Tag: Rhône Valley

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Wine Reviews

Yann Chave Le Rouvre Crozes Hermitage 2016

This is an excellent expression of Crozes-Hermitage from Jann Chave in the northern Rhône Valley, one of the region’s stronger producers.  It has cedar and spice aromatics.  The palate reminds of syrah with its pepper and spice character.  Some pastille notes express themselves at intervals.  Overall, this is a very good wine that is enjoyable now and can be approached over the next 5 to 8 years. Rating: Very Good. Abv: 12.5. Price: $50s. Website: https://www.yannchave.com/en/our-wine. Reviewed: June 2020.

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Wine Reviews

Tardieu-Laurent Côtes du Rhône Villages Les Becs Fins 2017

This is a heady Côtes du Rhône Villages wine. It opens to spicy and peppery aromatics.  The palate is full bodied and the length on the finish medium. Spices, rosemary and some raisined, but savoury, fruit emerges with time.  Ready to drink now.  Rating: Good. Abv: 14.0.  Price:  $20.  Website:  http://tardieu-laurent.fr/en/la-maison-2/.  Reviewed:  May 2020. 

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Wine Reviews

Coursodon Saint Joseph 2017

This is a very good Saint Joseph syrah from Coursodon and the 2017 vintage. In the glass, there are aromas of baked plums and a distinctive, resonant pepper character. Although ripe, the wine remains medium bodied, finishing with medium to long length and peppery overtones. Ready to drink now and over the next 5 to 8 years. Rating: Very Good. Abv: 14.5%. Website: https://www.domaine-coursodon.com/en/. Reviewed: February 2020.

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Wine Reviews

Cave de Tain Première Note Syrah 2016

Cave de Tain is a Rhône Valley cooperative that is well regarded. This syrah is from the IGP appellation of Collines Rhodaniennes indication géographique protegée, north of Valence. It has a restrained aroma of plums and anise. The palate has good balance and expression of sour red fruits. Ready to drink now, this is a good value syrah. Rating: Good. Abv: 13%. Price: $22. Website: https://www.cavedetain.com/fr/. Reviewed: October 2019.

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Wine Reviews

Clefs des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2015

This is a delicious Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a region whose wines I taste infrequently.  From the 2015 vintage, the Clefs des Papes has aromas of savoury plums, stones and smoke.  The palate has great length and is moreish.  This is a great value CNP that is ready to drink now.  Rating: Very Good. Abv: 14.5%. Price: $50. Website: n/a.

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Wine Reviews

M. Chapoutier Les Incontournables Crozes-Hermitage and Luberon 2016

Here are two sound releases from M. Chapoutier, both from the 2016 vintage.  Luberon sits between the southern Rhône valley and Provence, whilst Crozes-Hermitage is in the northern Rhône and quite different in style.  The 2016 vintage appears sound in the northern Rhône and a great vintage in the southern Rhône.  I find Jancis Robinson’s website useful for vintage reports, although they can be on the tough side.  See here www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/vintages.

Luberon Les Incontournables 2016
This is pretty good for $14.  A grenache blend, it has fruity aromatics and an intensity that could place this wine as from Australia.  There’s sweet fruit, herbs and chocolate by way of aroma.  The palate is full bodied, with good length and a hot finish.  Rating: Good. Abv: 14%. Price: $14. Website: www.chapoutier.com. 

Crozes-Hermitage Les Incontournables 2016
This is quite a lovely Crozes-Hermitage release.  Less deeply coloured than the Luberon, it has fragrant aromatics of perfume, roses, florals and apricot.  The palate is quite primary with some jammy fruit and approachable tannins.   This wine is ready to drink now.  Rating: Good. Abv: 13%. Price: $28. Website: www.chapoutier.com.

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Wine Reviews

Xavier Gérard Saint-Joseph Le Blanchard 2016

This is a deeply coloured syrah wine from Xavier Gérard in Saint-Joseph in the northern Rhône valley.  One sniff however and it is immediately a vin de terroir with its very distinctive aroma of rosemary and spice.  The palate is dry, full bodied and made in a ripe and approachable style with mid weight tannins.  Good length on the finish completes the picture.  Rating: Good to Very Good. Abv: 13.5%. Price: $70. 

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Wine Reviews

M. Chapoutier Les Incontournables Crozes-Hermitage 2014

This is a pretty basic Crozes-Hermitage from Chapoutier. The 2014 vintage has aromatics of syrah spices and earth. The palate is medium bodied. The finish is short and lacks complexity of expression. Current drinking only. Rating: Acceptable. Abv: 13%. Price: $27.

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Wine Reviews

Yves Cuilleron Saint-Joseph Les Pierres Sèches 2014

This is a very tasty Saint Joseph from Yves Cuilleron.  Tasted out of a half bottle, it has red fruited aromas of redcurrant, strawberries, plus and no overt cedar influences.  The palate is medium bodied, sweet fruited, balanced and youthful.  (Region: Saint Joseph, Rhone Valley, France, Rating: Good, Would I buy it based on this tasting? Yes, Drink: now to 2020, Tasted: June 2017)

Read more:
www.cuilleron.com

Other vintages reviewed:
NA

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Wine Reviews

Domaine Roche-Audran Côtes du Rhône 2014

I was impressed by this Côtes du Rhône from Domaine Roche-Audran.  It’s a blend of 70% grenache, 15% syrah and 15% carignan, the vineyard is biodynamic and the vines are between 35 and 100 years old.  In the glass, it’s a step up from the usual CDR.  It has complex aromatics of white pepper, peppercorn, rosemary and plums.  The palate is similar, with chewy, savoury tannins and good length.  The syrah and the carignan, I think, have been used to very good effect in this blend, adding pepper and spice to its grenache core.

Rating: Good to Very Good
Abv: 14%
Price: $28
Source: sample
Vendors and website: http://discovervin.com.au
Tasted: 2016