Rhone Reds (2-N & 4-S)

Each of these had been tasted at least once previously.

• 2015 Delas Frères Cornas Chante-Perdrix

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Should you be interested, I’ve uploaded info for this vintage which you can peruse at your leisure. 😉
  
  N: Vanilla slightly atop a melding of berries & minerals with undertones of pyrazines? Intensity lurking?
  
  P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which DOES pretty much resolve by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a TANGY/swtness to the firming, DUSTY tannins. NEEDS 12-18 mos, I'm guessing, then at least making its 10th. 14% ABV; My EXC-. [This vendor's $39.95 is now $4 < wine-searcher's lowest!]
  
  Note: Also tasted on 9/28, 10/26, & 11/2/19, the 1st being the MOST impressive of the now 4 bottles, & today’s the least.

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• 2014 Delas Frères St. Joseph Cuvée Francois de Tournon

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  Frt from Mauves, Tournon, St Jeran-de-Muzols, & Vion; 70% aged in s/s vats, 30% in 1-2-3 yr 228-litre oak casks;
  
  N: RIPE berries with vanilla & notes of minerals; Intensity lurking?
  
  P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it morphs into a LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the very few, fairly unoffensive, firming, dusty tannins. For now with food, + should hold through '22. My VG+/EXC-; 91-93 pts Vinous (Raynolds), 91 ea WA & WS, 90 & Silver @ '17 Decanter World Wine Awards, 16.5/20 Bettane et Desseauve, 14.5/20 La Revue du Vin de France, Bronze @ '17 Int'l Wine Challenge, and 3*/5 (casks/vat) drinkrhone.com . [This vendor's $29.95 is NOW an *impressive* $14 < wine-searcher's next lowest!]
  
  Note: Also tasted on 3/2, 8/3, 9/21, & 10/19/19 with fairly similar TNs.

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• 2014 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Should you be interested, I’ve uploaded info for this vintage which you can peruse at your leisure. 😉
  
  N: Closed; RIPE berries with notes of garigue? Intensity lurking?
  
  P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a burgeoning swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, then drinking for 4 yrs more? 400 cases imported. 14.5% ABV; My EXC. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price!]
  
  Note: 1st tasted on 6/15/19

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• 2014 Domaine Giraud Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée les Grenaches de Pierre

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
  
  N: CLOSED; Garrigue atop earthy berries? Intensity lurking?
  
  P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which somewhat works itself out by the LONG finish with a bitter/SWTNESS to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, then making its 10th. 15.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. [This vendor's $44.95 is as good an any of wine-searcher's limited postings.]
  
  Note: 1st tasted on 6/8/19

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• 2016 Domaine des Escaravailles Rasteau La Ponce

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Rasteau

  Typically, 80% Grenache & 20% Syrah from very steep vyds @ 250 m elev with stony clay soils; "Manual harvest; Destemming & crushing; Vatting 28-35 days. Daily pigmentation during the alcoholic fermentation as well as 2-3 shedding. The wines are aged for 1 year (in 225 L oak barrels for Syrah & concrete vats for Grenache), then assembled & bottled 18 mos after harvest."
  
  N: RIPE berries dueling with barnyard, the latter SLIGHTLY blowing off
  
  P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish forest floor/barnyard tinged frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which somewhat resolves as it transitions into the LONG finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS through '21, poss '22, & IF the barnyard resolves (or this was just an "off" bottle), my VG+ *will* be LOW! 95 pts Dunnuck, 93+ WA (Czerwinski), 91 WE @ $30, & 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson (Hemming, 4/17/19). [This vendor's $21.95 now puts it @ #2/4 of wine-searcher's postings.]
  
  Note: Also tasted on 4/27, 7/13, & 10/26/19, with, counting this one, fairly inconsistent impressions, particularly with respect to whether or not it NEEDS cellaring.

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• 2017 Domaine la Barroche Vin de France Liberty

  France, Vin de France

  “From 40 ha of vyds next to Châteauneuf de Gadagne [to the S of Châteauneuf du Pape] & similar to the Crau plateau in CdP. The vines (ave 65-yrs-old) grow on Plio-Quaternary terraces covered with river stones, @ 125 m elev;” Typically, “55% Grenache, 18% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault, & 5% Carignan; Wine-making in underground concrete vats; Destemming of underripe stalks; The wine stays on the skins for over 4 wks. Gentle extractions; Aging in old oak casks & 600 L barrels for ≈ 18 mos;”
  
  N: RIPE berries with notes of garrigue; Intensity lurking?
  
  P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which only somewhat resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS through '21, then drinking through '24, poss '25? My VG+/EXC-; 92 pts WA & 16/20 Jancis Robinson (Hemming, 3/18/19). [This vendor's $26.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest posting.]
  
  Note: Also tasted on 10/26, 11/9, & 12/21/19, notes FAIRLY consistent.

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