Across-The-Appelation

May 2010

look up Veterans Corner for a brace of mature white Rhônes - the subject of my eternal pet hobby, to get the world to appreciate them more. Also check the STGT Cornas 2005 La Geynale from now retired Robert Michel. Further STGT from the biodynamic Saint-Joseph Domaine Monier-Perréol, also.

The first across-the-appellation review has been done on Gigondas 2008, and also Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2008, both red and white. It is a cherry picking vintage, not buy anything that moves, so please read the grower comments as well to get an idea of the sort of challenges faced in its making, and, importantly, its assembly before bottling. Click on the L-H tab 2008 Southern Rhône. 

2008 Northern Rhône features a review of the leading wines at Cornas. where it pays to be selective, and a charming vintage at Condrieu, from the roughly 35 wines tasted so far.

Cherry Picking

May 2010

the first across-the-appellation review has been done on Gigondas 2008, with the Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2008 to follow. It is a cherry picking vintage, not buy anything that moves, so please read the grower comments as well to get an idea of the sort of challenges faced in its making, and, importantly, its assembly before bottling. Click on the L-H tab 2008 Southern Rhône.

Small Companies

May 2010

the Decanter Wine Awards tasting week took place in the last week of April 2010 in London. The Rhône received a broad cross-section of wines, without the cream of the small estates who can sell their wines almost by allocation, so such events pass them by. Some of the smaller appellation 2007s were starting to show the dry textures of that wind-borne year, while the traditional cuvée Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds were in good form, at good prices, too. When tasting at this event, one knows the appellation and the year, but not the producer.

2008s had a dark extract when the grower was careful with the crop, but a bit anxious in the cellar - leanings towards extraction in some. But the best are agreeable, and I continue to suggest them as very good drinking wines, accessible ahead of the big surrounding vintages, at also affordable prices. 2008 remains a very good white vintage as well.

Of the 2009s presented, it was interesting to note that the better performers in the Southern Rhône were the Villages, rather than the straight Côtes du Rhônes. The former will be a very good category from the genuine domaines who know how to make unforced wines: a lot of immediate pleasure awaits with them, the length along the palate often notable.