05/08
Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Petite Ruche 2005
Northern Rhone, France
This northern Rhone Syrah is bright, fresh and juicily vibrant, with focused
raspberry-tinged fruit as well as a subtle peppery meatiness. There's
good fresh acidity here, and it's nicely savoury, but it does taste
quite light and commercial when compared with more serious Crozes
Hermitage. A useful food wine, I'd buy this if the price was right -
around £6. 84/100 (Waitrose)
JP &
JL Jamet Côte-Rôtie 1999 Northern Rhône
Another crack at this wine, which Ifve now had several times. At an
en primeur tasting many years ago I described this 1999 as possibly the
best young wine Ifd ever tasted. Itfs now approaching a rather savoury
phase, now that the puppy fat is shed, and it shows itself as a
classically styled Côte-Rôtie. Perfumed nose has spicy, animally,
meaty characters alongside the fruit. The palate is savoury and intense
with lots of fruit but also a distinctive meaty spiciness. Ifll not be
opening my remaining few bottles for a while. Very good/excellent 93/100
12/06
Chapoutier Les Meysonniers Crozes-Hermitage 2005
Northern Rhone, France
Nicely packaged with the usual Chapoutier braille label and a good quality
bottle. I have had mixed experiences with Chapoutier's wines over the
last few years - they just haven't delivered that essence of northern
Rhone Syrah that I'm looking for when I come to this region. This bottle
sort of delivers, and I'm enjoying it. It has a fresh, savoury nose
that's distinctly peppery with rather subdued dark fruits and a hint of
greenness. The palate is midweight, showing more of those peppery dark
fruits, good acidity, and mouth-drying, rather fearsome tannins. I like
the fact that it's not tricked up, and that it is distinctly savoury.
It's also showing good typicity. I just feel it could do with a touch
more fruit intensity to balance those bold tannins. Still, a good food
wine, and I'm happy to drink it. 88/100 (£11.49 Averys, Oddbins, BBR)
11/07
Fayolle
Crozes Hermitage Les Voussères 2003 Northern Rhône, France
Lovely
vibrant, full juicy berry fruit with a nice savoury, dark streak, and
firm but smooth tannins. Bright accessible fruit here with a hint of
meatiness. Lovely. Very good+ 89/100 (at St John reastaurant) 09/05
Vincent
Paris St Joseph 2003 Northern Rhône, France
Wonderful
stuff: deep coloured with fantastic crunchy, peppery, spicy red fruits.
Lovely primary vivid fruit on the palate with substantial tannic
structure. Lovely freshness. Very good/excellent 92/100 (at St John
restaurant) 09/05
Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2004 Rhône, France
Deep coloured. Fantastic nose of dark olives, meat and spice with
vibrant dark fruits. Fresh, concentrated, vivid fruit on the palate with
good structure and high acidity. A fantastic individual wine with loads
of personality. Very good/excellent 94/100 (£13.99 Waitrose, Yapp Bros)
04/06
Jamet Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes 2004
Northern Rhône, France
What a fantastic wine! It’s honest, bright, fresh and drinkable,
with lots of personality. Bright fresh raspberry fruit dominates with a
hint of earthiness, lots of savoury pepperiness, just a faint green note
and good acidity. Brilliantly drinkable, in a light style. Very good+
88/100 (£6.49 Majestic) 12/05
Sainsbury’s Crozes Hermitage (Cave de Tain) 2003
Northern Rhône, France
This isn’t a particularly big, fruity red, but it works for me,
with its tight, dark savoury character. The raspberry and blackberry
fruit has an extra dimension of spice and meatiness, and it’s kept
fresh by a pleasantly bitter, high acid finish. A ‘real’ wine. Very
good+ 89/100 (Sainsbury £6.99) 12/05
Emmanuel
Darnaud Crozes Hermitage Les Trois Chênes 2003 Northern Rhône, France
Very
rich, pure sweet fruit on the nose with a hint of olive. Perfumed and
alluring. The palate shows great concentration and weight with spicy,
structured fruit. A fantastic wine in a rich style. Very good/excellent
93/100 (£13.95 Berry Bros & Rudd) 10/05
Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2001 Northern Rhône,
France
Very distinctive herb, olive, meaty nose: there’s a hint of
greenness but it meshes well with the intense, smoky, spicy red fruits.
The palate is savoury and intense with a strong herbal, meaty,
olive-like character and high acidity. This wine originally showed much
more fruity in its youth. Striking stuff and very Northern Rhône. Very
good/excellent 92/100 05/05
Domaine des Amphores St Joseph 2001 Northern Rhône,
France
Wonderful perfumed nose that just screams ‘Northern Rhône
Syrah’ at you, with its olive-like meaty, spicy dark fruits and a hint
of herby green character. Slightly stinky in a nice way. The palate is
savoury and spicy with open dark fruits and a tangy, meaty character.
Good acid and a spicy, dusty but fine grained tannic structure. A lovely
food wine. Very good/excellent 91/100 (10 Euros in a wine shop in
Orleans) 11/04
Cave
des Clairmonts Crozes-Hermitage 2003 Northern Rhône, France
I’m
sorta undecided about the 2003 vintage in the Rhône, in both north and
south. It was hot, yes, which normally would be good. But this time, I
think it was too hot, leading to an odd sort of phenolic development and
some rather awkward tannins in the final wines. Harvest began here on 20
August, for goodness sake. But it was by no means a disaster across the
board, and this is one of the success stories. It shows forward, sweet
raspberry fruit on the nose, and the palate is supple with lovely
forward ripe fruit character. There’s savoury structure underneath
this forward Syrah fruit, reminding us where we are. Very good/excellent
90/100 (£7.49 Waitrose) 04/05
Jean
Lionnet Côtes du Rhône Cepage Syrah 2000 Rhône, France
This
is a Northern Rhône Syrah from a Cornas producer. It’s a delightfully
honest wine. Savoury, slightly dusty nose with a hint of meatiness to
the peppery red fruits. The palate is midweight and savoury with good
acidity and a distinctive white pepper character. Very drinkable and
savoury: there’s a juicy vibrancy to the dry tannic fruit. Delicious
if a little uncomplicated. Very good+ 88 (£6.95 Jeroboams) 10/04
Gilles
Barge St Joseph Clos des Martinets 2001 Northern Rhône
Lovely
intense, spicy, meaty, savoury wine with lots of flavour and
concentration. Very good/excellent 91/100 03/04
Gilles Barge Condrieu La Solaire 2003 Northern Rhône,
France
Deep yellow colour. Nutty nose with some fruit richness leads to a
savoury, rich, super smooth Viognier palate with a spicy frame to the
flat, nutty, peachy fruit. A slightly old-fashioned style of Condrieu
with a savoury richness. Very good+ 89/100 08/05
Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 2003 Northern Rhône,
France
Dark coloured. Wonderful fresh, ripe, vivid spicy peppery red fruits
on the nose. The palate is structured, tight and spicy with very fresh
dark, meaty, spicy bloody fruit. Not heavy and quite elegant, a
brilliant wine. Very good/excellent 94/100 08/05
Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot 1997 Northern Rhône,
France
High-toned raspberry fruit nose with just a hint of herbaceousness
and green olive chartacter. Quite elegant midweight palate shows stalky
raspberry and blackcurrant fruit with high acidity. Quite fresh and
youthful. A challenging wine that needs food. Very good+ 89/100 12/03
Alain
Graillot Crozes Hermitage 1998 Northern Rhône, France
Really
drinking well now, this shows pungent olive and herb character to the
fairly lean, savoury red fruits. A distinctive style of wine that I
really like. Very good/excellent 91/100 08/04
Domaine du Colombier Crozes Hermitage Cuvée Gaby 1999
Northern Rhône, France
Savoury roasted meat and raspberry fruit nose, with some black
olives, too. The palate is chewy, chunky and savoury with good acid and
well integrated wood. Could still do with a few more years bottle
ageing. Very good/excellent 90/100 12/03
Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot 1997 Northern Rhône,
France
High-toned raspberry fruit nose with just a hint of herbaceousness
and green olive chartacter. Quite elegant midweight palate shows stalky
raspberry and blackcurrant fruit with high acidity. Quite fresh and
youthful. A challenging wine that needs food. Very good+ 89/100 12/03
Domaine du Colombier Crozes Hermitage Cuvée Gaby 1999
Northern Rhône, France
Savoury roasted meat and raspberry fruit nose, with some black
olives, too. The palate is chewy, chunky and savoury with good acid and
well integrated wood. Could still do with a few more years bottle
ageing. Very good/excellent 90/100 12/03
Domaine des Amphores 2001 St Joseph, Northern Rhône
Purchased for €10 at a wine shop in Orleans, this delicious St
Joseph is superb value, but in the UK would probably cost at least £10.
