France 2013 – Northern Rhone

• 2012 Domaine Auguste Clape Le Vin des Amis

  France, Rhône, Vin de France

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From barrel. Nice nose of violets, red fruits and a hint of stems. Well-structured on the palate with solid acidity. Not super complex but a nice easy drink. This is made the same way as the Cornas just with less aging time. (88-90).

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• 2012 Domaine Auguste Clape Côtes du Rhône

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From barrel. A bit deeper than the previous wine with more complexity and better acidity. This is had a really pleasant lifted floral note on the nose as well. (88-91).

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• 2012 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Samples from two barrels:
  Barrel 1 - from a plot with 12-16 year old vines. High toned nose with beautiful violet notes and classic syrah aromas. Darker fruit on the palate with great acidity, drying tannins and good length.
  Barrel 2 - from a plot with 20-25 year old vines. Less expressive on the nose with again a classic syrah profile with white pepper and hints of floral. In the mouth this seems to be a bit smoother than the previous barrel and showing a bit more elegance. Sandy and powdery tannins, excellent acidity a touch more volume/depth as well.
  *The final blend of this 2012 Renaissance should be really nice but will need 7-10 years. (90-93).

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• 2012 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Samples from three barrels:
  Barrel 1 - from a plot with 35 year old vines. A bit darker profile to this nose but utterly pure and classic syrah with more floral and stems then either of the Renaissance parcels. Great structure and intensity yet fresh and very well balanced.
  Barrel 2 - from a plot with 40-50 year old vines (this is Verset’s old vines which Clape purchased from him in 2001. It’s a steep, terraced parcel that is sometimes blended into the Renaissance depending on the vintage). Expressive nose that’s once again very classic and pure. Rustic on the palate with very powdery tannins with lively acidity. Tastes a bit different on the finish then the previous parcel (bit more stemmy perhaps). This is very well structured.
  Barrel 3 - from a plot with 100-110 year old vines (from the top and bottom of the Reynard vineyard—the middle portion is 25 year old vines). Best nose yet—olive tapenade, violets, dark syrah fruit and a touch of pepper and smoky notes. In the mouth this is powdery and structured with excellent acidity and intensity. Well balanced between structure and concentration. Wow this a great parcel and clearly the jewel of the Cornas blend.
  *The final blend of this 2012 Cornas should be outstanding, although it will probably need 15+ years. (92-95+).

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• 2011 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From barrel (final blend). Wow, what a nose. Very different than anything yet. High toned with floral and dark berry aromas. Tight on the palate with chewy tannins and a long finish. A classic Cornas with great acidity. This will need 5-7+ years at least. (91-93).

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• 2011 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From barrel (final blend). A deeper and less high toned nose than the 2011 Renaissance with raspberry and classic syrah fruit. Big structure on the palate with extremely firm tannins. Despite those tannins, the mouthfeel is quite polished and has already come together nicely. This is will be great but hands off for 10-15 years. (92-94+).

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• 2010 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Very pure and classic Cornas nose with violets and dark berry fruits. Powdery tannins yet firm tannins with more ripeness than the 2011s with darker fruit (blackberries). Fleshy yet very well structured with great acidity. A touch of warmth on the finish but overall this is very well balanced. Will need a decade at least. (92-94 potential). Excellent. 91+

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• 2010 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Great young syrah nose with riper dark fruits (not overdone at all), olive tapenade and hints of rubber. Great tension on the palate with vibrant and abundant acidity which hides the 14% alcohol very well. The finish is long and fresh. There is so much material and potential here. A really impressive young wine that will need 15-20+ years. (94-96+ potential). Excellent. 92+

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• 2003 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas 81 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Atypical nose with high toned notes of candied blackberries and herbal notes. This profile carries onto the palate (not good). Some surprising freshness on the finish but overall this is a hot, ripe wine that shows little in the way of Cornas typicity. Not a fan. Average.

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• 1996 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Wow, the nose on this ’96 never disappoints. Barnyard and lovely syrah funk with loads of black olives, bell pepper, salty meats, pepper and underbrush…and a bit of maturing red fruits buried underneath. In the mouth this is balanced yet has loads of acidity and powdery/chewy tannins with beautifully developing fruit. This is savoy, fresh and unbelievably good. A great food wine no doubt. This is classic Clape. Drink now and for another 5-10 years. Outstanding.

