LATE-JUNE 2012

ENTERED RECENTLY: two recently started Domaines - CHÂTEAU JULIETTE at LAUDUN and DOMAINE MELODY at CROZES-HERMITAGE. Both involve young, switched-on and motivated young couples, with promise shown at both estates. A Review of the leading 2010 WHITE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPES has been posted - go to 2010 SOUTHERN RHÔNE and click on the sub tab THE LEADING WINES.

From what I term the more peripheral Appellations, take a look at the following wines recently tasted: COSTIÈRES DE NIMES: CHÂTEAU MOURGUES DU GRES TERRE D`ARGENCE RED, CH D`OR ET DE GUEULES LA BOLIDA, always a star turn, CH DE LA TUILERIE EOLE ROUGE, the fruity wines of CHÂTEAU BEAUBOIS and the VIEILLES VIGNES RED of CHÂTEAU DE NAGES. From VENTOUX: the ARCHANGE RED of DOMAINE DES ANGES, the wines of British-owned CHÂTEAU UNANG, and CHÂTEAU LA CROIX DES PINS. All are sound, and leaders in their appellations.

mid-June 2012

ENTERED RECENTLY: visits to some Northern domaines, notably at CÔTE-RÔTIE, DOMAINE BARGE, including a tasting of their 2011s, DOMAINE BERNARD, also including a look at their 2011s, and JEAN-MICHEL STÉPHAN, who lost 55% of his crop and could only make one wine, but what a saintly wine, in 2010; also at CONDRIEU, DOMAINE ANDRÉ PERRET with his accomplished Condrieu and Saint-Josephs, at CORNAS, MATTHIEU BARRET of DOMAINE DU COULET, and at SAINT-JOSEPH, the reliable DOMAINE VALLET.