WTN: Éric Texier

Here are some samples sent to the importer I work for. I really, really hope he starts importing them, because these were wines very much to my taste. Themes common to all the wines: purity of fruit and style, lively, light on their feet, natural seeming. I have loved much and drunk lots of Texier's Côtes-du-Rhône Brézème 2004 so I was very happy to be able to taste some of his other wines and also happy that the others were so brilliant!

• 2006 Éric Texier Roussanne Côtes du Rhône-Brézème - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône-Brézème (1/23/2008)
  The nose is quite wonderful with a strong mineral presence and a floral, herbal but sweetly fruity nose. The palate is rich but dry, powerful even but light on its feet. Wonderfully mineral. Very nice!
• 2006 Éric Texier Mâcon - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon (1/23/2008)
  The nose is a touch oaky, but otherwise pleasant and limpid Chardonnay. The palate is a totally different beast: high acid, perhaps even tart, mineral, rather tannic even. The nose is decent, but not terribly exciting; the palate is the most arresting Chardonnay I've tasted since S. Tissot's "Les Gravières"! I find it rare to find the palate more interesting than the nose.
• 2006 Éric Texier Mâcon-Bussières Très Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Bussières (1/23/2008)
  A bright and citrussy, deep nose of pure Chardonnay and gladly not destroyed by oak. Rich, concentrated yet refreshing palate. I wish more white Burgundy would go for this style. Very nice!
• 2005 Éric Texier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1/23/2008)
  A very personal and unique nose, almost reminiscent of the modern styled Jura whites! Pure and mineral yet rich and even honeyed. But there is a curious (but very pleasant) almost flor-like note on it. Long and mineral aftertaste which is refreshing and mineral (and that is in my experience an amazing thing for a white CdP). I enjoyed this very much.
• 2005 Éric Texier Côtes du Rhône - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (1/23/2008)
  Red toned, earthy and vibrant. Despite much fruit and strong tannins and refreshing acidity, the wine is light yet intense. Very nice.
• 2005 Éric Texier Côtes du Rhône Villages Chusclan - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Chusclan (1/23/2008)
  A dark toned and plummy nose, perhaps with a slight touch of honey and sucrosity. It is nice that the palate has a great concentration of fruit yet is so light on its feet. Aromatically it is very S. Rhône, yet I am happy to say that it has more refreshing tannins and acidity than I tend to find in the area. Very enjoyable.
• 2005 Éric Texier Côtes du Rhône Villages St. Gervais - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages St. Gervais (1/23/2008)
  A more red toned nose that the Chusclan, with a charming spiciness and savouryness. A brighter wine on the palate also than the Chusclan with a more red oriented and acidic style, but still with upright tannins. It doesn't seem so ripe and dark as the Chusclan. Ripe but again light on its feet. Very enjoyable.
• 2005 Éric Texier St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes La Croix - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (1/23/2008)
  This was a bit lactic at first but opened up to be a rather dark toned but still elegant style of Syrah with nice floral, tobacco and rock hints. Full bodied and dark and fruity, dry and tannic - quite impressive but needs red meat and/or age. Very lively and very nice.
• 2005 Éric Texier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1/23/2008)
  I rarely seem to enjoy CdP, but this was one that really worked for me. The scent is open and sweet, but has such a wonderful bright red layer over the darker undertones, that is very savoury and a bit like acacia. It is full bodied, sweetly fruity, very but not over-ripe, and refreshingly tannic. Once again, despite the concentration of fruit, this is light on its feet. Very good.

Posted from CellarTracker

Otto..I've only had the Texier wines three times...they are hard to find here too...but I have really enjoyed them. I remember taking a bottle of the 2000 Cotes-du-Rhone St. Gervais to one of our hosts' house for dinner (that would be Ms. Jenise) some years back and she paired it with the salad course. It would not have been my choce, but Jenise was spot on with the match. Some of the tartness of the wine linked to the dressing on the salad created a whole bigger than the parts.

My exerience with the 2000 CdP VV mirrors yours. I loved it.

Otto

Thanks for the notes. After my delightful experience with the cellared 00 VV Brezeme, I'm going to be back onto Texier's wines, especially the obscure Villages like Chusclan and St.-Gervais. I remember enjoying the 00 CHusclan very much - I believe it was 50% Syrah?

Tony

Here are some samples sent to the importer I work for.

What's this, Otto? Have you got yourself a new job?
Cheers, Anders

What's this, Otto? Have you got yourself a new job?

Yup. I'm still at the bookshop, too, so it's now six days of work a week and no energy to do studies. And not much energy to drink wines either.

-O

[
Yup. I'm still at the bookshop, too, so it's now six days of work a week and no energy to do studies. And not much energy to drink wines either.
-O

Still, it sounds like it could be worse. After all you are working with wine!
Good luck!
Anders