Domaine du Pre Pape La Crau de Ma Mre 1998 Chteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhne) Dirty meat, sticky and supple, but with still-intrusive structure. Someones rammed peppercorns into well-ridden saddle, as well, and maybe there are a few wads of that grenachy bubblegum stuck between the leather than the horse. Ready? No, not precisely, though I dont know its going to get betternote, however, that this is from a very cold cellar; normally-matured bottles may show more advancement. (8/09)
Clos du Paradis Domaine Viret 1999 Ctes-du-Rhne-Villages Saint-Maurice Renaissance (Rhne) Fading into a wet stew of stale leather, meat artifacts, and overdried herbs. With very occasional exceptions, the reds from this house and vintage (I bought each bottling) have not survived as long as Id predicted while tasting them on site and at release. Young vines? Cosmoculture? Terroir? Over-optimism? Theres no way to know without comparing more recent releases, which for the most part I havent. (8/09)
Cuilleron 2001 Roussillire (Rhne) From 500 ml and partially-fermented grapes. The problem with Cuillerons wines is that theyre overwhelmingly goopy, structure-free, and far too soup-like for their own good. Heres a wine that goes ahead and admits its faults by intent, by leaving unfermented sugar in the wine. The result is far more pleasant than Cuillerons allegedly dry wines, and I think the sweetly floral nature of the raw material is ideally-suited for the dessert category. (9/09)
Mme. Rolland Mas Sainte Berthe 2006 Les Baux de Provence Passe-Rose (Provence) Potpourri (as stenchy as it is pretty), tangerine, greengage plum. Burns more than it pleases. The more Provenal ros I have, the more I wish I was drinking pink from elsewhere. The alcohol is just too much, too often. (9/09)
Cornut Chteau Guiot 2008 Costires de Nmes (Rhne) Purple fruit and black pepper. Lacks direction, or much of a point, other than the basic fact of it. Thats not really a criticism as much as an expression of general indifference. (8/09)
Ogier 1998 Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodanniennes Syrah La Rosine (Rhne) Id call this ready, and in a showy, very approachable state of said readiness. Sweet fruit turned into that marvelous mix of animal, vegetable, and mineral that characterizes older syrah, with some pepper and earth complexity and a very pleasant, medium-length finish. Intro to Aged Rhne 101, lesson one. (8/09)
Pont de lIsre Domaine Combier 2000 Crozes-Hermitage (Rhne) While the aromatic elements of earth, animal, herb, and smoke are in evidence, the wine itself is watery and wan. About 50% of a nicely-matured Crozes. (9/09)
Costires & Soleil Slection Laurence Fraud 2007 Sguret (Rhne) As Ive worked my way though my rapidly-decaying stash of the 2005 version of this wine, this bottle has only served to confirm my conviction that this is a label for immediate consumption. I dont personally think that Sguret should decline as quickly as this one does, but the evidence is clear: drink it when you buy it, and not later. Smooth, succulent Southern Rhnishness, full of garrigue and musky fruit scented with earth and that grenache-y touch of gum. Nice. Did I mention to hurry up and drink it? (9/09)
Costires & Soleil Slectionne par Laurence Fraud 2005 Plan Pgau (Rhne) A hyped wine that has never really done a whole lot for me aside from my first taste. Its flavorsome and full, but its also boring and more than a little disjointed, with soil and herb here, tobacco and tar there, and no real middle in which to meet. (10/09)
Clos du Paradis Domaine Viret 1999 Ctes-du-Rhne-Villages Saint-Maurice Renaissance (Rhne) Fading into a wet stew of stale leather, meat artifacts, and overdried herbs. With very occasional exceptions, the reds from this house and vintage (I bought each bottling) have not survived as long as Id predicted while tasting them on site and at release. Young vines? Cosmoculture? Terroir? Over-optimism? Theres no way to know without comparing more recent releases, which for the most part I havent. (8/09)
Cuilleron 2001 Roussillire (Rhne) From 500 ml and partially-fermented grapes. The problem with Cuillerons wines is that theyre overwhelmingly goopy, structure-free, and far too soup-like for their own good. Heres a wine that goes ahead and admits its faults by intent, by leaving unfermented sugar in the wine. The result is far more pleasant than Cuillerons allegedly dry wines, and I think the sweetly floral nature of the raw material is ideally-suited for the dessert category. (9/09)
Mme. Rolland Mas Sainte Berthe 2006 Les Baux de Provence Passe-Rose (Provence) Potpourri (as stenchy as it is pretty), tangerine, greengage plum. Burns more than it pleases. The more Provenal ros I have, the more I wish I was drinking pink from elsewhere. The alcohol is just too much, too often. (9/09)
Cornut Chteau Guiot 2008 Costires de Nmes (Rhne) Purple fruit and black pepper. Lacks direction, or much of a point, other than the basic fact of it. Thats not really a criticism as much as an expression of general indifference. (8/09)
Ogier 1998 Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodanniennes Syrah La Rosine (Rhne) Id call this ready, and in a showy, very approachable state of said readiness. Sweet fruit turned into that marvelous mix of animal, vegetable, and mineral that characterizes older syrah, with some pepper and earth complexity and a very pleasant, medium-length finish. Intro to Aged Rhne 101, lesson one. (8/09)
Pont de lIsre Domaine Combier 2000 Crozes-Hermitage (Rhne) While the aromatic elements of earth, animal, herb, and smoke are in evidence, the wine itself is watery and wan. About 50% of a nicely-matured Crozes. (9/09)
Costires & Soleil Slection Laurence Fraud 2007 Sguret (Rhne) As Ive worked my way though my rapidly-decaying stash of the 2005 version of this wine, this bottle has only served to confirm my conviction that this is a label for immediate consumption. I dont personally think that Sguret should decline as quickly as this one does, but the evidence is clear: drink it when you buy it, and not later. Smooth, succulent Southern Rhnishness, full of garrigue and musky fruit scented with earth and that grenache-y touch of gum. Nice. Did I mention to hurry up and drink it? (9/09)
Costires & Soleil Slectionne par Laurence Fraud 2005 Plan Pgau (Rhne) A hyped wine that has never really done a whole lot for me aside from my first taste. Its flavorsome and full, but its also boring and more than a little disjointed, with soil and herb here, tobacco and tar there, and no real middle in which to meet. (10/09)