Q2 - 2016 Tasting - The Rhone! - Another taster's perspective
(The Apt)
Tasted May 21, 2016 by retired_and_roving with 660 views
Introduction
First of all thanks so much to MC2wines for hosting and including us in such a fabulous tasting of Rhone wines. This was our first attendance at their quarterly tasting event, and it was awesome. They are great hosts and take their wine seriously but still know how to have a great time! All participants were to bring bottle/bottles from the Rhone - red or white, north or south - $50min. The wines are double-blinded in the line up and participants are provided with notecards and pens. At the end - each taster is given 5 pennies to vote for their favorites - to be split however they choose. The person who brought the favorite wine got to take home a beautiful "Rule the Rhone" engraved decanter.
Our submissions were the 1998 and 2010 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée. Originally I had sourced a 2000 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères in addition to the 2010 Pegau, but when I opened that morning to decant it was unfortunately corked. I was able to get it back to the store and swap out for 98 Pegau in time for the tasting.
Flight 1 (16 notes)
White
2002 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
#1 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at a Rhone tasting. This was the only white in the lineup. This was my first experience with a Rhone white and I found it very interesting. The color in the glass was a darker shade of gold and it seemed to be more viscous then a typical white wine. Aromas were floral and herbal and quite pretty. On the palate this was a bit waxy (new for me) with nice fine tannins and a slightly floral and herbal taste. Quite nice - a white wine I would drink again as a predominantly red drinker.
Red
2009 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve le Clos du Caillou
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
#2 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. Wow - this was really good. My first thought was that I would be very happy to drink more of this!! On the nose for me I got red fruits and menthol. Color was a deep garnet - very clear. This just had a very round and lively mouth feel. The fruit was presence, but so were earth and minerals and again that menthol note (which I like). The finish lasted for a full 60 seconds. This was my WOTN and also the groups. The next day I went on wine searcher and bought 3 bottles. Delicious!!
Red
1999 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve le Clos du Caillou
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
# 3 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone wine tasting. I enjoyed this wine and found it similar to # 2 (same wine 2009 vintage), but oddly for me this was a bit jammier than the 2009 with a shorter finish. I got the same menthol note that I picked up in the 2009 which is why I thought they were similar. Interesting that I did not peg this as being an older wine - still seemed quite youthful. Very nice but not as much of a stand out for me as the 2009.
Red
1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
#4 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. This was seemed corked to me - wet cardboard. On the palate totally shut down.
Red
2006 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
#5 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at a Rhone tasting. I was on my own in ranking this as my third favorite wine of the tasting. I thought it had just enough nice barnyard funk on the nose and palate, with great tannins. Would like the opportunity to drink again.
Red
2005 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
#6 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. This was the group's 2nd favorite wine of the night. I was a dissenter though, it just did not stand out for me. I thought it was good, but sort of middle of the road of the wines tasted. Sorry not detailed notes other than "middle of the pack".
Red
2010 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
#7 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. I found this similar in taste to #6 - which is good since at least they were both Syrah based. Some bitter notes on the finish. Also middle of the pack but if pushed I would put this behind #6.
Red
2013 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
#8 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. After a break for some food and water between #7 and #8, my palate was a bit freshened up. Color on this was an inky purple, so my guess was that it was young. On the palate I found this to be very round, smooth and silky. Very nice - was my 4th favorite wine of the line-up.
Red
2006 Domaine Monpertuis (Paul Jeune) Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
#9 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. I liked this wine as did the group overall it was tied for 4th place. To me this shared some similarities with wine #2 the favorite. This one appeared to be more aged with color starting to brown around the edges. Nice long finish.
Red
2012 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
#10 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. Color was deep purple. A bit of funk on the nose. My notes say that it was too young and would benefit from more time in the cellar. Good but not yet showing its stuff - and therefore middle of the pack.
Red
2010 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
#11 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. This was one of my two submissions so I knew it was either in spot 11 or 12. Decanted for 3.5 hours - then double decanted back to bottle and brought to Rhone wine tasting. Quite bretty on the nose at first - but this blows off with some time in glass. Still very young and primary in the red fruit profile with fairly strong tannins. Earth and leather lurk in the background but will need more time in the bottle for everything to resolve. I liked this but just outside of my top 5 wines. Overall for the group was middle of the pack.
Red
1998 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
#12 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. I brought this one so I knew it was either 11 or 12. Decanted for 1 hour, double decanted back to bottle and served at Rhone wine tasting from bottle. Color is more muted compared to 2010 - with a bit of brownish around the edges. The nose has red fruit, leather and earth - not nearly as bretty smelling as the 2010. Tastes very mature, with resolved tannins and the tertiary characteristics more on display than the fruit. Really enjoyable! For me this was my 3rd favorite but the group overall preferred the 2003 Pegau.
Red
2003 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
#13 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. Okay my powers of observation may have been heading downhill by now, because my notes say this was a young wine! Overall this was the group's 3rd favorite, so I was not in the majority. For me this was more in the middle of the pack. I found it it a bit more fruit forward with the alcohol to be predominant. I liked it - but thought it needed more cellar time.
Red
2012 Goats do Roam Wine Company Goats do Roam
South Africa
#15 of 16 wines tasted (double blind) at Rhone tasting. This bottle did not stand out in a line up of some much more expensive wines - but it also held its own and received more votes than some others. Kind of a surprise for me given the price point. My notes reflected a deep ruby color, young but reasonably well balanced.
Red
1998 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
#16 of 16 wines tasted (double-blind) at Rhone tasting. Yeah lets be honest at this point my powers of observation were significantly degraded. My notes say 2 things - young & tannic. Given that the wine is not at all young - I clearly was not on point. This one probably suffered for its place in the lineup - for me it was in the back half of the pack.
Closing
For specific outcomes of the tasting - please refer to MC2wines original tasting story.
What a terrific experience that allowed us to meet some great people, drink some amazing wines in direct comparison and make some personal observations:
1) Learned something new about my palate. I would have characterized myself as someone who does not typically care for fruit forward wines, but based on other tasters observations - it appears that I do like more fruit forward Rhone style wines. Interesting........ to me at least.
2) Tasting wines blind is very humbling. My ability to discern northern vs southern rhone wines and mature vs young wines without the benefit of a label needs a lot of work.
3) After about 12 wines - the ability to differentiate wines and record tasting notes - diminishes sharply
4) Perhaps I should spit more........
5) Loved that # 2 wine, and was very excited that it was still available to purchase and now have 3 bottles sitting in my wine fridge!!
Thanks again MC2wines - looking forward to Q3 aged Californians.
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