MID-AUGUST 2012

ENTERED RECENTLY: a thorough inspection of RASTEAU now that it is a full cru appellation wine, the 2009s and 2010s tasted across the board. Apart from the usual leading names wines being entered - RABASSE CHARAVIN, GOURT DE MAUTENS, COTEAUX DES TRAVERS, BEAURENARD etc - domaines newly listed include GIRASOLS, whose wines are traditionally deep, along with the accomplished, more modeern wines of DIDIER CHARAVIN, and full-hearted estates such as WILFRIED and NYMPHES. A promising name to to note is the DOMAINE CHAMFORT, based at SABLET. The young Portuguese VASCO PERDIGAO acquired this in late 2010, and I have been impressed by his first wines. Vai pra frente, rapaz! With its clay soils, RASTEAUperformed well in the high heat of late summer 2009, and the vintage stands up well alongside 2010.

The first 2011 CÔTES DU RHÔNE notes from the SOUTHERN RHÔNE have been entered, featuring the WHITES of that vintage. Once logged in, click on 2011 SOUTHERN RHÔNE and click on the subtag THE LEADING WINES.

IN THE NORTHERN RHÔNE, a whizz through the GUIGAL vintages of MOULINE, TURQUE and LANDONNE from 1998 until 2010, bar the 2008s, which were being prepared for bottling when I last visited.