The Prof. comes to dinner

C

Cliff

Cliff Rosenberg
After a fascinating visit to Charvin, Jonathan and Gayle came to our place for an impromptu dinner on Monday. It was great to see Jonathan and meet Gayle, engage in a spirited discussion of the metaphysical status of aesthetic judgment (look out VLM!) -- Jonathan's trying to convince me I truly am a deconstructionist --, the joys of our forlorn corner of northern Provence, and enjoy some of my favorite producers. We had a whole slew of wines that should be right up everyone's street. Given the number of wines, the notes are more than usually misleading and inaccurate.

2004 Chteau des Tours Ctes du Rhne Blanc - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne

Beautiful and fresh. Not a crime to drink now, but it has room to grow. The 2004 vin de pays is still going strong.
2004 Domaine le Sang des Cailloux Vacqueyras Cuve Lopy - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Vacqueyras

Opening up a bit. Still very structured. Deep, dark fruits, leather, and earth. It does show a weird, slightly lactic note.
2007 Domaine du Gour de Chaul Gigondas Cuve Tradition - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Gigondas

It's a big wine, sure, but it had a nice sense of proportion, rustic earth with meat and leather -- what I look for in Gigondas.
1998 Chteau des Tours Ctes du Rhne - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne

Showing very well, in a red-fruited vein. It has broadened out quite a bit. No rush.
2004 Domaine du Trapadis Ctes du Rhne Villages Rasteau Les Adrs - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne Villages Rasteau

Same as the last bottle. Terrific potential. Serious meat and leather. There is great tension between rusticity and refinement. But it needs time or lots of air. I like this as much as any Chateauneuf I can afford. Thanks to Eric for the initial tip.
 
Thanks, Cliff - pleasant to contemplate the visit. I've been shunning the S. Rhone in recent years, but your interest gives me pause to reconsider.
 
It is especially nice to visit this time of year when the weather is appropriate for the red wines. Though it would be even nicer if we had heat.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Thanks, Cliff - pleasant to contemplate the visit. I've been shunning the S. Rhone in recent years, but your interest gives me pause to reconsider.
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Of S. Rhone - Moulin de la Gardette (Ventabren), Gigondas is my fave...light enough on the wallet, but full of meaty tone and fruit. For $30, it's an easy decade lay down. Final btl of '98 lined up for NYr's...to be paired with roast beef, rosemary, pots, pumps, mushrooms....
 
My best gustatory compliment at our wedding fest, was from a friend who "know"s his WA. wines": "Tastes like dirt", he said...As elusive as a compliment that could be, and was not meant so, I assure you..he sort of nailed it. (but did forget the grapes tho.) Now that's terroir, to me.
 
2009 Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Ctes du Rhne Villages Cairanne Blanc Rserve des Seigneurs - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne Villages Cairanne (12/29/2010)

Pale color with nice, high-tone acidity, it fleshed out with air. One of the most interesting whites in the area.

2009 Domaine Richaud Ctes du Rhne Villages Cairanne - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne Villages Cairanne (12/29/2010)

Big, dark, and rich. Very hard to get a handle on this right now.

2006 Domaine Raspail-Ay Gigondas - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Gigondas (12/26/2010)

Showing nicely. Medium weight, everything in place. I like this much more than 2007 at this point.

2006 Chteau des Tours Ctes du Rhne - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne (12/24/2010)

Really young, really good, but too powerful for me at this stage; it was almost painful. Hands off, and keep them off.

2007 Domaine Raspail-Ay Gigondas - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Gigondas (12/23/2010)

Just too much - 15% and it shows.

2008 Domaine Richaud Ctes du Rhne Villages Cairanne - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne Villages Cairanne (12/22/2010)

Showing well, with more structure than I recall.

2008 Domaine Richaud Ctes du Rhne Villages Cairanne Blanc - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne Villages Cairanne (12/22/2010)

Dominated by C02 spritz. Seems nice and fresh - was expecting more weight.