Very deep coloured, arresting nose of pepper, bacon fat and slightly
floral, olive-like notes. The palate is quite raspberryish and meaty
with a spicy, slightly animally edge. Very savoury, this is a good food
wine with good acid. Textbook northern-Rhône Syrah. Very good+ 88/100
08/03
Pierre Gaillard St Joseph 1999, Northern Rhône
Deep coloured. Lovely ripe blackcurrant and raspberry fruit nose,
with a slightly meaty, spicy edge. On the palate good tannins and
relatively high acidity provide the structure, with vivid, spicy edged
raspberry fruit dominating. Modern and satisfying but with good typicity.
Very well judged: it’s not trying to be a ‘big’ wine. Very good+
89 (H&H Bancroft, approximately £6.50 on sale – normal price
about £10) 05/03
Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage ‘Thalabert’ 1995
Northern Rhône, France
One from the cellar. Cherry red colour with a tiny bit of fading
round the rim. Leathery, slightly spicy nose with evolved earthy
character. Savoury, spicy high acid palate is quite tight and a little
tart with good acidity and some tannin. The fruit’s almost gone. Quite
interesting but not compelling. Very good 03/03
Domaine Barge Côte Rôtie 2000, Northern Rhône, France
This is an attractive, classically styled Côte Rôtie. Medium bodied,
with a nice balance of meaty, herby fruit, tannins and acidity on the
palate. Nothing flash here, but it’s classic. The nose is lively and
perfumed with open meaty, spicy, green olive character. Drinking well
now and probably for the next five years. A little bit light to be top
notch, but still impressive. Very good/excellent (c. £11 in France)
01/03
Domaine Georges Vernay Syrah 2000 Vins de Pays des
Collines Rhodaniennes, Northern Rhône
Smooth and medium bodied with some subtle spicy, savoury berry
fruit. Just a trace of minerality and meatiness. Good acidity. This
isn’t a big wine but it’s quite classy, silky textured and could
pass for a middling Côte Rôtie. Very good+ (£8.95 Bentalls) 10/02
Jamet Syrah Vin de Pays de Collines Rhodaniennes 2001
Meaty peppery red with a lovely savoury character behind the primary
raspberry fruit. It’s not a blockbuster, but everything works well
together. A brilliant cheapie which goes very well with food. Lots of
character. Very good+ (Majestic £5.99) 12/02
Michel Ogier Côte Rôtie 1995, Northern Rhône
Very deep coloured. Powerful, meaty nose has a lovely perfumed bacon-like
edge. Rich, but still quite elegant with smooth, classy raspberry fruit.
The palate is extremely savoury with firm tannins, herby fruit and high
acidity. Hints of green olives and stinky cheese, too. A sensational
wine. Excellent 04/02
Michel Ogier Côte Rôtie ‘La Belle Hélène’
Côte Rozier Vielles Vignes 1995, Northern Rhône
Ogier’s most recent release of this special bottling of Côte Rôtie,
which is matured in new barrels, was awarded 100 points by Robert
Parker, so expect the pricing go into the stratosphere. This 1995 has a
sensational nose with liquoricey, meaty green olive-tinged fruit. Lovely
complexity. Rich, spicy, meaty palate is wonderfully complex. The new
oak seems to bring out the best in this wine without being in any way
dominant. Excellent 05/02
Alain
Graillot Crozes Hermitage 1998, Northern Rhône
Deep coloured. Really rich forward nose of green olives and meaty berry
fruits. Palate is rich, full and very savoury. Firm tannins.
Very good/excellent 06/02
Alain Graillot St Joseph 1999, Northern Rhône
Deep coloured. Wonderful vivid raspberry fruit on the nose with a
meaty, slightly earthy edge. The palate is dense and firm with more
intense raspberry fruit and lovely medicinal green olive notes. Tannic
and firm, this is a lovely wine in a brilliantly savoury, bold style.
Very good/excellent (£15 Waitrose)
10/02
J. L. Chave Hermitage 1988, Northern Rhône
Still very deeply coloured, this is a remarkable wine. The rich,
meaty, savoury nose has some animal-like complexity and leads to a
dense, slightly stern palate. There’s still lots of tannic structure
but some savoury richness too. Full-on and completely delicious. Shame
about the price of the current release, but given the quality of this
fourteen year-old example it’s easy to see why. Excellent 03/02
Cave de Tain l’Hermitage Hermitage 1999, Northern Rhône
Quite lush raspberry fruit on the nose with a spicy edge. Midweight
palate shows spicy, savoury raspberry fruit with good acidity. Not a big
wine and still quite primary: how will this evolve? Very good+ (£15.99
Majestic) 10/02
Pierre Gaillard Saint Joseph Blanc 2000, Northern Rhône
This northern Rhône white is not for everyone, but it’s a
brilliant example of its style. Very rich, fruity floral nose with a
sweet, luscious edge and some honey notes. The palate is soft-textured,
rich and nutty; clean and fruity with some tropical notes. A forward,
low acid style. Very good/excellent (£9.95 Berry Bros) 04/02
Rene Rostaing Côte Rôtie Classique 1998 Northern Rhône
Quite a traditional, tasty Côte Rôie, although it’s a little
young to be broaching this example from a very good vintage. The nose is
meaty and savoury with an attractive green olive edge and it leads to a
dense palate showing good acidity and a bit of tannic structure. Very
good/excellent 03/02
Jean-Louis Chave Saint Joseph 'Offerus' 1999
A negociant wine from possibly the best producer in the Northern Rhône.
It's a deep red/purple colour with striking meaty nose showing some
lively peppery notes. The palate is intensely savoury with more meaty
Syrah fruit and quite a firm tannic edge. There's a high-acid finish to
this substantial wine. Very good/excellent (£12.14 A&B Vintners)
11/01
Domaine Mouton Syrah 2000, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes
This producer is a 'new kid on the block' in Côte Rôtie, and if this
deeply impressive Vin de Pays is anything to go by, his Côte Rôtie
must be worth checking out. There's a pronounced roast coffee edge to
the meaty, smoky nose: it's fragrant, almost perfumed. Delicious savoury,
meaty palate with good density and concentration, and a touch of
spiciness. Chunky, with lots of character. This is a good price for an
authentic expression of Northern Rhône Syrah. Very good/excellent (£6.50
La Vigneronne) 11/01
Jaboulet Crozes Hermitages Les Jalets 1999, Northern Rhône
The nose shows bright raspberry fruit with an attractive meaty,
spicy, peppery edge. Quite good concentration on the palate, with a
savoury edge. This is an authentic Northern Rhône Syrah, but in quite a
light style. Very good (c. £8 Oddbins) 10/01
Domaine des Remizières Saint Joseph 1999
An opaque red/purple colour this wine has a sexy, ostentatious nose
of sweet, tarry, oaky fruit with a toasty edge. The palate shows savoury,
roasted raspberry fruit with great concentration. Very modern and full,
this is a striking wine which some will really love, although it's a
little too oaky for my palate. Very good+ (£10.18 A&B Vintners)
11/01
Gilles Barge Côte Rôtie Cuvée du Plessy 1998
Wonderful open nose showing beautifully complex perfumed, meaty
Syrah fruit, with a herbal green olive edge. The palate is intensely
savoury and nicely balanced, with meaty, herbal fruit and substantial
structure from the tannins and acidity. I'd leave for a little while
before drinking though. Excellent (£18.50 A&B Vintners) 11/01
Pierre Dumazet Condrieu 1999, Northern Rhône
Impressive Viognier, but expensive. Classic, rich peachy nose leads
to a well balanced palate with good acidity; not a super-rich style, but
plenty of herby, peachy fruit. Very good+ (£19.00 Bibendum) 11/01
Domaine du Colombier Crozes Hermitages Cuvée Gaby 1999, Northern
Rhône
Deep red/purple colour with an attractive nose of meaty raspberry
fruit: savoury and delicious. The palate is still quite tannic, with
bright berry fruit and a nice meaty edge. Tasty. Very good/excellent (£9.20
Bibendum) 11/01
Delas Freres St Joseph 'Les Challeys' 1998, Northern Rhône
An authentic expression of Syrah from the Northern Rhône, this has a
wonderful savoury nose of roasted, meaty fruit with an attractive floral
edge. The palate is almost austere with meaty fruit, firm tannins and
high acidity. A great food wine but not all the components are working
together here. Very good+ (about £9 World Marechal) 09/01
Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 1998
The second of nine bottles that I have of this wine, it is striking,
challenging stuff. Intensely savoury, with a delicious cheesy/meaty
character and high acidity. This is definitely not a fleshy, fruity
wine: it really needs food at the moment. There are also some olive-like
herbal notes, and perhaps just a touch of greenness. This is about as
far away from a ripe Aussie Shiraz as you could get, even though it’s
the same grape. On day two, raspberry-like fruit is evident. It will be
interesting to track the progress of the remaining seven bottles. Very
good/excellent 07/01
Domaine Chomel Crozes Hermitage 1999, Northern Rhône
A medium bodied wine offering cherry and raspberry fruit, but
otherwise not showing a great deal of interest at this stage. Good/very
good (£6.99 Majestic) 10/01
Guigal Condrieu 1999, Northern Rhône
A rich, peachy, spicy nose leads to a lovely full, fat-textured palate
with some floral notes. It’s a lovely, balanced, full flavoured
example of Condrieu. It isn’t cheap, but Condrieu never is. Very
good/excellent (Sainsbury £19.99) 05/01
Ogier Côte Rôtie 1996
A profound wine from the Northern Rhône. Stunning nose: meaty, herby,
pungent, medicinal but at the same time delicate and with a floral edge.
