WTN: Bunch of Southern Rhones

[Jenise]

And a few ringers (blind tasting).

2001 Domaine de la Tourade
Pumpkin pie and tomato. Fairly strong on the palate.

2010 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dense and intense, bloody, young, super saturated flavors. Great potential but not a pleasant drink now.

2013 Bréchet Famille Lirac Plateau des Chenes
Pretty, young, very French, cocoa, dusty lavendar, and evident carbonic maceration. As such too grapey for me to enjoy at this time.

2008 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
My bottle and a relief, as it was superb and lacked the pruney quality of the last bottle we opened from the same purchase. Immediately had everyone's attention with an en pointe elegance and complexity not present in any other wine so far or to come. Was not hard to guess CdP and Beaucastel in that order. Raspberry, beet, spice and superfine tannins. Was guessed to be 04 or slightly older by these experienced tasters. Everybody's WOTN.

2010 Domaine Tempier
Light (after the Beaucastel), bright, leathery and very peppery.

2013 Clos du Rouge Gorge Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Jeunes
Initial VA nose calms down a bit, with medium body, red fruit and light garrique.

2008 Domaine de la Terre Rouge Syrah DTR Ranch Fiddletown
Big wine with stewed tomatoes, nori, mild funk and iodine. To the mild distress of it's bringer, obviously new world with ripeness and big tannins. Just eh right now in the presence of all these real Rhones but will likely age into something more interesting.

2012 Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône Sierra du Sud Syrah
Blueberry, ham, fennel, olive, superb richness well-matched by acidity. Excellent. This, btw, is the third or fourth bottle I've had from this producer--very impressive stuff, worth seeking out.

2005 Domaine La Bouïssiere Gigondas
My bottle, and a disappointment. Overt ripeness and low acid with raisiny notes and sun-dried tomato. One taster likened it to a mince meat pie.

2009 Maison Bleue Marsanne Petite Joie Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley, WA
I quickly guessed marsanne, but not that it was French and had five years of bottle age. Peachy with a bitter almond finish. Very nice offering from one of Washington's best new wineries.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks Jenise. The Beaucastel notes are especially valuable. I have some of that 2010. Will leave it alone.

[Jenise]

Thanks Jenise. The Beaucastel notes are especially valuable. I have some of that 2010. Will leave it alone.

Strangely, I also own the '10 and decided about six or eight months ago what the hell, we could die tomorrow, let's taste this puppy. I couldn't remember ever drinking a young Beau before. A mistake as it was so shut down, but a fun lesson. Tuesday night's bottle, brought by someone else, showed identically. Good contrast for the 08, though, which is delightful. Nice reminder to pay attention to the so-called 'off' vintages. They have their place!

The baby Beaucastel Coudoulet rouge 2010 is a great wine too. I backed up the truck up on that and did not get any of the CdP that year. I figured it's such a great vintage and it will really improve with age. It seemed like a logical approach and good money management.

[Jenise]

The baby Beaucastel Coudoulet rouge 2010 is a great wine too. I backed up the truck up on that and did not get any of the CdP that year. I figured it's such a great vintage and it will really improve with age. It seemed like a logical approach and good money management.

Cannot disagree with that strategy. Especially when you can buy well-aged bottles of big brother Beaucastel for about the same cost as a brand new one.