And, at a terrific Moroccan restaurant in the 11me, on the way home:
2005 Jean Foillard Morgon Cte du Py Cuve 3.14 - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (12/30/2010)

Surprisingly accessible. Dark ruby, intoxicating deep cherry liqueur. Great with the duck tangine.
 
Thanks; the 06-07 Raspail-Ay comparison is interesting, considering the massive 07 hype for S. Rhone.

Any notion where the abv is on the 3.14?
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Thanks; the 06-07 Raspail-Ay comparison is interesting, considering the massive 07 hype for S. Rhone.
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Right now, the 06 and 08 -- and, I'd wager, the 04, though I didn't touch any this time b/c of dwindling supply -- are vastly better options than the 07. When I had the 07 six months ago, I thought it had plenty of promise but was hard to read. Not hard to read now.

originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Any notion where the abv is on the 3.14?
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13%
 
Since I'm not on the internet when I'm in France, I just found this thread. First, Gail and I would like to thank Cliff and Kim for a lovely evening. It was a little too lovely. He kindly forgot to say that they had to put us up for the night when we both suddenly lost our ability to walk.

Various random comments:

The 04 Chateau des Tours blanc was a revelation to me. A wonderful white that shows that cheap Rhone whites age too--though I should have known this.

I am more of a fan of 07 than either Cliff or Laurent Charvin. I am absolutely fine with the 07 Raspail-Ay,and though I will happily drink the 06 any day, I would drink the 07 the day after.

I had the 09 Richaud Cairanne later in the week. I don't know why you think it's hard to get a handle on. It's a young Richaud, big and bubbly right off the bat. It will get some more refined with a year or two but I love Richaud for brightness and forwardness and the 09 had it. This is why I also don't get why they make the Ebrascaud at all. I also had a very nice 07 Cairanne made by Trapadis. Still too young, but definitely Trapadis in Cairanne. I didn't know they made one before this.

With regard to Moulin de la Gardette, I like the Ventebrun too, but I feel ashamed of myself for doing so. It's one of those Gigondas oaked cuvees. Still, the 07 was one of the only ones I've had that had structure over the fruit and really demanded some aging.

By the way, if any of you ever visit Charvin, make sure to take Cliff with you. He's even more able to get Laurent going than I am and Laurent is fascinating when he gets going.
 
Yes, those southern Rhnes do have a way of sneaking up on us, and ambulation is over-rated.

So glad you liked the Chteau des Tours. Even their white vin de pays gets better with a few years.

I enjoyed some 2007's when I tried them last spring. They had a dense profile and seemed to be holding something in reserve. But on this recent trip the alcohols were truly troubling on most, even some of my favorites. Maybe I'm being imprecise about the Richaud Cairanne. I'm confident it will show well in a few months, but not now. I didn't find it as bubbly and fruity as usual at this stage. Your comparison to Beaujolais makes a lot of sense to me in general, but not on this version at the moment.

The visit with Charvin really was terrific. In addition to making great wine -- no doubt, in order to make it -- he is extremely thoughtful and was very generous with his time.

Edited to add: I've never seen Cairanne at Trapadis, or, if I have, I don't recall. I wonder if it's new?
 
originally posted by Cliff:
Y
I enjoyed some 2007's when I tried them last spring. They had a dense profile and seemed to be holding something in reserve. But on this recent trip the alcohols were truly troubling on most, even some of my favorites. Maybe I'm being imprecise about the Richaud Cairanne. I'm confident it will show well in a few months, but not now. I didn't find it as bubbly and fruity as usual at this stage. Your comparison to Beaujolais makes a lot of sense to me in general, but not on this version at the moment.
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Hmn. I have compared Richaud to Beaujolais in the past, though not I thought in print and not in the above quote. Did I say something at dinner or was this just an inspired interpretation of the post above? Or do you read minds?
 
You mentioned it earlier in the day -- no extrapolation from what you've written here or mind-reading involved.
 
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