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• 2010 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Beautifully ripe and floral nose with dark fruits and spice—a classic syrah nose. Very tannic in the mouth but with a tad more polish than the 2010 Cornas from Clape. Loads of structure with a drying blackberry finish. Plenty of lively acidity. A very pure yet traditional Cornas. Needs 10-15+ years. (92-95pt potential). Excellent. 90+

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• 2010 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. 40+ year old vines. A bit less expressive than the Chaillot on the nose. On the palate this has mouth coating tannins with liquor-like blackberry and black raspberry flavours. So much concentration yet no over ripeness. The tannins are insanely dry yet the flavours and mouthfeel are incredibly pure. Endless finish. This will need 15-20+ years. (93-96+ potential). Excellent. 91+

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• 2007 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Beautiful nose, young but showing some developing notes of olive tapenade and dark plums. Again, an insane amount of tannins but with pure and classic syrah flavours. Plenty of acidity with a long finish. Needs 10+ years to its full potential. Excellent. 91+

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• 2003 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 83 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. This was similar to the 2003 Clape—very candied and ripe, although this was less candied and less weird/high-toned. But not that much better. Average.

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• 2000 Thierry Allemand Cornas Sans Soufre 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Thierry served this blind. Some development on the nose with brighter fruits. This was very nice and just starting to show its stuff. D guessed 2000 and I said 01. Needs another 5-7 years. Excellent. 90+

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• 1996 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Beautiful nose with lots of poopy notes, olive tapenade, dark fruits, salty meats and hints of bell pepper. Savory on the palate but with a touch more weight and polish than the ’96 Clape. Also seems more youthful than the Clape with less rusticity and more finesse. Based on this bottle this needs another 5 years before hitting its peak. Excellent. 92+

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• 1988 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (4/17/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Wow. Didn’t write much of a note here as this wine captured all of my attention. Savory, meaty and perfectly mature. Still some tannins but wow this is drinking perfectly right now. Everything you would expect from a 25 year old Cornas from a great producer. Outstanding.

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• 2010 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Améthyste 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Pure notes of violets, floral and darker fruits. Silky and lighter on the palate with drying tannins and pleasant acidity. No traces of wood. Fairly approachable but could use a few years. Very good. 89+

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• 2010 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Perfumey and pretty nose of darker fruits, black olives and hints of smoke and violets. More structured than the Amethyste with drier and firmer tannins. Medium weight with energetic acidity and a lengthy finish. Will need 10+ years. Excellent. 91+

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• 2009 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Améthyste 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Darker fruit then the 2010 and a bit warmer but probably wouldn’t have noticed that had we not just tasted the 2010. White pepper on the nose with more weight on the palate. Compared to the 2010 the mouthfeel is a touch plusher with chewier tannins. Overall this shows excellent restraint for the vintage. Somewhat forward and approachable now but this should be better in 5-7 years. Very good. 89+

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• 2008 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Spicier nose with green peppercorns, red fruits and just a bit of development. Sweeter red fruits on the palate with chalky/powdery tannins and smooth mouthfeel. Some elegance here. Will be an earlier drinking wine than the 09 or 2010. Very good. 88+

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• 2010 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Les Journaries / Maestria 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From Landonne vines. This had a really nice nose of floral, dark fruits and hints of smoke. Very well balanced on the palate with firm stony tannins. Great acidity adds freshness and the finish is pure and long. Loads of potential. Needs 10-15 years. Excellent. 91+

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Our appetizers were all excellent, as were the desserts, but our mains were average at best. Rabbit and pork tenderloins were over cooked and gravy was average. The duck tartar was insanely good though and was the highlight of the meal.

• 2006 M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Blanc Les Granits 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Hinds of oxidization on nose with some honey, floral and soft citrus notes. Richer and round mouthfeel with lower acidity yet maintains a nice freshness. I’m not the biggest fan of NR whites but this was quite good. Drinking well now. Very good.

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• 2011 Domaine Barge St. Joseph Clos des Martinets 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Nice nose (reminds me of the 2011 Gonon St Joseph) but with notes of poop, dark berries and hints of sulphur. Well balanced with good acidity, approachable tannins and a fresh juicy finish. Quite drinkable now but should develop nicely for 5-7 years. Very good. 88+

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• 2010 Domaine Barge Côte-Rôtie Le Combard

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From 15 year old vines with 7% viognier. Bit of a weird nose here, shy, but almost a blend of roasted fruit and sulphur. Similar on the palate. Not a fan of this at all or perhaps there was something off with this bottle (but seems unlikely as I wouldn’t think the Domaine would serve an off bottle but who knows).

