The Rhone Rangers
City Winery, 155 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013
Tasted Wednesday, November 7, 2012 by Eric Guido with 568 views
Introduction
For me, it all started with Italy and France. However, as I continue to immerse myself in wine and force myself to explore, I’ve realized that it’s impossible for one person to understand it all. I often feel like I have a gauge on things, only to find myself reeling from a taste of something different. My current work with Snooth has opened my eyes to many new things (a great reason for all of us to explore the unknown). Rhone varieties, outside of the Rhone, have been my focus of late.
If you love Chateauneuf du Pape, Hermitage, Cotie Rotie, or Cotes du Rhone, then you’ll understand my newfound passion. First it was an article about pairing Syrah, where I discovered the 2008 Clos de Gat Syrah Har’El from Israel, a wine that I still think about on a regular basis. Soon I was hunting for Grenache, Viognier, Roussanne and Petite Sirah. This hunt has taken me around Europe, Australia, South Africa, and of course, the United States, where I came upon The Rhone Rangers.
The Rhone Rangers is an organization devoted to the promoting Rhone Varieties in the United States with almost 200 winery members from California, Oregon, Washington and New York. At a recent tasting at New York’s, City Winery, I had the opportunity to taste through nearly 70 wines. The quality was outstanding and creating this list of favorites, was no easy task. What stuck out to me more than anything else was the feeling of comradery, which was expressed by all the wineries that were pouring on that day.
These are very special wines and very special people who all deserve your attention. And did I forget to mention that Syrah pairs perfectly with your Thanks Giving Dinner?
Flight 1 - Donelan (5 Notes)
Flight 2 - Qupé (3 Notes)
Flight 3 - Ridge Vineyards (4 Notes)
Flight 4 - Stark (3 Notes)
Flight 5 - Kenneth Volk (2 Notes)
Flight 6 - Austin Hope (4 Notes)
Flight 7 - Damiani (2 Notes)
Closing
For photos and more details, please see the links below.
http://www.snooth.com/list/the-rhone-rangers/6240/
http://theviptable.blogspot.com/2012/11/donelan-rhone-ranger.html
2010 Donelan Vénus 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
The nose showed peach with citrus, spicy floral note and wet mineral stone. On the palate, it was soft and caressing with white fruits and a core of tart apple acidity and minerals. The finish was long and staying with spice notes and citrus fruits.
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2010 Donelan Cuvée Moriah 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
This blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre impressed me with its rich yet playful personality. On the nose, I found spicy, red and blackberry fruit with a hint of orange peel, mint and floral tones. On the palate, it was intense yet showed pure cherry fruits, herb and spice notes with a savory quality through to the long, staying finish.
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2010 Donelan Syrah Cuvée Christine 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
The nose showed dark wild berries, exotic spice and hints of undergrowth. On the palate, it had medium weight with a balanced spark of acidity, showing ripe red and black fruits, lavender, hints of pepper and inner floral notes. The long and staying finish revealed hints of this wine’s structure and likely its ability to age.
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2009 Donelan Syrah Walker Vine Hill 94 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
The nose of the Walker Vine Hill Syrah truly draws you in with ripe red and blue fruits, spiced cookie and rosemary. On the palate, it was vibrant, truly exciting the senses, yet rich and dark with flavors of black cherry. The finish was long and showed great balance, as the dark red fruits slowly faded to reveal this wine’s refined structure.
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2010 Donelan Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
In a blind tasting, it would be hard to imagine this wine coming from anywhere other than the Northern Rhone. The nose was intense and savory, showing blackberries with exotic spice, nori, fennel olive and hints of white pepper. On the palate, it started smooth as silk, yet quickly revealed a firm structure with red and black fruits turning tart into the long finish. With a few years’ time, I believe this wine will be glorious.
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