TN: 2007 Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel

TN: 2007 Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel - I bought cautiously in Rhones of this vintage as the reviews were coming is as being excessively sweet with big fruit, and I tasted before buying whenever I could. Most of my 2007s are still laying in the cellar (was pleased to see that a case of Donjon is there, so far untouched) and I thought that I'd use this Coudoulet as a test.

It was still dark and somewhat ripe, but the early overly sweet fruit had mellowed and it was well balanced and of medium length. As good now as I expect it will ever be, but I don't think there is any particular rush. Time to be getting into them, with a few exceptions (the Pegau Cuvee Da Capo and the Usseglio mon Aieul and such will need time yet.

[David M. Bueker]

All I have is a couple of bottles of the Donjon. Post-2001 I bought very little southern Rhône until 2019 or so when I crept back in for some Gigondas and some Charvin CNdP and Côtes du Rhône.

[Jenise]

I remember going to a tasting of the '07s here in Bellingham. Someone rounded up most of the big names, and the locals were awestruck, not seeming to understand yet that Parker had become Californicated. In a way I didn't either; I moved up here in 2003 with very little Rhone experience, but I'd already been hanging out with you guys in Vancouver and my palate for Southern Rhones was already Europeanized. The only '07's I liked and bought were, therefore, the Donjon, VT and Ray Usseglio. All of which I've gotten into in the last couple years--only a single VT remains, I think. Might have been wise to leave them even longer but alas, I didn't have enough cellar defenders (or discipline).