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• 2010 Domaine Barge Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From a 1ha plot of 50-80 year old vines with 2% viognier. 5000 bottles produced. Much nicer nose here with beautiful notes of violets, dark berries and spice—very classic syrah nose. Delicate with loads of finesse on the palate with a soft yet fresh and lively mouthfeel. Excellent acidity, ripe yet firm tannins and a medium length finish. I’ll try my first bottle in 5-7 years and go from there. Excellent. 90+

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• 2012 Pierre Gonon Chasselas

  France, Rhône, Vin de France

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From barrel. Average vine age is 100+ years old. Three barrels produced. Fresh nose of floral and white fruits. Palate is fresh, simple and tasty. (86-87).

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• 2012 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Samples from two barrels:
  Barrel 1 - first picking; 50% Marsanne and 50% Roussanne. More floral than the 80/20 blend with white fruit notes as well. On the palate white pear and peach with good acid structure. Jean suggests drinking this within 18 months of bottling or age it for 5-10 years.
  Barrel 2 - second picking; picked 10 days after first picking; 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. Tighter on the nose with less floral notes. Waxier and more palate coating than the 50/50 blend but offers less freshness. Rounder mouthfeel. This is also quite nice but I preferred the 50/50 blend.
  *The final blend of this 2012 Les Oliviers should be really nice. (89-92).

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• 2012 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From barrel, final blend. Very nice nose of pepper, beautiful dark red fruits and savory notes too. Approachable tannins, energetic acidity and medium length. Should be another winner. Give this a few years before checking in. (90-92).

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• 2011 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Beautiful savory nose with white pepper, red fruits and violets. Very nicely structured with powdery/chalky tannins and great acidity. A classic St. Joseph. Quite enjoyable now but I’ll try to refrain from opening one of my own bottles for at least a few years as I think this will gain several points with proper age. Excellent. 91+

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• 2010 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Similar nose to the 2011 but a bit riper, deeper and darker with a touch less floral coming through. I felt this was a tad closed today as the structure seemed to be at the forefront on the palate. The polished and nimble texture came through along with the firm yet powdery tannins and lively acidity. The 2011 was drinking better on this day but I feel this 2010 has more potential and should be outstanding in 7-10 years. Excellent. 90+

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• 2004 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Served blind. Some maturity on the nose with lovely funk, red fruits, salty meats and a hint of smoke. Very well balanced with good structure and length. We came back to this around 30min later and it had improved quite a bit. Drinking well right now in a youthful way but will develop further for another 5-7+ years no problem. Jean felt this would have shown better with 2 hours in the decanter (he feels all their young wines need air because of the racking). Excellent. 90+

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• 2011 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Floral, white orchard fruit, spice and waxy notes on the nose. Fairly dry on the palate and a bit heavy for me with low to medium acidity with wool and honey flavours. This round and somewhat fat wine definitely needs food. I’m not the biggest Marsanne fan (this is 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne) and typically prefer NR white blends with a higher percentage of Roussanne, so take my score with a grain of salt. Good.

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• 2007 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Some peach and saline notes on the nose with hints Christmas cake and spicy wood. Weighty in the mouth although there is an element of freshness here (despite there not being very much acid) from the minerality. Compared to the 2011 it seems like some of the roundness and fat has been replaced with minerality which adds some lift and freshness. This can go for another 5-6 years no problem. Very good.

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• 2006 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  (4/18/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. This plot has older, poorer soil (almost sand on the top with old rocks underneath so the roots are forced to go deep) with 90 year old vines. Jean says this VV cuvee typically has more elegance than the regular cuvee. Wow, what a beautiful nose. Floral, savory meats, black olives, leather and pure syrah fruit. Polished and elegant on the palate with pure flavours and beautiful texture. Compared to the regular cuvee this seems less tannic, with less weight and more length. This was a real treat to taste but I wouldn’t touch this again for another 5+ years. Outstanding. 93+

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• 2004 Agrapart Champagne Grand Cru Minéral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  (4/18/2013)

  This has improved since I last tasted it 2 years ago. Nice toasty notes on the nose with citrus and orchard fruits. Great acidity on the palate with a soft yet lively mousse. Beautiful mineral notes on the finish. Drinks well now but a few more years should add even more complexity. Excellent. 90+

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• 2007 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  (4/18/2013)

  Decanted for 45min. Beautiful lemon cream nose with minerals, saline, white flowers and hints of spice. Richer on the entry then firms up on the mid palate and finish becoming more precise and linear. Loads of acidity adding freshness and energy. I kept a glass of this throughout the meal and over the 3 hours it seemed to become more airy on the nose and gaining minerality and lemon intensity on the palate. This will age for a decade or more and develop more mature characteristics, but this is perfectly fine to drink now if you enjoy the youthful aspects of great Chablis. Outstanding. 93+

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• 1993 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  (4/18/2013)

  Corked.