On the mid-weight palate the firm tannins and high acidity balance
beautifully with the dense, earthy fruit. It's savoury and delicious:
the antithesis to the new oak, high alcohol, overripe fruit
international style that's so prevalent these days. Excellent (Berry
Bros £14.95) 2/01
Delas Freres Les Launes Crozes
Hermitage 1998
The last of several bottles of this wine that I've had in recent
months. There is right raspberry fruit and high acid here, but the
dominant character is a delicious cheesy, meaty, savoury streak that
runs through the wine. Quite individual and very tasty, but I'd drink
this young rather than cellar it. Very good+ (World Marechal £6.70)
06/01
Domaine Combier Crozes Hermitage 1999
From a well known organic producer, this is the regular bottling, not
the pricier Clos des Grives. A deep red/purple colour, this shows sweet,
chocolatey, ripe fruit on the nose with some cinnamon spice. The palate
is soft and rich, with blackcurrant fruit. With good concentration, this
is a rich, ripe wine that reminds me more of the new world than the
Northern Rhône. It's delicious, but I prefer my Crozes to have more
regional character than this. As it opens out over the course of a few
hours, more serious raspberry fruit begins to emerge together with some
tannins and acidity. If you have some of this, I'd be tempted to leave
it a couple of years to let it show what it's really about. Very good+
(About £10, World Marechal) 07/01
Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage
1998
Deep purple/black in colour, this is a meaty, intensely savoury wine,
with flavours of herbs, olives and tar backed up by firm tannins and
high acidity. There's a wild, medicinal edge to this powerful but
expressive wine. Drinkable now, although it really needs to be paired
with food in this youthful stage of its development. I'm very glad I
picked up several of these. Very good/excellent (a bargain at £6 each,
normal retail is more like £10) 10/00
St Joseph Blanc Les Challeys 1997, Delas Freres
A deep yellow/gold colour, this is an unusual wine. There is a muted
nose of honey and minerals which leads to an odd, low-acid palate that
is a bit flat and partially oxidised. There's a short finish, too. OK (£5.09
Worldmarechal) 11/00
Syrah 1999, Vin du Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, Pierre
Gaillard
This vin de Pays from the Northern Rhône has real character.
Purple/black colour. Explosive nose of cheesy, herby fruit with a smoky,
animal edge. On the palate it is savoury with lean fruit and high
acidity. This is a tasty, inexpensive wine, to be enjoyed young: what a
shame it was sealed with a poor-quality agglomerate cork. (About £4,
Worldmarechal) 10/00
JL Chave Hermitage 1994, Rhône
Beautifully perfumed and expressive Hermitage, with smoky, syrah
characters and a a burnt rubber edge. Complex and attractive, with firm
acidity. Lovely wine in a delicate, exotic style. Excellent. 7/00
Delas Frères 'Les Launes' Crozes Hermitage 1998
An impressive inexpensive Crozes Hermitage, with more concentration and
character than you'd expect at this price. Big nose, initially a little
sweet, but then stinky and meaty. Lovely sweet and sour palate, with
ripe fruit and earthy, slightly animal notes. Grippy tannins and a
bitter edge; rustic but pleasant. Good concentration here and real
interest. Very good + (£4.60, worldmarechal.com) 10/00
Delas Frères St Joseph 'Les Challeys' 1998
Another inexpensive but impressive effort from Delas. Purple/black
colour with good concentration. Savoury, meaty Syrah with a smoky,
cheesy, slightly stinky nose. It's complex, meaty and dry on the palate,
with firm tannins and moderate acidity: my only criticism is that it's a
bit savoury and bitter when drunk on its own. Very good and a bargain (£5.09
worldmarechal.com) 10/00
St Joseph 1996 Cave de Tain l'Hermitage
I've had mixed experiences with this wine in the space of a week. The
first bottle was flat, dull and a bit past it. The second was really
quite good, with dark meaty, chunky Syrah fruit in a medium-bodied
style. Drink up soon is my advice; I think I've kept this just a bit too
long. Not a great wine, but a good value example of St Joseph. 10/00
Crozes Hermitage Blanc 'Les Nobles Rives' 1998, Cave de Tain
l'Hermitage
I've been impressed by the whites of the Cave de Tain before, most
particularly their still St Peray, but I was a little disappointed by
this. Mildly aromatic, it is a soft-textured, slightly waxy wine with
low acid and a sort of hollowness to the palate -- there's something
missing. OK, but not my style. (£4, worldmarechal.com) 10/00
Crozes Hermitage 1999 Cave de Tain l'Hermitage
Bright purple wine with good concentration and attractive fruit. A
little too simple to be of real interest, lacking real character.
OK/good. (£5.99 Majestic) 10/00
Cornas 1997 Cave de Tain l'Hermitage
A mid-weight, spicy Syrah-based wine with firm tannic structure. Quite
closed at the moment; may evolve, but currently lacks the sort of
distinctive character you might expect from this appellation. Good +. (£9.99
Majestic) 10/00
Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 1997, Guigal
I would be very disappointed if I had spent £20 on this wine. Deep
coloured, with a lifted, rather esteric nose. Simple on palate, with
primary fruit, firm tannins and high acidity. Lacks real character. Will
it evolve into something interesting? Good, but rotten value. (£19.99
Majestic) 10/00
J. Jamet Côte-Rôtie 1983
Soft and mature, with some herbal elements and high acidity. It is
mature and expressive, but has probably seen better days. Good but not
stunning.
Guigal Côte-Rôtie Côtes Brune et Blonde 1985
Evolved wine showing tannins, high acidity, a touch of smoke and some
alcohol. I think this wine just didn't have enough initially to support
15 years' bottle age. OK, but I'm not keen. 7/00
Delas Hermitage 1985 Cuvée Marquise de la Tourrette
Slightly odd nose with some metallic elements, combined with smoke.
Mature, mineralic wine with some tannins and acidity. Good but showing
its age. 7/00
Syrah Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes 1999, J-P and J-L
Jamet
Perfumed, meaty, smoky nose. Herby and light on palate with a bit of
farmyard character, with good acidity. Despite the lack of density, this
is an attractive, characterful wine with real appeal. Very good+ (£5.99
Majestic) 8/00
Yves Cuilleron La Petite Côte Condrieu 1997
Lovely full bodied, yet still delicate, white wine. Nose of peaches and
apricot. On the palate there's a bit of spice and some alcohol. Modern
and fresh it finishes bone dry; it could be a new world wine. Very good
+ (£9.99 Majestic) 8/00
Hermitage La Chapelle 1989,
Jaboulet
Rich, attractive nose of bacon fat and red fruits, with some
coffee and cedar notes. On the palate it is beginning to dry out a
little, with high acidity and more coffee notes, finished off with a
smoky earthiness. Maybe also some tea-like flavours. Beginning to show
its age, it is still complex and fine, but I’d drink now. Others’
experience with this wine make me suspect poor storage conditions. 6/99
Jaboulet Aîné St Joseph Le
Grand Pompée 1996, Rhône
I have had variable experiences with this large negociant firm
from the Northern Rhône. This Syrah was interesting, but no bargain.
Deep purple red colour and medium bodied. Stony, mineral-laced raspberry
fruit dominates, with a touch of varietally true bacon fat and some
smokiness. The structure is provided by the high acidity, in combination
with moderate tannins: in fact, the piercing, juicy acidity is a little
over the top and makes this a difficult wine to enjoy on its own.
Perhaps good in combination with food. (£8.99 Sainsbury; also at
Oddbins) 1/00
Floréal Crozes Hermitages 1996,
Alain Graillot
Huge, delicious nose of herby, smoky, bacon fat Syrah.
