WTN: Recent Northern Rhones

2007 Domaine de Fauterie St. Joseph Les Combaud
Fun and juicy and definitely goes well with dinner but never showed much distinction (even for a St. Joseph). Not sure if that is the stage or the wine?

2009 Gonon St. Joseph Rouge
This shows a bit more distinction than the 07 Fauterie but the main attraction is that it is so damned easy to drink and keep drinking and keep drinking. Gulpable with all the fruit framed by nice acids and respectable tannins with just enough top notes to hint at ‘complexity’. Everything is in fine proportion, crunchy, chewy, juicy, and drinkable. I’ve never had an aged Gonon so I don’t know what they turn into but this seems to be very comfortable in its present state.

2009 Texier St. Julien en St. Alban
This on the other hand is pulsing to tell you about its future. Some have been more forward than others they all retain enough mystery to make you wonder about the future. I’ve had a few bottles from the first and second bottling but not sure I could really identify palate differences between the two. If pressed the second bottling seemed ‘fresher’, deeper, and less structured, but that could also be the power of suggestion. Regardless, this is a fine mouthful of wine right now but I hope to see it in a few years.

2007 Texier Brézème Pergaud VV
I was curious about this, despite the fact that the last bottle from a few months ago seemed to be shutting down. There was still enough fruit to keep it pleasing all the corners of my mouth and enough delicate flavors to dance around the palate in the process. The acid structure certainly wasn’t overdominant for my palate, but I can imagine this still has places to go that most of us will like. That said, I liked very much to have a glass of this in one hand and pizza with maitake, red pepper, tomato sauce, Ossau-Iraty and marjoram in the other.

2007 Domaine de Fauterie St. Joseph Les Combaud
Fun and juicy and definitely goes well with dinner but never showed much distinction (even for a St. Joseph). Not sure if that is the stage or the wine?

2009 Gonon St. Joseph Rouge
This shows a bit more distinction than the 07 Fauterie but the main attraction is that it is so damned easy to drink and keep drinking and keep drinking. Gulpable with all the fruit framed by nice acids and respectable tannins with just enough top notes to hint at ‘complexity’. Everything is in fine proportion, crunchy, chewy, juicy, and drinkable. I’ve never had an aged Gonon so I don’t know what they turn into but this seems to be very comfortable in its present state.

2009 Texier St. Julien en St. Alban
This on the other hand is pulsing to tell you about its future. Some have been more forward than others they all retain enough mystery to make you wonder about the future. I’ve had a few bottles from the first and second bottling but not sure I could really identify palate differences between the two. If pressed the second bottling seemed ‘fresher’, deeper, and less structured, but that could also be the power of suggestion. Regardless, this is a fine mouthful of wine right now but I hope to see it in a few years.

2007 Texier Brézème Pergaud VV
"Now if you'll put some Serrano ham on that pizza I'll buy. "
I was curious about this, despite the fact that the last bottle from a few months ago seemed to be shutting down. There was still enough fruit to keep it pleasing all the corners of my mouth and enough delicate flavors to dance around the palate in the process. The acid structure certainly wasn’t overdominant for my palate, but I can imagine this still has places to go that most of us will like. That said, I liked very much to have a glass of this in one hand and pizza with maitake, red pepper, tomato sauce, Ossau-Iraty and marjoram in the other.

Some awesome wines there. I liked the Fauterie a lot when I had it recently. Not much to add re. the St. Julien, though I'm yet to try the no sulfur 2nd release. But the first release was outstanding and I don't imagine the second will be too different.

Yet to try the 09 Gonon, been behaving myself so far. Did you get the 06 Gonon VV btw?

"Now if you'll put some Serrano ham on that pizza I'll buy. "

Not a bad idea. Take out the cheese and put on the ham. I can actually eat prosciutto, but only when it's very delicate and I can't taste the meat!

Did you get the 06 Gonon VV btw?

Is that a recent (re)release?

I don't think I've ever had it. And I don't think I tasted any 06s or 07s from Gonon. Too much wine too little time!

Did you get the 06 Gonon VV btw?

Is that a recent (re)release?

I don't think I've ever had it. And I don't think I tasted any 06s or 07s from Gonon. Too much wine too little time!

Per a recent conversation with Salil: it's a separate barrel made from the old Trollat vines and bottled separately. I didn't see it offered by CSW, but apparently they had it in stock, albeit briefly.

Mark Lipton

Per a recent conversation with Salil: it's a separate barrel made from the old Trollat vines and bottled separately. I didn't see it offered by CSW, but apparently they had it in stock, albeit briefly.

Mark Lipton

Thanks for that. Sounds intriguing. CSW seems to get a fair amount of stuff that blows through the (non)shelves. If I bought more wine I would try to stay on top of it all but as mentioned above: too much wine too little time!

Had the 06 Pergaud tonight with a simply prepared roasted chicken. Just a beautiful wine and will be around and getting better with a couple of years. Love what Texier does with wine.

Had the 06 Pergaud tonight with a simply prepared roasted chicken. Just a beautiful wine and will be around and getting better with a couple of years. Love what Texier does with wine.

Good to hear. I've been waiting to open that one as well but figured I would let it sit for a while longer. .sasha also mentioned that it went well with basic grilled meats but since I haven't progressed that far to roasted or grilled animals, I guess I have to wait for it to mellow into my cooking.

Nice notes, thanks.
I love Ossau-Iraty, have yet to put on pizza.