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• 1993 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  (4/18/2013)

  After our first bottle was corked, this second bottle was also disappointing but in a different way. On the nose a bit leafy with roasted fruits and not much complexity. The palate offered little to write home about with slightly muted and dried fruits, little structure or freshness. This got killed by the Lafon, which I wouldn’t have expected. I’m not sure why, but this bottle just isn’t very good.

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• 1993 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-Du-Milieu 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  (4/18/2013)

  Richer red fruit nose with underbrush and hints of spice. On the palate sweeter/richer red fruits with a beautifully silky mouthfeel wrapped in nice acidity. The finish is long and this went perfectly with our lamb. This was very nice but definitely on the fuller/bigger side of Volnay and lacks a bit of elegance that the village is known for. Good to drink now but there’s no rush and in fact this may even improve with another 5-7+ years. Excellent. 91+

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• 1993 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru

  (4/18/2013)

  One of the guys in our group secretly ordered this and served it to us blind. Wow, what a nose! Gun powder, funk, gamey meats, sous bois and classic maturing red pinot fruit. In the mouth the texture is pure and fine yet with some power behind it. Well balanced and quite complex. A beautifully aged Burgundy. After a few wild guesses we guessed Bonnes Mares than CdlR, but didn’t get Rousseau. This is drinking perfectly well now but no rush. Outstanding.

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• 2008 Rene Rostaing Coteaux du Languedoc Puech Noble 87 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. 70-80% syrah and the rest grenache/mourvedre. Nice fruity nose with floral notes and a touch of spice. Lots of freshness on the palate and shows decent syrah typicity. Good acidity with softer tannins a medium length finish. Easy drinking and enjoyable. Good.

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• 2009 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Classique Ampodium 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Rostaing changed the name of this cuvee from ‘Cuvée Classique’ to ‘Ampodium’ starting with the 2009 vintage (Ampodium was the Roman name of Ampuis). From half bottle. Slightly closed nose but some classic syrah notes, pepper and violets came through with vigorous swirling. Rostaing says this can age 10-15 years no problem and up to 20 years in a great vintage. Plush in the mouth yet remains fresh with nice acidity and powdery/dense tannins. The tannins are very drying but there is ample fruit to balance it out. This needs at least 5 years, likely closer to 10. Very good. 89+

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• 2009 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie La Landonne 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. I also found the nose here quite closed giving shy notes of dark fruits with hints of flowers. Fairly typically riper syrah nose. Not as structured as other 09s I’ve tried on this trip with medium chalky/powdery tannins and excellent acidity. As it opened in the glass it became more floral with notes of pepper on the nose as well. Both this and the Ampodium have quite a bit of finesse and neither are heavy or lacking acid. Rostaing says this sees 10% new wood (for the rotation and replacement of old barrels). This will need 7-10+ years and by then should gain several points. Excellent. 91+

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• 2011 Rene Rostaing Viognier Les Lézardes 84 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Very floral and fragrant nose with white flowers, orchard fruit and candied lemon. Palate isn’t as fresh as nose and there’s not enough acidity here for my tastes. Average.

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• 2011 Rene Rostaing Condrieu La Bonnette 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Nice nose with white flowers, white peach with a hint of minerals. This had a bit more acidity and freshness than the Vin de Pays, especially on the palate. Nice balanced sweet fruit on the palate with a medium length finish. This could benefit from a year or two of bottle age but should probably be consumed within 5 years. I liked this quite a bit more than the Vin de Pays. Very good.

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• 2011 Domaine Jamet Côtes du Rhône Blanc 86 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From half bottle. Blend of 60% marsanne, 30% viognier and 10% roussanne; vines planted only in Ampuis; 50% oak, 50% tank, and 20% of that oak is new. Nice bit of floral on the nose but the classic marsanne/roussanne notes stand out. Nice mineral notes on the palate with decent freshness. Good.

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• 2011 Domaine Jamet Côtes du Rhône 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From half bottle. 100% syrah from Ampuis; aged in old oak barrels. Bright and juicy red fruit nose with a touch of white pepper. This profile carries onto the palate with minerality, excellent acidity and lighter/chalky tannins. This is really nice and one of the best young Cotes du Rhone I’ve ever had. Can be enjoyed now but will be a beauty in 3-5 years. Very good. 89+

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• 2011 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie Fructus Voluptas

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From half bottle. 100% destemmed; spends 18 months in old oak. Very fruity and high toned nose. Similar on the palate. Not a fan of this at all.