There’s also a bit of barnyard character. On the palate there is very
high acidity, and some soft fruit. Really lovely complexity, but a bit
short, probably because of the high acidity. Is this a cuvée from young
vines? (Bentalls £9.50) 6/99
Syrah, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, 1999, Pierre
Gaillard
An inexpensive wine from one of the stars of the Northern Rhône,
this is a deep red/purple coloured, medium-bodied red wine with some
character. The delightful savoury nose leads to a palate showing a
herby, animal character with a roasted, slightly burnt edge to the
meaty, cheesy fruit. Easy drinking and very appealing. Very good+ (World
Marechal, about £4.50) 1/01
St Joseph 1996, Cave Tain
l’Hermitage, Les Nobles Rives
A good example of the work of this quality-minded cooperative.
Red purple in colour, medium bodied. Big syrah nose with earthy bacon
fat and minerals. Dry tannins and light on the palate. This is well made
and tasty, but best with food. (Purchased directly, 44 ff) 1/99
Southern
Rhône Back
to top
Overview
The Southern
Rhône is quite different from the North. The climate is noticeably
warmer, and the vineyards are predominantly flatter. They also occupy a
much larger area. The most famous appellation is Châteauneuf
du Pape, north of the famous papal town of Avignon. It is best known for
its spicy, herby, alcoholic red wines that are made from a total of
thirteen permitted varieties, most significantly Grenache, Syrah and
Mourvèdre. Good examples are substantial wines that repay cellaring,
but there are plenty of dull ones still to be found -- none are cheap.
And although people often think of red Châteauneuf as a 'powerful'
wine, it is often quite light in colour when compared with the
Syrah-based wines from the Northern Rhone. Quite similar
in style are the wines from villages such as Gigondas, Rasteau,
Vacqueyras. Since receiving its own
'appellation contrôlée' status in 1971, Gigondas has proved to be a
worthy competitor to its better known neighbour, Châteauneuf du Pape.
Although some white and rosé is made here, this region is really all
about solid, chunky red wines, predominantly from the Grenache grape but
also with a bit of Syrah and Mourvèdre in the blend. Quality is
improving with each vintage, and the best examples reward long
cellaring. Finally, Côtes du Rhone is
a generic appellation used as a catch-all to label the vast amount of
largely inexpensive wine made here. Quality varies dramatically, but
most of it is inexpensive but reliable plonkish red made mainly from the
Grenache grape. Some 16 villages are entitled to use the Côtes du Rhône-Villages
appellation: the peppery, spicy, rustic reds from these communes are
often more substantial wines that represent excellent value for money.
See also:
Domaine
Montirius Vacqueyras Garrigues 2006 Southern Rhone, France
Deep coloured, this has a lovely spicy,
peppery nose with sweet blackberry fruit together with a hint of
meatiness and just a touch of mint. The palate is rich and ripe with
lovely savoury spiciness and some earthy hints. Ripe but savoury: this
is what you come to the southern Rhone for. 90/100 (£11.95 BBR)
08/09
Domaine de Mourchon Séguret Tradition 2007 Côtes du
Rhône Villages, France
14.5% alcohol, unoaked. A
beautiful expression of the southern Rhône,
this is a deep coloured wine with lovely sweet, dark cherry, blackberry
and plum fruit aromatics, as well as hints of meat and spice. The palate
shows lovely sweet, vivid fruit, but with added meat and pepper
complexity, adding a deliciously savoury counter to the ripe fruit. It’s
dense and well structured, but lush and smooth at the same time. Really
successful: modern but interesting, with plenty of non-fruit complexity.
91/100 04/09
Domaine de Mourchon Séguret Grande Resérve 2006
Côtes du Rhône Villages, France
15% alcohol, 40% aged in oak for 10 months. Deep coloured, this is a bit of a beast of a wine. The nose
shows intense, slightly reduced spicy dark fruits. The palate is intense
with high alcohol and firm tannins creating quite an astringent base,
over which the ripe, sweet fruit is layered. It’s a big, intense,
rather ungainly wine with lots of everything, and a bit of a
mouth-drying finish. While it would work well with the right sort of
food, it doesn’t have the appeal or drinkability of the 2007
Tradition. Perhaps it will pull together in time. 88/100 (04/09)
Clos
de Caillou ‘Le Clos de Caillou’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2004 Southern
Rhône, France
Sweet,
warm, herby spicy nose. The palate is rich and bold with warm spicy
fruit. An elegant spicy style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with robust
tannins under the fruit. 92/100 (£59.99 The Sampler)
12/0
Château
de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1990 Southern Rhône, France
This
is a lovely, light, evolved wine drinking at its peak. Complex, warm,
spicy and earthy with a lovely earthy, spicy character, as well as some
meaty funkiness. A savoury style with lots of interest. 94/100 (£160
The Sampler)
12/0
Domaine Grand
Veneur Les Champauvins 2007 Côtes du Rhône Villages, France (cask
sample)
Apparently, Robert Parker gave this 91/100, which is a high score
for a relatively affordable wine. I can understand why: it’s a
deliciously rich, dense Southern Rhône red with concentrated, sweet spicy
raspberry liqueur fruit, backed up by fresh acidity and a bit of earthy
structure. It’s smooth and delicious, with a hint of ginger adding
aromatic interest. Much better than most Châteauneuf-du-Papes, with real richness and
intensity. 90–92/100 (£55 in bond for 12 bottles in www.bibendum-wine.co.uk’s
recent en primeur offer) 12/08
Domaine
des Tours Vin de Pays Vacluse Rouge 2004 Southern Rhône, France
Smooth, sweet nose is liqueur-like with rich berry fruits. The
palate is expressive and perfumed with really aromatic sweet fruit and
grainy tannins on the finish. A perfumed, expressive wine with lovely
elegance. 91/100 (£8.49 UK agent Richards Walford) 02/08
Raymond Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2006
Southern Rhone, France
80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 6% Syrah, 2% Cinsault and 2% Counoise.
Deep coloured,
this has a sweetly aromatic nose with lush, pure blackberry and sweet
cherry fruit, with a hint of soya sauce and some savoury, herby
elements. The palate is concentrated and sweet with slightly reduced,
almost rubbery notes accompanying the lush fruit. Densely fruited, this
is a serious effort that needs a bit of time to find its feet. A rich,
extracted, intense style of Châteauneuf, finishing quite spicy. 90/100
(imported by Fields, Morris & Verdin) 11/08
Asda Extra
Special Vacqueyras 2006 Southern Rhone, France
Surprisingly muted nose doesn't give much away, except for
some faint liqueur-like red fruits and a hint of spice. The palate is
more expressive with an attractive peppery character under the pure,
smooth cherry fruit. This isn't a totally obvious wine: you need to look
under the surface, and there you find some attractive Grenache fruit.
