Minneapolis Wine Club 3/13/10 ~ Northern Rhone

This event was a really interesting dive into Northern Rhone wines. As always the event was educational and a good time was had by all. All wines showed very well.

A couple fun starters (2 Meek wines from WA) left over from an earlier tasting John did.

• 2006 Meek Family Estate Red Wine 90 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley

  Nose: Major blackberry aromas with some dusty qualities. Palate: Big blackberry flavors with spice and a saline quality. Always good.

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• 2005 Meek Family Estate Inherit 90 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley

  Nose: Interestingly more red fruits than the last bottle consumed however this bottle was aerated for several hours. Cassis also present. Palate: Red fruits with spice and a medium length finish.

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• 2003 Delas Frères Crozes-Hermitage Le Clos 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage

  Nose: Some funk and herbs with bacon hints. With glass air red fruits and spice emerge. Palate: Red fruits show with spice and leather hints. Clean finish.

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• 2003 Guy Bernard Côte-Rôtie 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Nose: Vanillan with ripe, almost candied red fruits and just a trace of white pepper. Palate: Bacon flavors with red fruit prevalent and white pepper on mid palate and through finish. More modern than the Delas Crozes but very nice.

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• 2003 Delas Frères Côte-Rôtie Seigneur de Maugiron 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Nose: Wonderfully floral with violets, lavender and hints of spice and cement. Palate: Big blackberries with firm yet evolved tannins and a medium length finish.

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• 2001 Delas Frères Hermitage Les Bessards 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Nose: An inky, funky nose with spice and herbs (sage mostly). Palate: Bright acid with red fruit and bacon fat. Rather lean but well made. Somewhat quick finish. Given the price point not all that impressive on palate given what the nose promises. The '03' showed much better.

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• 2003 Delas Frères Hermitage Les Bessards 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Nose: Big black fruit with licorice, creosote, cedar, and fresh mint. Later celary shows up. Amazing nose! Palate: Big tannins with the black fruit, cedar, spice and a medium length and very refined finish. Tied for my WOTN with the '98' Chapoutier La Mordoree.

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• 2003 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Nose: Welcome to the Berryfest! Blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry and spice. Palate: Good tannins with all the various black and blue fruits showing along with the spice and a medium to long finish. Nice but tasted a little more manufactured than the '03' Delas Les Bessards. Tied for #2 WOTN with the '03' Delas Seigneur de Maugiron.

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• 1998 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Nose: Big inky/orchid aromas with black fruits and an almost perfumy quality. Exotic spices also in full force. The nose on this wine is always intriguing. Palate: Massive black fruits with some bacon fat flavors and complex spices. Finish is lengthy and elegant at the same time. Tied for WOTN with the '03' Delas Les Bessards.

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