August 2009

Most of the 2007 Northern Rhône vintage report has been completed - see the sidebar 2007 Northern Rhône. Domaines added at Châteauneuf-du-Pape include Juliette Avril, Roger Sabon, Moulin-Tacussel, Lou Fréjau, de l`Harmas, Panisse, Jean Royer, Vieux Lazaret and a handful of fairly recent start-ups - La Ferme du Mont, Bouvachon-Nominé, Le Pointu. At the Massif d`Uchaux, the interesting Château d`Hugues, run by the exotic character Bernard Pradier, is also included, as is Domaine de l`Arnesque at Côtes du Rhône Villages. In the Côtes du Rhône category, the interesting, organic Domaine Rouge-Bleu (USA connections through M.Espinasse`s wife Kristin), the merchant Patrick Lesec, who has many selections across the Rhône, Denis Tardieu - small domaine, also a Paris resident, and Château Saint-Jean, of Christian Meffre (Château Raspail, Gigondas), where good Plan de Dieu is also being made.