Finishes a little earthy with some grippy tannin, which makes me think
this wine might evolve a little more. Not mind-blowing, but authentic -
decant for an hour to get the best from this now? 86/100 (£6.98 Asda;
14% alcohol) 02/09
Château
de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1990 Southern Rhône, France
This is a lovely, light, evolved wine drinking at its peak. Complex,
warm, spicy and earthy with a lovely earthy, spicy character, as well as
some meaty funkiness. A savoury style with lots of interest. 94/100
(£160 The Sampler) 12/08
Château
Beaucastel Blanc 2003 Châteauneauf-du-Pape
Yellow/gold colour, this is a rich white wine that’s
made in a slightly oxidative style. It has nutty, rich, broad fruit with
nice complexity – toasty and waxy. Unusual stuff with a broad texture
and lots of flavour. 90/100 (11/08)
Marks
& Spencer Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 'Le Fussier' 2006 Rhone, France
A blend of Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussane,
without oak, from Chateau Mont Redon. Fresh herby, lemony flowery nose
is crisp. The palate is rounded and quite fat, as Rhone whites tend to
be, but with some crisp minerality on the finish. Delightfully
expressive and crisp, and quite complex, too. 91/100 (£13.99 Marks
& Spencer) 08/08
Domaine Richaud Cairanne 2006 Cotes du Rhone
Villages, France
A dark, concentrated Southern Rhone wine, this is a blend of Grenache,
Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan. The nose is ripe, meaty, peppery and
quite pure. The palate is dense with lovely sweet blackberry and
raspberry fruit combining well with a savoury, spicy, slightly reductive
streak. There's some lushness here (it's 14.5% alcohol), but it avoids
being over-ripe. The most impressive aspect is the concentration and
purity of the fruit. With its richness, this could almost be a new world
Syrah, but if it was, it would be one of the very best because it's
still really well balanced and quite elegant. 92/100 (this was around 10
Euros from a Paris wine shop) 06/08
Caves St Pierre Côtes du Rhône Preference Blanc 2006
France
Bright fresh and fruity with a hint of melon and some
herbiness on the nose. The palate is rounded and quite rich with a
lovely soft, fat texture to the fruit. It’s a bit floral, too. Really
nice for the price. 85/100 (£4.99
Tesco) 03/07
Domaine de Joncier
Lirac 2005 Southern Rhône, France
Deep coloured and quite substantial, this southern red has sweet,
ripe red fruits with a bit of spiciness and some savoury tannic grip,
battling it out on the finish with some alcoholic heat. It’s better
than this description sounds, though: a ripe, plummy, satisfying Rhône
wine with some depth and concentration. 89/100 (Waitrose) 04/08
Domaine
Richaud Cairanne 2006 Côtes de Rhône Villages, France
A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan. Deep
coloured, with a dark, spicy, meaty nose that is intense and quite
savoury. The palate is dense with bold sweet fruit countered by spicy,
earthy savouriness. A powerful, intense win of real appeal. 92/100 04/08
Selection Laurence Feraud Seguret 2006 Cotes de
Rhone Villages, France
Quite deep in colour with attractive aromas of sweet red
fruits and peppery spice. The palate is brightly fruited with some
grippy, peppery tannins and a distinctive spiciness that nicely counters
the sweetness of the fruit. There's also a hint of meatiness here,
together with a bit of earthiness. This is quite seductive, in a modern,
fruit forward style, but there's also some old world earthiness and
spice that I find really appealing. Isn't cheap, but it is good. 90/100
(£9.99 Virgin Wines) 05/08
Plan Pégau L:2003 Vin de Table, France
As a modest Vin de Table this wine from Châteauneuf du Pape estate
can’t carry a vintage designation, although the code L:2003 gives a
strong clue. It shows a light, pretty cherry and herb nose with some
savoury spiciness. It’s quite perfumed. The palate is also savoury, in
a light, spicy, rather earthy style. Not a big complex wine but
satisfying and very drinkable, with a nice peppery edge to the rather
fresh fruit. The equivalent of a rather good Châteauneuf for much less
money. Very good+ 88/100 (Majestic £7.99, £6.99 if you buy two) 05/05
Coteau
Brûlé Cairanne 2003 Côtes
du Rhône Villages, France
Fresh, spicy, peppery red fruits on the nose, giving this rather
rustic red wine a deliciously savoury character. The palate is spicy and
earthy with smooth, slightly meaty red fruits and a peppery, tannic
finish. Very good+ 87/100 (£4.49 Tesco) 06/05
Domaine de la Grande Bellane Côtes du Rhône
Villages Valréas 2004 France
Syrah and Grenache are blended here to make a dark, intoxicating red
wine with a nose of black fruits that leads to a juicy, spicy, fruity
palate. There’s good acidity keeping things savoury and fresh. A nice
wine. Very good+ 88/100 (Sainsbury £5.99) 09/05
Domaine
Chapoton 2001 Côtes du Rhône Villages Rochegude, France
Fantastic
stuff: a really authentic, earthy, spicy southern Rhône wine. Fragrant
peppery nose is earthy and spicy. On the palate it is quite generous and
rich with rounded spicy fruit that has a lovely earthiness to it.
Delicious for a relatively inexpensive wine. Very good/excellent 90/100
(Les Caves de Pyrene) 12/04
La
Chapelle Notre Dame d’Aubune Baumes de Venise 2003 Côtes du Rhône
Villages, France
A
brilliant cheapie, this is a red wine from a subregion more often
associated with sweet whites. Sweet, ripe open nose of liqueur-like
blackberry and raspberry fruit leads to a smooth, ripe, supple palate
with lots of red and black fruit character. Fine-grained tannic
structure. Impressive: lovely Grenache fruit with a beguiling minerally
edge. Very good+ 89/100 (Majestic £4.99) 10/04
Château
de Beaucastel Blanc 2002 Châteauneuf du Pape
Quite
a nutty, fresh, savoury white with some real elegance. Some subtle
floral notes, too. Very good+ 89/100 05/04
Château
de Beaucastel 1990 Châteauneuf du Pape
Remarkable
nose: smoky, spicy and earthy with complex leather and animal notes. The
palate is spicy and earthy with lovely minerally density and quite good
acidity. Quite evolved and rich with great balance. Undoubtedly bretty
but it works very well. Very good/excellent 92/100 05/04
Château
des Tours Côtes du Rhône Réserve 2000 France
A
special wine, showing alluring sweet Grenache aromas with a lovely rich
earthy spiciness. Quite complex with archetypal southern Rhône flavours
and a touch of herbiness. Sweet and pure fruit here. Very good/excellent
90/100 (Bibendum c. £7) 02/04
Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône 2004 France
Unfiltered and unfined, and thus suitable for vegetarians and vegans
(fining sometimes involves the use of animal products), this red wine is
an appealing blend of the Grenache and Syrah grapes. It’s got plenty
of rather meaty blackcurrant fruit, together with a nice peppery
character. Well balanced and satisfying: I’ve been underwhelmed by
Chapoutier’s lower end wines in the past, but this is pretty good.
Very good + 88/100 (£6.49 Waitrose) 10/05
Domaine de la
Mordorée Côtes du Rhône 2002 Southern Rhône, France
From a 55ha
biodynamic estate in Lirac with 40 year old vines, this is a blend of
40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Carignan and 5% Counoise.
Classic Southern Rhône perfumed nose, showing sweet ripe red fruits
with a spicy, minerally underlay. The palate is midweight with supple
fruit, a touch of meatiness and a spicy finish. A really good effort
from a very difficult vintage, and drinking well now. Very good+ 87/100
(£12.95 in Café Rouge as their wine of the month for March 2004) 03/04
Jean
Luc Colombo Les Abeilles Côtes du Rhône 2001
Savoury,
spicy wine with some structure, good acid and a minerally streak. Lots
of flavour, tending to the slightly austere. Satisfying and savoury.
Very good 84/100 (Lay & Wheeler £6.95) 12/03
Perrin Nature Côtes du Rhône 2001 France
Classic southern Rhône nose: sweet, spicy, liquoricey fruit with an
earthy edge. Midweight, savoury palate with smooth, spicy tannins. A
well balanced wine that’s a nice expression of this region. Well
packaged, too. Very good+ 88/100 (£6.99 Thresher) 11/03
Domaine
le Clos des Cazaux Vaqueyras Cuvée des Templiers 2000 Southern Rhône,
France
Savoury,
forward nose shows a spicy roasted character with minerally hints and
dark fruits. The palate is savoury and firm with smooth tannins and an
appealing meatiness. A dense, quite modern wine that is well structured
and could probably do with a couple of years in the cellar. Very good+
89/100 (Lay & Wheeler) 12/03
Château des Tours Reserve 2000 Côtes du Rhône
The second bottle of a six-pack I bought. Lovely sweet, ripe
Grenache nose is quite voluptuous with a distinctive peppery edge.
There’s liquoricey complexity on the soft palate which shows nice
peppery fruit. Quite subtle and terroir driven despite the sweetness of
fruit. Very good/excellent 90/100 09/03
Les Hauts de Gramenon Vinsobres 2000 Côtes du Rhône
Villages
Quite a serious wine, with some brettanomyces character, too.
Cheesy, animally, smoky and intensely spicy nose but with some lush,
ripe fruit underneath. The palate is lush and spicy with a savoury,
animally edge. Very good+ 88/100 08/03
Domaine
Monpertuis Vignoble de la Ramière Cuvée Counoise 2000 Vin de Pays du
Gard, France
The Counoise is a red grape that's often used as a blending
component in Châtrauneuf du Pape but which is rarely seen on its own. I
am very excited by this wine, which shows wonderful personality. It has
a slightly cheesy, meaty, savoury edge on the nose. The palate is dense,
spicy, meaty and savoury with good acidity, and a bold spicy aftertaste.
With its firm, tannic structure it's quite challenging: it's a big, firm
wine. (£5.95 Lay & Wheeler) 11/03
Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas 1998 Southern Rhöne, France
Warm, herby nose with some southern spice elements. The palate is
savoury with some firm tannins and good acid. Quite herbal and spicy
with some earthy notes. Very good+ 87 04/03
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe 1995, Châteauneuf du Pape
Wonderful herby, spicy complexity on the nose, with some sweet,
animal-like character. The savoury, meaty palate has a spicy edge with a
firm tannic structure and lovely acidity. Still quite tight; although
this is drinking well now, it still has some distance to go. Exciting
drinking. Excellent 10/02
Domaine de la Grande Bellane Côtes du Rhône Villages
Valréas 2000 Rhône, France
Lovely spicy meaty nose is quite savoury with good concentration.