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• 2010 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From half bottle. 100% stem inclusion; aged for 24 months in oak (20% new); a blend from 20-22 difference parcels. Complex nose of classic syrah fruit, spicy wood and white pepper. Entry is concentrated yet slightly polished but then the firm tannins kick in and everything tightens up. Great acidity and balance. This isn’t drinking as well now as other 2010 CRs we’ve had, especially those with no new oak, but I know where these wines go so the current oak presence doesn’t worry me. There’s loads of potential here (mid 90s I’m guessing) but today this is just too young with too much oak at the forefront. Needs the usual 15+ years.

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• 2009 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. From half bottle. Similar nose to the 2010 but a bit more sweet fruit. On the palate this is more approachable with softer, chalkier tannins and a more polished mouthfeel. More weight and stuffing at this point then the 2010 as well. There’s nice freshness here for the vintage. Today this is drinking better than the 2010 but in 10+ years the 2010 will be the better wine I think. Very good. 89+

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I had heard that Jasmin decided to change their winemaking practices to go for a more modern/approachable style so I was quite curious to taste here. We asked what changes have been made since the 80s and we were told nothing except that the wines from the 80s saw 20-25% new oak, and the wines today see 25-30% new oak. None of the wines we tasted seemed modern or over-oaked which is great news as I have really enjoyed the older Jasmin wines I’ve had and hope more recent vintages age in the same fashion.

• 2011 Patrick Jasmin Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes La Chevalière 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Nice nose with juicy red fruits. That juicy profile carries onto the palate with good acidity and approachable tannins. A nice easy drinking wine. Good.

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• 2008 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Very floral nose along with red berries and spice. Great acidity and firm tannins but with a delicate and light mouthfeel. This sees 25-30% new oak doesn’t show any of it. This is a bit lean and firm but I quite like it. Very good.

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• 2010 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Tasted at the Domaine. Darker red fruit nose with pepper, floral and spice. Lighter style on the palate with fresh syrah fruit flavours, lively acidity and firm tannins. This shows a delicate side of Cote Rotie and has pure fruit and great freshness to go along with it. A subtle touch of wood on the palate and some nice mineral and bright red fruit notes on the finish. This is really nice already but 7-10 years should do this wine wonders. Excellent. 90+

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• 2010 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage

  (4/19/2013)

  No formal notes. Simple and easy drinking. Medium acidity and body. Good.

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• 2010 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage

  (4/19/2013)

  No formal notes. Nice juicy red fruits. Decent structure. Very approachable. Good.

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After dinner we gathered in one of the hotel rooms to drink a few bottles of 2010 Cote Rotie that we had purchased from some of the growers we visited. On this night, the Barge was my favorite, second was the Jasmin and the Levet third, based on how they were drinking now. For future potential and longevity, I think the Barge and the Levet will ultimately be the best wines (though my gut tells me the Levet will be the best of the three) and will last 20-25 years. The Jasmin should be great too but I feel it will be more of a 15-20 year wine and not hit the heights of the Barge and Levet. I’m fortunate to have bottles of each of these three wines, so it will be fun to repeat this tasting several times over the next two decade and see where these wines go.

• 2010 Domaine Barge Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Youthful and classic nose of pure syrah fruit with beautiful floral and pepper notes. Feminine on the palate (compared to the Levet) with excellent acidity, chalky tannins and a lengthy finish. This was drinking very well tonight although I’ll keep my hands off for at least 5-7 years. Excellent. 91+

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• 2010 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Very youthful nose of iodine, darker syrah fruits and hints of rubber and floral. This was a tad richer on the palate than the Barge with more acidity and firmer tannins. Compared to the Barge, this had less floral on the nose and seemed more youthful and masculine on the palate. The bottle of this we tasted at the Domaine was more open and approachable then this bottle. Tuck this away for the long-haul. Very good. 89+

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• 2010 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  Compared to the Barge and Levet, this had a bit of wood showing (a hint of vanilla on the nose and a trace of vanilla spice on the palate) and was the easiest to drink tonight. The lightest and most delicate of the three but still possess solid structure that will allow at least 10-15 years of development. Excellent. 90+

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• 2010 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Améthyste 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  No formal notes. Drank out of a Burgundy glass which didn’t do this Cote Rotie any favours. The alcohol became more pronounced although once you got past that the wine was quite good, but not as good as the bottle was tried at the Domaine. Very good. 88+

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• 2009 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Les Journaries / Maestria 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (4/19/2013)

  No formal notes. Very nice nose with syrah fruit with good acidity and freshness. A bit heavier then you’d expect from Levet but still far from weighty. Give this 5-7+ years. Very good. 88+

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