WTN: Northern Rhones

Notes from a Northern Rhone blind tasting

1996 Clape Cornas – we started with a wine that proved to be one of the most typical classical representations of the evening. Surprisingly elegant, with a nose that opened into classic plumy spiced anise, with a little white pepper and blood, a fair bit of acidity on palate, and soft tannins. Nice long finish.

1997 Clape Cornas – this was a put up job because a couple of us wanted to see how these would fare tasted together. They seemed to be quite different wines, with darker colour, and seemingly more youth, although I thought this one was further along in terms of taste. It showed some violets in the nose and no pepper, maybe a little leather. Also good body and length, though not quite as elegant as the 96.

2004 Guigal St. Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice – fruit based nose, high toned with slightly high volatile acidity, and a bit warm, and a plush wood driven cherry vanilla thing happening. On palate, sweet fruit and good length. This surprised me a bit as I hadn’t expected this sort of wine from Guigal.

2001 Tardieu Laurent Cornas Coteau – Blood/iron and some anise and mocha in the nose, lots of soft tannin in the mouth – the first thing that hits you on entry. Decent length. I don’t know how TL manages to integrate the amount of oak they often use, but it works for them.

1997 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon – good colour, a plum and anise nose with some blackberry, juicy entry, fair bit of tannin and big smooth mouth feel, a bit closed perhaps, and needs time – a lot of it!

1997 Ogier Cote Rotie La Belle Helene – quite floral and elegant in the nose, soft tannins, smooth and long on palate. I had to go feed the parking meter when this was poured, came back and said it was a Cote Rotie based on the nose, and could well be an Ogier. I tried to shut up for the rest of the event as it wasn’t going to get any better than that for guessing wines! I really liked this one.

1995 Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal – we never see this producer here and then I hit it twice in a month (tasted the 1983 against the 83 La Chapelle earlier). A well focussed medium to full bodied wine with decent length, but perhaps a tad short on midpalate fruit.

2003 Ogier Cote Rotie – it was hard to believe that the classic 1997 we had had any commonality with this wine. This showed a sweet jammy nose of blackberry and spice, medium body, big acidity, soft tannin, and nary a hint that it might be a Cote Rotie!

1991 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle – dark wine with a concentrated sweet fruit nose, good concentrations and weight, and better balance (less acidity) than I’d noted in previous tastings. I still have a stash of this and am pleased that it showed so well.

[Jenise]

What a tasting!

First, a white which you didn't mention, Bill. The set-up: Bob and I got there early and I begged for a glass of something cold and white, and this is what the restaurauteur brought me. Due to the nature of my request--desperate woman needs cold white NOW, essentially--I did not expect the wine to be on, or near, topic, just something they had open for pouring by the glass for desperate women. Nor did I find what I had in my glass reminiscent of Rhone whites of any kind as I know them: sweet honeysuckle nose, super ripe fruit, deep yellow color and liberal use of oak, though with plenty of acidity, reminded me of California chardonnay, especially at the icebox temperature this was served at. Then y'all showed up and the rest of the bottle got poured round: "Might as well empty it", casually said the restaurauteur. I was taken aback when Rasoul then identified viognier and marsanne in the wine and turned out to be right. 07 Gayda Cuvee Occitane.

1996 Clape Cornas – Stewed raspberry nose (in a good way) quickly followed by rare roast beef and iron. All boy, yet elegant. It developed floral notes later as well as some white pepper and spice, but it was considerably more developed (and sensual) than the next wine:

1997 Clape Cornas – Darker than the first, brighter and prettier, more evident white papper and violets. Dainty, more reserved. A Mrs. For the first wine's Mr. Would have guessed there to be more like five years difference in age. No less excellent than the ’96 but for drinking right now not my favorite of the two.

2004 Guigal St. Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice – A baby, ripe and oaky with a lot of black fruit. Lots of structure but unlike any other St. Joe I’ve ever had. Tasted more like California Syrah than Northern Rhone. Enjoyable but somehow misguided. At least, right now.

2001 Tardieu Laurent Cornas Coteau – I loved this wine coming out when it did (I brought it) because someone had guessed that the St. Joe was a Tardieu-Laurent because of this producer’s fondness for, as someone put it, “100% new oak on 100% new oak.” Seemingly a bad thing, but the naysayers put their nose into this glass and loved what they found. Good sweet raspberry fruit, iron and Bill’s anise and mocha, with some sweet herbs. A very good showing.

1997 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon – Big on the nose but slightly green. The guys at the south end of the table detected trace amounts of TCA, which would explain the reticence.

1997 Ogier Cote Rotie La Belle Helene – What a stunner nose—rustic opulence. Barnyard (one participant called it “ass in a glass”), animal fur, violets, raspberry, black plum and burnt rubber. Really old school, and the most full-bodied wine so far on the palate. Endless finish. Outstanding. My WOTN.

1995 Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal – Very very nice, my first Sorrel. Suffered a bit for having to follow the Helene. Clear at the rim, more like an 80’s vintage color though a very good one.

2003 Ogier Cote Rotie – Big, sweet, black-fruited nose wildly mismatched with the empty, acidic midpalate. As others have said, hard to believe this was an Ogier. Disappointing.

1991 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle A beaut, classic/correct and impeccable in every aspect, though not what I would have expected on name alone from the rounder, fleshier 80’s vintages of La Chapelle I’ve had of like 83, 86 and 89. Outstanding.

Jenise, I didn't mention the white as it didn't exactly get in the way of the conversation. Forgettable wine, although undoubtedly good QPR.

My faves were the 96 Clape and the 97 Ogier. If you can find any more of the latter, jump on it! Good varietally correct Cote Rotie doesn't come along every day!

[Jenise]

Jenise, I didn't mention the white as it didn't exactly get in the way of the conversation. Forgettable wine, although undoubtedly good QPR.

My faves were the 96 Clape and the 97 Ogier. If you can find any more of the latter, jump on it! Good varietally correct Cote Rotie doesn't come along every day!

I bought the Belle Helenes about six years ago and they were well priced ($70) because a lot of American buyers missed the memo about that actually being a good vintage in the north where it wasn't so much in the south. But I don't see Ogier wines often at ALL--in fact I own the only other bottle of Belle Helene I've ever laid eyes on besides these 97's I have. Er, had. Should have visited the winery last September!

2003 Ogier Cote Rotie Disappointing.

I didn't know it was possible to be disappointed by a 2003 European wine. I thought expectations were always so low

Bill and Jenise, thanks for the mouth-watering TNs. I love Northern Rhône. Maybe I'll get one out for dinner.

[Jenise]

2003 Ogier Cote Rotie Disappointing.

I didn't know it was possible to be disappointed by a 2003 European wine. I thought expectations were always so low

Ah, but at a blind tasting disappointment sets in before knowledge can interfere.