The palate is quite firm and spicy with delicious savoury roasted meat
character. Quite tannic. This is delicious and authentic, and represents
brilliant value. Very good+ (Tesco, Sainsbury £5.49-£5.99)
01/03
Domaine de Font Sane Gigondas 1999
This deep coloured wine has an attractive pepper spice nose with
some sweet herbal and animal notes adding complexity. Midweight spicy
meaty palate is nicely balanced with some tannic structure. A super
example of Gigondas. Very good+ (£10 Wannop Wines) 08/02
Chapoutier Organic Côtes du Rhône 2001, France
An unoaked blend of Syrah and Grenache. Quite lightweight, but
there’s a lovely smoky, earthy edge to the juicy berry fruit. Nice if
a little light, I like this. Very good (£5.99 Waitrose) 10/02
Paul Jaboulet Aîné ‘Parallèle 45’ Côtes du Rhône
2000, France
Simple juicy cherry and raspberry fruit dominate. Good acidity but
one-dimensional. Good/very good (£6.49 Waitrose) 10/02
Clos Saint-Michel Châteauneuf du Pape 2001, France
Aged in used Bordeaux barrels. Nice herby berry fruit on the nose.
Chunky, chewy raspberry fruit on the palate. Good acid and
concentration. Very good (£10.99 Waitrose) 10/02
Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf du Pape 1995, Southern Rhône
Wonderfully complex nose is quite gamey, herby and meaty with some warm
spicy elements and a leathery edge. The palate is quite dense and spicy
with firm, dry tannins. Finishes quite dry. Brilliant: a top-notch Châteauneuf.
Excellent 04/02
Domaine des Espiers Côtes du Rhône 1998, Southern Rhône
From a well regarded estate this is an attractive wine, showing
spicy, toasty cherry and raspberry fruit, good density and nice acidity.
Very good+ (La Vigneronne) 06/02
La Chapelle Nôtre Dame d’Aubune Beaumes de Venise 2001
Côtes du Rhône Villages
Vivid nose of juicy cherry and raspberry fruit with a spicy edge –
very fruity. The palate is wonderfully vivid, dominated by vivid primary
fruit. Good concentration and lots of character here: thoroughly
enjoyable. Very good/excellent (£5.49 Majestic) 10/02
Domaine de Piaugier Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet 2000
Quite a backward wine showing taut, focused primary fruit with
plenty of peppery character and dusty, tannic structure. An authentic
savoury style, but not showy. Very good+ (£5.99 Majestic) 10/02
Les Grandes Serres Châteuneuf du Pape 2000
Quite light in colour, this shows attractive chewy savoury fruit
with an earthy edge. Midweight. Very good (£8.99 Majestic) 10/02
Domaine Des Chênes Blancs Gigondas 1997
Fading colour. Striking pepper spice and earthy nose leads to a
savoury, peppery earthy palate. The fruit has begun to recede a bit, but
this is interesting stuff drinking well now. Very good+ (£8.99
Majestic) 10/02
Cave des Papes ‘Oratorio’ Gigondas 1999
Dreadful packaging. Ripe herby fruit on the nose. The palate shows a
good concentration of rich, almost lush fruit with a spicy edge. Some
new oak here. Very good+ (£10.99 Majestic) 10/02
Domaine Lucien Barrrot Châteuneuf du Pape 2000
Striking and appealing nose displays spicy, peppery fruit. The
palate is rich, structured, earthy and spicy. Quite delicious, with lots
of savoury structure. Very good/excellent (£11.99 Majestic) 10/02
Clos de l’Oratoire Châteauneuf du Pape 2000
Attractive old-style label. Tight herby nose with some restrained
berry fruit. Chalky peppery palate is restrained but full flavoured with
spicy structure. Interesting. Very good+ (£14.99 Majestic) 10/02
Marc Gallé Châteuneuf du Pape ‘Cuvée Mangouste’
1999, Southern Rhône
I wasn’t expecting a great deal from this wine, but I was
pleasantly surprised. The sweetly spiced nose is quite perfumed, with
some attractive meatiness. The palate is expressive and spicy with a
nice green olive-like edge, some herbiness and a bit of spice. Nice
chunky stuff and very tasty. Very good/excellent (£9.99 Oddbins) 11/01
Domaine de la Grande Bellane Valreas 1997 Côte du Rhône
Villages, France
An inexpensive wine bought and cellared for a couple of years, this
is pleasant but needs drinking up. There’s a savoury, meaty, medicinal
edge to the nose, which displays dark fruits and herbs. The palate shows
a meaty character and lovely juicy acidity and some tannin. It’s very
savoury – almost austere—and the fruit is beginning to recede a bit.
Substantial and intense, this is definitely a food wine. Very good+
02/02
Domaine de la Renjarde Côtes du Rhône Villages 1998
Renjarde is a property owned by Château La Nerthe. It is located at
Serignan-du-Comtat, between Orange and Montpellier. Grenache, Syrah,
Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault are planted on calcareous sandstone
soils. The grapes are machine harvested and fermented in a combination
of concrete and temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. This is
quite a substantial red wine. Deep colour with a savoury nose of wet
stones and a touch of spice, and a tiny bit of alcoholic heat. Palate is
rich, ripe and spicy with a mineralic edge. Very attractive:
approachable but still nicely savoury. Good value. Very good+ (£6.95
Berry Bros) 03/02
Château La Nerthe 1990 Châteauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhône
Still very dark in colour. Complex, evolved nose of sweet spices,
herbs, leather and tea leaves, with just a touch of gaminess. The rich,
full-flavoured palate has a rounded texture and a complex spicy/leathery
character. This is a wine that is surely drinking at its peak: how often
can you say that? Excellent 04/02
Château Fortia 1995 Châteauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhône
Very deep red/black colour. Quite closed on the nose with some meaty
berry fruit character, but opens out after a while to show rich, meaty,
savoury notes. The palate displays dense, spicy, meaty/earthy fruit with
good concentration and a lovely herby complexity. This is a serious Châteauneuf,
and I’ll be keeping my second bottle for another five years at least.
Very good/excellent (c. £16
Edencroft Fine Wine) 04/02
Domaine des Bosquets ‘Préférence des Bosquets’ 1999
Gigondas, Southern Rhône
Very deep coloured red/purple. Restrained but serious nose showing
wet-stone mineral character with some tarry liquoricey fruit in the
background. The concentrated palate shows intense minerally fruit with
an earthy edge. There’s some liquorice and spice, but the predominant
character is minerals. Quite firm but fine-grained tannins. This is a
classic, refined style of Gigondas: it shows great concentration but
avoids going down the soupy, over-ripe, over-oaked route taken by some
of its ambitious peers. Serious stuff. Very good/excellent (Edencroft £23.30)
03/02
Domaine La Soumade Rasteau 1995 Côte du Rhône Villages
Deep coloured. Slightly muted nose of wet stones and fresh pepper
spice. Later on some smoky fruit emerges. Palate is dry, leathery and
slightly spicy. Quite minerally but with some tannin here, too. A lean,
restrained, somewhat old-fashioned style: a good food wine. Very good+
(Originally from Berry Bros, cost around £6) 02/02
Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas 1997, Southern Rhône, France
The attractive, sweet herby/leathery nose shows some evolution: it's
moved beyond the fruit phase and has a peppery, spicy edge together with
tea-leaf notes. Palate is medium-bodied with a dry, savoury edge and a
spicy finish. Beautifully expressive, I reckon this is peaking now. Very
good/excellent (La Vigneronne, bought a couple of years ago) 1/02
Domaine de Val Frais Cuvée Prestige Châteauneuf du Pape
Blanc 2000, Southern Rhône
(Tasted blind, note as written) Really
unusual, slightly volatile salty nose. There’s a savoury, almost fino sherry-like edge to the palate, which
displays nutty, yeasty notes. Unusual stuff. Sharp acidic finish, with a
bit of a cheesy edge. Interesting, savoury wine but could be a bit
off-putting for some. My guess: something a bit weird, like a Savennières.
