Last Sunday night we dorked out over Southern Rhones, served double blind in matching red bags randomly mixed and grabbed. There were about 20 of us present, and most were standing throughout. Pours were tiny and the wines came around fast making it hard to assess or write much about. Here are scant notes on all but two I couldn't identify from what I wrote down.
The whites:
2022 Château Pégau Côtes du Rhône Blanc Cuvée Lône
My contribution. Even better than the last bottle 3 months ago. Now: white flowers, pear, quince and white pepper.
2022 Rotem & Mounir Saouma Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Magis
A superb CdP white. Very reduced, presented more like high end Chablis but that's not a fault. With time to evolve, we would probably have discovered Jeff Leve's "flowers, flowers, and more flowers". The wine blends 75% Grenache Blanc, 10% Clairette, 10% Roussanne and 5% Bourboulenc. Fermentation occurs in 500-liter barrels, followed by two years of aging on the lees. A fascinator.
2022 Kobayashi Winery Marsanne-Roussanne WeatherEye Vineyard Red Mountain White Rhone Blend
Unanimously pegged as new world due to the round chardonnay-like fruit and higher alcohol. Very different from what I'd expect from this producer.
2019 E. Guigal St. Joseph Blanc White Rhone Blend
Tasty, great bouquet, but showing some diesel. Don't think this has much life left from here.
The reds:
2020 Domaine de Trévallon Alpilles Red Blend
Rare wine alert! One of the very very few parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Rhone is the magical ingredient in this cinnamony-peppery wine, mellowed by some syrah (often or usually late harvest). Very young at this point but the potential is huge and obvious.
2010 Domaine Saint-Damien Gigondas Vieilles Vignes Les Souteyrades Red Rhone Blend
Dark cherry fruit, savory herb notes, garrique, earthy and a little poopy. Nicely developed with more time ahead. Everyone loved it.
2024 Echolands Winery Cinsault Semi-Carbonic Walla Walla Valley
Candied and simplistic with none of Cinsault's trademark spice. Obviously a new world wine. Hated it.
2005 Domaine Duclaux (Famille Quiot) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
4th '05 of the night and the only one that didn't show its age. Excellent fruit with secondary development; has the acidity and structure of a much younger wine. I hand-carried this one home from France, and am blown away by it's youthful beauty. WOTN for me!
2009 Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône Sierra du Sud Syrah
Serious reduction with sulfur on underlying syrah. I brought this to surprise the guy who loved it years ago on release and caused me to buy it. Well, even tasting blind he still loves it--but I don't!
2017 Château Pradeaux Bandol
Seems young, red licorice and pomegranate, juniper berries and tomato leaf with astringent tannins. Puckery. Surprisingly the only Bandol of the evening.
2012 Domaine les Pallières Gigondas Les Racines Red Rhone Blend
Obviously older but fresh, dark berries with black licorice. Guessed 2010-2015, yes!
2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau Red Rhone Blend
Lavender on the nose, cashmere-textured fruit, soft tannins. Very good.
2010 Domaine de Saint Siffrein Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
Clean and fresh but with tannins, seems syrah-forward but full of feminine power. Terrific.
2005 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina Red Rhone Blend
From Erik's impeccable cellar, major FAIL for a Parker 100 pointer. Necrotic.
2011 Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
Served blind. Tastes like 100% syrah--bacon fat and tar on the palate follow violets on the nose. I loved it.
2020 K Vintners The Boy Walla Walla Valley Grenache
Funky and friendly with good berry fruit. Definitely new world, and effortlessly enjoyable.
2017 Gramercy Cellars Mourvèdre Lower East Columbia Valley
Cloudy, tastes confused. Okay but not special. Turns out the guy who brought it arrived by bicycle--not fair to rate.
2005 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet Red Rhone Blend
Showed it's age in all the good ways, excellent.
2019 Domaine Anne Gros & Jean-Paul Tollot La 50/50 Côtes du Brian Syrah Blend
Ripe, sweet, oaky--unanimous agreement that it was New World. Nope! Cotes du Brian caused inevitable Monty Python jokes. Surprised Anne Gros' involvement in a wine like this.
2022 Domaine les Pallières Gigondas Les Racines Red Rhone Blend
Strawberries and pepper, we think grenache-dominant, definitely old world. Tastes more developed (in all the best ways) than just 3 yrs old.
2005 Domaine Duclaux (Famille Quiot) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
4th '05 of the night and the only one that didn't show its age. Excellent fruit with complex secondary development; has the acidity and structure of a younger wine. I hand-carried this one home from France in 2010 and wasn't sure what to expect at this point, but am blown away by it's youthful beauty. WOTN for many.
2011 Rasa Vineyards QED Walla Walla Valley
Unanimously voted to be Old World. Good now but has no upside potential.
2022 J.L. Chave Sélection Côtes du Rhône Mon Coeur Red Rhone Blend
Bright, rich and elegant--superb.
2020 Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Rhone Blend Red Mountain Red Rhone Blend
This was a heavy fire year. We didn't really pick up smoke taint but at the same time there was a weight and dullness to it that didn't present as authentic Southern Rhone let alone something that superstar winemaker Todd Alexander would have made.
