Cote-Rotie

Tasting Note: 2006 Cuilleron Madiniere Cote Rotie

Opens with smoke, ash, cocoa, and indian curry spice. Barnyard emerges on second pour. Medium bodied frame with high acid. Finishes spicy with fresh red currants and pepper. The tannins are silky, long-ish, but disjointed. The structure becomes more pronounced, well rounded and better integrated with chilling.

Best chilling method: Place bottle outside in evening while in France at a 17th century gite, in the countryside outside of Vienne, uber close to the wine's birthplace, on a slightly drizzly, damp, November 2 French night.

This wine is clearly not ready to drink yet - too young. Give this at least two years of bottle age for it to start expressing itself.

Tasted November 2, 2008.

Condrieu

On November 1, we made our way up to the northern Rhone Valley, home to Syrah and Viognier. This particular picture was taken at our picnic lunch spot while gazing over the windswept vineyards of Condrieu. It was an overcast, brisk day with a persistant bone chilling wind cutting through the hillsides. As we snacked on baguette, fromage, and saucisson, for a brief moment, caught a glimpse of the rugged and and somewhat hostile terroir. Like the surrounding Viognier vines, we huddled together for warmth, desparately seeking any flicker of diffuse sunlight, clinging as close to the hillside as gravity would allow, stuggling for our very existence. (O.K., maybe I'm getting a little carried away here). Nonetheless, we felt the presence Condrieu's soul that day. And it was beautiful.

Tasting Note: 2006 George Vernay Coteau du Vernon Condrieu

Initally, vibrant aromas of fresh honey, baked apple, poached pears. Beautifully custardy nose - creme brulee and carmelized sugar with a hint of spice. On the second pour, the nose drips of liquid mineral, kumquat, and slight honeysuckle. On the third pour, orange zest. The palate is sensual - glycerous and mouthcoating with gorgeous acidity in the background. Lots of acid and spice on the finish. This wine is beautiful, amazingly balanced, with nothing out of place. Sexy, luscious, layered and complex.

Tasted on a chilly November 3rd, 2008.


Tasting Note: 2007 Cuilleron Le Petit Cote Condrieu

Light gold in color. Steely, and fruity with a burnt/toasted woodiness. This is made in a different style than the Vernay. It's tighter and not nearly as luscious or harmonious. It is as the new oak is masking the fruit's personality. Heat and toasted oak on finish. I'd be interested to see if this becomes more integrated with another year in bottle. This would be an excellent intro to a fresh/crisp style Condrieu with a little less new wood.

Tasted on a chilly November 4, 2008.

Hermitage

Tasting Note: 2003 Saint Cosme Chateauneuf du Pape

Jammy, spicy, and warm with spearmint and anis on nose. A subtle woody character similar to freshly fallen cedar logs in a cool, damp forest. Great structure with fine grainy tannin. This wine has aging potential, not quite chewy, a ripe wine that manages to show great finesse. Moderate plus acidity holds wine together. A puckery, dark chocolately finish.

Tasting Note: 2005 Chateau Pesquié Quintessence Ventoux

Deep ruby red. Right out of the bottle - sour pickles. Then animals, like squirrel hide. With some air time, it seems to find its form: cassis, stoney earth, lavender. The underlying animal quality remains present which is nice and adds complexity. Plush mouthfeel, dense, lively acidity - a big wine - has roundness without being sweet or overextracted.

Paired with Pan sautéed Gnocci with Chanterelles.

Tasting Note: Domaine Viret

2004 Domaine Viret Emergence Cotes du Rhone Villages Saint Maurice

Grenache, Carignan, Syrah

Suprisingly fruity, then menthol freshness with rose and raspberry. Animal and manure qualities creep in along with leather. Amazing natural acidity even at 15% alcohol. Grainy tannins leave lasting impression like licking grains of sand. Medium long finish with smoke and old "chalky" milk chocolate - the kind that has been sitting out for a couple of days. Some heat, but somehow balances the overall intensity of this rich and rustic wine.

2005 Domaine Viret Maréotis Cotes du Rhone Villages Saint Maurice

Grenache and Syrah

Deep, dark and purple, and very cloudy. Right out of the bottle - caper juice. Then pencil lead, white stone (marble), and sod. Perfumed with brioche with dried fruits/currants, charred meat. Full bodied, dense, and meaty. Grainy and leathery big tannins. Good acidity throughout. Teeth staining.

Tasting Note: 2006 Domaine de Mourchon Family Reserve Cotes du Rhone Villages Family Séguret

Grenache

165 cases produced

Fruity impression on nose, but not a fruit bomb. Christmas spice and menthol balance it out. Full bodied, soft, non serious tannin, but fine. No detection of 15.5% alcohol. Finish is medium, but nothing to note. Big mouthfeel. New world in style with nice acid to balance fruit and alcohol. A nice change.

Saint Cosme Cellar

The cellars of Saint Cosme have a rich history. In fact, 2nd century Gallo-Roman fermentation vats carved into the stone are perfectly preserved. The property has been owned by the current family since 1490, with 14 generations of vignerons. Concrete and wooden vats, hand stacked barrels are housed within the stone walls of this very traditional cellar. One traditional architectural feature that Rob could have certainly lived without is the 5 foot tall doorways. He just about knocked himself out cold while running through the doorway that leads to vat 1. You would think one would have learned his lesson, but no, it happened again the following week!

Saint Cosme Vineyards

As vintage is approaching the end, the newly fermented wines are warmly resting on their skins. The vineyards have slowly turned from their summer bright green robes to shades of yellow, rust, and amber. In the two pictures on the left are the bulk of the Saint Cosme Estate Gigondas vineyards. They are mainly planted in old vine Grenache, with the oldest parcels dating back to 1902. These vines make up the bulk of St. Cosme's Valbelle, Hominis Fides, and Le Claux wines. In the following picture, Syrah vines line the cool valley heading up to the Dentelles de Montmirail. The final stoney hillside Syrah vineyard is located in St. Maurice, a Cotes du Rhone village located in the next valley to the north. These grapes end up in the Les Deux Albion.