Very good 11/01
Domaine de Font Sane Gigondas 1998, Southern Rhône
Quite deep coloured, this has a ripe nose with liquoricey fruit,
some spice and a distinctive herby, leathery edge. The palate shows
sweet cherry and plum fruit with leathery, spicy tannins and a savoury,
herbal edge. Quite classic in style with good concentration, and some
tannin. Finish is quite alcoholic and warm. A satisfying wine from the
Southern Rhône. Very good+ (€12.00; £8.00 Mille Vignes) 01/02
Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône 2000
Nicely packaged in a heavy bottle, this is a deep purple coloured wine
showing great concentration. There's an attractive roast coffee/burnt
edge to the peppery nose. The palate is savoury, with grippy tannins,
peppery fruit and a drying, slightly green finish. There are also hints
of olives and coffee. A great food wine. Very good/excellent (Handford
£6.99) 09/01
Coudoulet de Beaucastel Blanc 1999 Côtes du Rhône
This has quite an unusual nutty, waxy nose. It's savoury and rich on
the palate with good acidity. Very nutty, and not really my thing, but
interesting nonetheless. Very good (£9.01 Bibendum) 11/01
Domaine Capouillères 2000 Côtes du Ventoux (Caves les Roches
Blanches)
A co-op blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Carignan, from
low-ish yields of 46 hl/ha. Deep coloured with an attractive nose of
peppery berry fruit. Medium bodied palate shows a nice minerally
character and a peppery, spicy, savoury palate. A tasty cheapie. Very
good 10/01
Roger Sabon Lirac 'Chapelle de Maillac' 1999
Rather a pale colour, with a nice meaty, smoky nose. Quite a
substantial medium-bodied palate with some nice southern character and a
touch of spiciness. Very good+ (£8.22 A&B Vintners) 11/01
Domaine La Rocalière Lirac Cuvée Prestige 1998
This quality-minded Lirac producer bottles two prestige cuvées, one
a varietal Syrah and this, a varietal Mourvèdre. But they are not
allowed to indicate this on the label because of the appellation rules.
A rich purple/black colour, this is a youthful, chunky wine with firm
tannins and high acidity. Hiding in among all that structure, there are
some herbal, leathery and undergrowth notes. Quite hard and unyielding
now, I suspect this will be a delight in three to five years time: I'm
holding my other bottle for a while in this hope. (£8.50 La Vigneronne)
08/01
Rabasse-Charavin Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne Cuvée
d'Estevenas 1998
The name is a bit of a mouthful, but this is a breathtaking
expression of Grenache from ancient vines and low yields. I was blown
away by the full-on, attractive, fragrant and peppery nose. This leads
to a palate displaying concentrated, ripe spicy fruit with a touch of
sweetness to it. Very good/excellent (£10.67 A&B Vintners) 11/01
Moulin de la Gardette Gigondas Cuvée Ventabren 1997
Lovely slightly stinky, meaty nose, along with some peppery Grenache
notes: expressive but not 'modernized'. There's some structure on the
palate, with spicy tannins. It's quite austere, but with good
concentration. A first-rate Gigondas. Very good+ (£13.60 A&B
Vintners) 11/01
Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas 1999
Sweet liquoricey fruit meshes with some complex heral notes on the
nose. Quite a lush, modern style. Palate is dense and rich but with some
substantial tannic structure. Finishes dry. A serious effort but a
little stern at the moment, though. Very good/excellent (£10.67 A&B
Vintners) 11/01
Font de Michelle Châteauneuf du Pape 1999
Sweet herbal nose with some jammy fruit and a caramel and medicine
edge. Dense palate is quite typical of Châteauneuf, with spicy tannins
on the finish. Interesting stuff, and not in the oaky modern style.
Interesting and very enjoyable. Very good+ (£12.63 A&B Vintners)
11/01
Domaine de la Charbonnière Cuvée Mourre des Perdrix Châteauneuf
du Pape 1999
Relatively muted slightly spicy nose. Quite a dense, rich style but
with dry, dusty tannins. Relatively closed at the moment; some new wood
here? Very good (£13.60 A&B Vintners) 11/01
Bosquet des Papes Cuvée Classique Châteauneuf du Pape 1999
Attractive nose with complex herby and spice elements, and a touch
of liquorice. Very enticing and classy. Savoury palate with dense,
spicy, peppery fruit. A very good example of Châteauneuf du Pape, and
potentially ageworthy. Very good/excellent (£13.12 A&B Vintners)
11/01
Les Grandes Serres Châteuneuf-du-Pape 1999, Rhône
Very fruity for a Châteauneuf with some spicy southern character on
the palate. Medium bodied. [Irrespective of the quality of the wine, I
suspect this will sell because of the name and the price.] Good/very
good (£8.49 Majestic) 10/01
Domaine des Chenes Blancs Gigondas 1999, Rhône
80% Grenache, 20% Syrah; unfiltered. Some real interest here.
There's a liquoricey, spicy edge to the ripe fruit on the nose. The
palate has a herby edge to it with some rubbery, spicy, Grenache-like
character. Good value. (£8.99 Majestic) 10/01
Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Ventoux Les Trois Mas 1999, Rhône
A savoury red wine with good balance and a reasonably firm palate.
Good/very good (£4.99 Majestic) 10/01
Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône 'Mule Noire' 199, Rhône
A chunky, savoury Côtes du Rhône with good balance, but pretty
unremarkable stuff. (£5.99 Majestic) 10/01
Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteuneuf du Pape Blanc 2000, Rhône
Subtly fruity nose shows floral and lemony notes. Soft, ripe palate with
low acidity and a gentle texture, but missing definition in the
midpalate? I'm not keen. Good/very good (£8.99 Majestic) 10/01
Guigal Châteauneuf du Pape 1997, Southern Rhône
I was pleasantly surprised by this negociant wine, which I wasn’t
expecting to be very good. A deep red colour with a brick red rim, there
are some pungent herbal notes to the nose. The palate is full and
savoury, with a rich, meaty character. Drinking beautifully now. (Sainsbury
£15.99) 05/01
Domaine des Espiers Côtes du Rhône 1998
There's a big smoky, burnt-toast kick on the nose, which is followed
up on the structured palate by a savoury herbiness with some pronounced
peppery notes. There's plenty of tannin, good acidity and a dry finish.
Because of the almost austere savoury character, this is best with food,
but it has plenty of character. Very good+ (La Vigneronne £5.95) 08/01
Domaine St Etienne Côtes du Rhône Villages 'Les Molières' 1999
Michel Coullomb
Nicely packaged, this is a tasty mid-weight Côtes du Rhône made in
a modern style. It's ripe, rich, licqouricey and has a silky texture,
with supple tannins and good concentration. There are no rough edges,
and although it's drinking well now I wouldn't be surprised if this
continued to develop with a couple more years in bottle. Very good+
(World Marechal) 05/01
Domaine La Roquette Châteauneuf du Pape 1996
This is the sister wine to Vieux Telegraphe, from what turned out to
be a tricky vintage in the southern Rhône. However, this is still a
very attractive wine, probably drinking somewhere near its peak. The
nose shows pronounced peppery notes which are complemented by some
herbal complexity. The palate shows moderate concentration, but with
good balance and tasty peppery/herby fruit. It's no blockbuster, but is
a satisfying, Grenache-dominated wine that makes a nice food match. Very
good+ (World Marechal, £9.49) 02/01
Guigal Côtes du Rhône 1998
Quite dark coloured for a Southern Rhône, this has an attractive smoky,
herby nose and nicely balanced palate showing smoky/earthy fruit with
some tannin and a pleasant minerality. It's not a dense wine, but should
drink nicely over the next few years. Worth buying if you can find it at
the right price (around a fiver); often this is overpriced. Very good
03/01
Domaine des Espiers Sablet 1999 Côtes du Rhône Villages
I've enjoyed everything I've tried from this Southern Rhône producer. A
concentrated red/purple colour, this is a gorgeously rich-textured Côtes
du Rhône Villages that is really punching above its weight, with soft
olive and herb flavoured fruit and a sweet spiciness. There's enough
tannin to give some structure. Delicious stuff for current drinking.
Very good+/excellent (£6.50 La Vigneronne) 1/01
Château de Beaucastel 1991, Châteauneuf du Pape
Beaucastel is one of the great wines of the appellation, but from time
to time these wines have suffered from Brettanomyces (a spoilage yeast)
infection. At low levels ‘brett’ (as it is known in the trade) can
add complexity, but when it is more prevalent it’s considered to be a
wine fault. And if you want an example of bretty Beaucastel, this is the
one to pick, the 1991. It shows an animal-poop-like, spicy nose that is
actually quite attractive. On the palate the brett really shows, with
cheesy, meaty, poopy flavours and a metallic finish. It is intensely
savoury, and somewhat perversely, I quite like it. But there’s no
doubt that this is a flawed wine. 1/01
Domaine La Rocalière Lirac Cuvée Prestige 1998
This large domaine makes two special Cuvées (in addition to their
regular cuvée which is stocked by Majestic): one is a varietal Syrah,
and this one is a varietal Mourvédre. It is impressive stuff for the
price (I've previously enjoyed the 1995, which was superb). Deep
red/black colour with an arresting nose of meaty fruit. Firm, tannic
palate with some peppery fruit and chunky, full-on flavours. Nicely
balanced. Impressive wine with nice ageing potential. Very
good/excellent (£8.95 La Vigneronne) 11/00
Domaine de Villeneuve Châteauneuf du Pape 1997, France
A biodynamic wine from a slightly difficult vintage in Châteaneuf.
