WTN: One Chenin Blanc, Two Syrahs

Last night we had friends over (and a standard poodle friend for Lucy the hound). Betsy made a lamb and white bean stew served over barley, with a salad with smoked mozzarella and a sundried tomato dressing.

Starter (with crudites with a dip) was the 2006 Thierry Germain "Soliterre" Saumur blanc. Sec-tendre, sweet apple fruit with some wooly Chenin notes and a little tropical edge (Nancy says banana but I don't get that). No apparent oak (which Germain I believe is known for), but a fairly big style. But there is good acidity, and I enjoy this. B

With the stew, 2 Syrahs

2001 Graillot Crozes-Hermitage
I was a little worried at first- clean cork with little staining, but there seemed some stewed notes- I know my cellaring was ok, but what if it saw heat in transit before I got? But a little breathing time did it a world of good- the stewed notes seemed to fade, leaving solid dark fruit topped with meaty and earthy aromas. Continues to changes with air, some anise, black olives. Midbodied, not a ton of depth, but interesting and classic Northern Rhone. B+

2002 Montes Alpha Syrah
So I had put this away to see what a couple years would do, it stayed in box for more like 5-6. Still plenty of fruit, a peppery edge under the sweet ripe fruit (blackberry and redder plum), a hint of vanilla. Pretty decent, but I'm not sure a lot was gained by cellaring. B/B-
 
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

I like Graillot. It appears and disappears at retail around here though. 2 vitnages in a row & then gone for 5. Then it's back...

I like Graillot. It appears and disappears at retail around here though. 2 vitnages in a row & then gone for 5. Then it's back...

If you like Graillot wines, David (I do too), then you'll probably be glad to know that the guy who makes them is much like the wines: sturdy, unpretentious, down-to-earth, deep, thoughtful, pleasant, and very good company at a dinner table.

[David M. Bueker]

Hopefully he's also young (or has a willing heir with designs on making siilar wines). Too many good producers have gone the way of the dodo in recent years.

Hopefully he's also young (or has a willing heir with designs on making siilar wines). Too many good producers have gone the way of the dodo in recent years.

He is. Young and sturdy and quite happy doing what he's doing. No dodo for M. Graillot.

Hopefully he's also young (or has a willing heir with designs on making siilar wines). Too many good producers have gone the way of the dodo in recent years.

He is. Young and sturdy and quite happy doing what he's doing. No dodo for M. Graillot.

Good to hear, Hoke, as I've been a fan of his wines since trying his '85 C-H. Like David, the availability of his wines seems to wax and wane (almost wrote wine ) in the markets I shop in, but fortunately I know of a retailer that usually has them in stock. Of course, untimely deaths aren't unheard of in the wine biz, so let's all hope for a continued long and healthy life for M. Graillot.

Mark Lipton

Hopefully he's also young (or has a willing heir with designs on making siilar wines). Too many good producers have gone the way of the dodo in recent years.

He is. Young and sturdy and quite happy doing what he's doing. No dodo for M. Graillot.

Good to hear, Hoke, as I've been a fan of his wines since trying his '85 C-H. Like David, the availability of his wines seems to wax and wane (almost wrote wine ) in the markets I shop in, but fortunately I know of a retailer that usually has them in stock. Of course, untimely deaths aren't unheard of in the wine biz, so let's all hope for a continued long and healthy life for M. Graillot.

Mark Lipton

Well, remember, we're talking "young" from my perspective. And while I'm not as old as Lou, and still younger than the very mature Mr. Edmunds, I'm not exactly a nipper anymore.

But I'll say that I was enormously impressed, and enormously heartened, by the fact that my tour of the Rhone, upper, lower, middle, left and right, introduced me to some very young, vibrant, committed people, both scions and newcomers to the field, who were engaged in the wine game at all levels.

I'd say the Rhone comes across as one of the areas of the wine world that has a tremendous dynamic of youth, energy and vitality. Graillot, Phillippe Guigal, Cuilleron, Chaume-Arnaud, de la Cabasse, La Soumade....the list could go on and on. Heck, the winemaker at Delas Freres is a relatively young guy, just in his prime right now. And Barraud, at Saint-Cosme, keeps himself young and vigorous by working his ass off every day, as does Mazoyer at Voge. So in every instance I can think of from my trip---and I visited a lot of grower/producers, there was either a young person at the helm or a young person coming up to replace the old person to keep the property thriving.

Also, the Rhone is....amazingly enough...looking like it may be the best possible combination of inserting vigor and adaptation while still working fiercely to maintain the important traditions. Don't always succeed, no; but they work hard at it.

Graillot did a vanishing act in Israel for a few vintages, too. I suspect it was a combination of his growing out of favor with Parker, which seemed to be the local importer's yardstick, plus said importer might have been sore after being stuck with a huge inventory of 2002's. Anyway, the 2006 C-H and 2007 St. Joseph are close to being my house-wine.