It has a bright herby nose and earthy, herby, spicy fruit on the palate.
Good concentration and structure; quite typical of the region without
being top drawer. Good+ (Adnams £14.95) 11/00
Coteaux du Tricastin 1998, Delas Freres
A real bargain here: soft, sweetly fruited, slightly spicy red wine,
that I suspect is Grenache-dominated. Gentle and soft with medium
concentration. Much better than most plonk. (around £4, Worldmarechal)
10/00
Guigal Côtes du Rhône 1998
Medium-bodied wine with pleasant peppery, cherry and herby fruit -- good
concentration and more character than you'd usually expect from a lowly
Côtes du Rhône. At the price I paid (£4), it’s a useful glugger
with a touch of class, but at the normal UK retail of £7, there are
more worthy alternatives. I guess you are paying for that name.
(10/00)
Domaine d'Andézon Côtes du Rhône 1999, Vieilles Vignes
Deep red/purple colour, medium concentration.. Initially quite muted on
the nose, with a stony edge. This shows good balance, with an earthy,
slightly meaty character, cherry and raspberry fruit and firm tannins.
Better than most Côtes du Rhône. Good/very good (Oddbins £5.79) 10/00
Domaine de Piaugier Sablet 1998 Côtes du Rhône Villages
An old fashioned, sturdy red wine with real potential for
evolution, even though it is a bit severe at the moment. Medium bodied,
with sweet, herby fruit and pronounced peppery character. Spicy, firm
tannins underlying the fruit. Authentic and balanced. Very good. (£5.99
Majestic) 8/00
Château de St Cosme Gigondas 1997, Earl Barruol
Slightly bretty wine with meaty, earthy notes combined with farmyard,
cheesy notes. Overall it is an attractive, rustic Gigondas. OK/good.
7/00
Domaine du Cayron 1998 Gigondas
A very nice, traditional styled Gigondas from the excellent 1998
vintage. Deep red/purple colour with a nose of liquorice and rubber. It
is peppery and herbal on the palate, full bodied and with cloaked
tannins. Complex and rich, this is a great example of this appellation.
Very good +. 8/00
Clos Petite Bellane 1999 Côtes du Rhône
A blend of 50% Roussane and 50% Viognier. It's an inexpensive,
attractive perfumed white, with some class. Floral, honeyed, peachy,
spicy nose. On the palate it is full and spicy with a touch of
bitterness on the finish. Lovely, but perhaps a little bit
technological. Very good (£5.49 Oddbins) 8/00
Domaine de la Soumade, Rasteau
1995, Côtes du Rhône Villages, André Roméro
Deep red/purple colour. Lively, smoky, herby nose. Full and savoury on
the palate with red fruits, a touch of farmyardy complexity and
substantial structure from both the acid and the tannins. Good
concentration and quite a bit of complexity. This is an old-fashioned,
deep, earthy wine of real class. Very good + (Berry Bros £7.85) 5/00
Domaine de la Grande Bellane
Valreas 1997, Cotes du Rhone Villages, France
A bright purple colour. Full herby, peppery nose with meaty,
smoky fruit on the palate. Dry, tannic finish with a hint of bitter red
fruit. Overall, this is a deep, exotic and sophisticated wine, but the
moderately high acidity means that for it to be enjoyed at its best it
needs to be paired with food. A good value offering far more than most
wines from the Southern Rhone at this price. (£5.99 Fullers, Tesco; £6.49
Sainsburys) 8/99
Domaine La Rocalière 1995, Lirac,
Cuvée Prestige
Lirac is a generally undistinguished Southern French
appelation on the west bank of the Rhône. It has similar soils to Châteauneuf
du Pape, with large galet stones common in the vineyards. However,
despite the generally low reputation of the appelation, this wine is a
real stunner. The Domaine makes two cuvées, one a Syrah varietal, and
this one entirely from Mourvedre. It is deep reddish brown, with a
beguiling nose of meat, leather, smoke and herbs. Beautifully aromatic.
Moderately tannic, but with a soft texture. Really approachable, with
real complexity and interest: there are even some mineral-like notes.
Excellent and highly recommended. (£8.49, La Vigneronne) 1/00
Les Oliviers Châteauneuf du Pape
1998, Caves Saint Pierre
This negociant wine is very disappointing. Ridiculously
overpriced for a poor and perhaps faulty wine. On the nose there are
herbs and caramel-like funky notes, possibly from bad wood or poor
winemaking. The palate has good intensity and firm tannins, but again is
spoiled by these rather odd caramel-like flavours. Tasted blind I had
real trouble spotting the origin of this wine: I started off in Portugal
and ended up in Italy, before going to the South of France. This wine
was so poor I ended up freezing most of it to cook with at a later date.
(£9.99 Bottoms Up) 1/00
Domaine de la Grande Bellane
Valreas 1998, Cotes du Rhône Villages
Medium bodied with a youthful red/black colour. This has
an extremely peppery nose with a touch of smoky bacon and some herby
elements. On the palate the wine is bright and peppery, with good
acidity. Quite different in character to the excellent 1997, but still
pretty good stuff. (£5.99 Fuller's, also Tesco and Sainsbury) 11/99
Domaine de la Grande Bellane
Valreas 1998, Côtes du Rhône Villages
Deep purple-black, this is a tasty
medium-bodied wine displaying a beguiling, meaty mix of dark fruits,
black pepper and herbal notes. There is good acidity some tannin. This
is a lovely, savoury wine with some potential to improve: it has already
improved since the last time I tried it six months ago. Very good. (£6.49,
widely available) 7/00
Domaine de Beaujeau 1999, Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône,
France
From young Merlot and old Carignan vines, vinified at Mas de
Gourgonnier. It's a firm, tannic red with bright fruit and good
ripeness. Good (Adnams £5.75) 11/00
Vidal Fleury Domaine Le Pigeonnier 1999 Côtes du Rhône
This single estate Côtes du Rhône is an impressive, chunky wine for a
bargain price. A concentrated purple/black colour, it has a smoky,
peppery nose, followed up on the palate by a robust tannic palate with
some meaty, raspberry-tinged fruit and firm acidity. Very good+ (£4.99
Majestic) 12/00
Terrasses d'Eole Viognier 1999, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse,
France
From vineyards around Mont Ventoux in the South of France, this
displays a modern, lifted, honeyed nose. It's full textured on the
palate, but lacks a bit of the typical peachy Viognier character. Nice,
clean wine; good, but not in the top tier. (£6.50 Adnams) 11/00
Domaine de Piaugier Sablet "Tenebi"
1997, AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages
This wine is unusual in that it is a varietal made from Counoise, one of
the component grapes of Châteauneuf du Pape. It is quite pale in colour,
but not lacking in concentration, and yields warm, complex, southern
flavours of herby fruit with notes of pepper, cherries and tea.
Underneath the fruit there are dry, dusty tannins lurking, which should
provide the structure for some ageing. Very good. (£8.50 La Vigneronne)
6/00
Delas Frères Côtes du Ventoux 1999
Attractive but light peppery southern red with nice balance and moderate
concentration. A great house red for the price. Good+ (About £4, World
Marechal) 11/00
L'Image du Sud 1998, Féraud et Brunel
An unusual wine: most of the grapes come from the Châteauneuf du Pape
appellation, but with the addition of some Cabernet, Syrah and Tannat,
it has to be classified as a Vin du Table. Light coloured, with some
herby, earthy complexity, it's very reminiscent of a Châteauneuf.
Overall, though, this is not compelling enough to justify the price tag.
(£12.99 Majestic) 10/00
La Vieille Ferme Rouge 1998, Côtes du Ventoux
A branded wine from the Perrins of Beaucastel fame, this is light red
wine with up front cherry fruit and some structure: a little bit dull.
Good. (£4.99 Majestic) 10/00
Côtes du Rhône, Domaine le Pigeonnier 1999
Red/purple, with good colour and intensity. Attractive, bright fruit on
the palate. Good (£4.99 Majestic) 10/00
Lirac les Esperelles 1998, Château d'Aquéria
Deep red/purple colour and with some interest on the nose. On the palate
there is bright fruit, firm tannins and a nice, herby/medicinal edge.
Good/very good (£6.49 Majestic) 10/00
Châteauneuf du Pape 1998, Domaine Lucien Barrot
A rich, ripe, exotically flavoured Châteauneuf, with medium
concentration. Attractive stuff. Very good (£10.99 Majestic) 10/00
|