2012 Hospice du Rhone Seminar III: A Collective Quest, Les Vins de Vienne (Yves Cuilleron, Francois Villard & Pierre Gaillard)

A disappointing showing on the part of the joint venture of Les Tres Amis: Yves Cuilleron, Francois Villard and Pierre Gaillard. Except for the Condrieu, which was quite good, these guys seem to produce much better product on their own than together. The seminar also featured unenlightening and seemingly unrelated commentary by "moderator" Jeb Dunnuck.

• 2010 Les Vins de Vienne Côtes du Rhône Les Laurelles 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Light yellow color; poised, ripe lemon, pear, white flower nose; tight, simple, clean, tart lemon, tart apple palate; medium finish (60% Viognier, 20% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne; 4 mos. on lees in vat)

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• 2010 Les Vins de Vienne Saint-Péray Les Bialeres 83 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Péray

  Bright light medium canary yellow color; oak, pineapple, baked pear nose; oak, tart pear, disjointed palate; medium finish (80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne; 9 mos on lees in French oak casks)

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• 2010 Les Vins de Vienne Condrieu Les Archeveques 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Bright, light medium canary yellow color; rich, very appealing, floral, poached, pear, pear cream nose; complex, precise, floral, tart peach, tart pear, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (9 mos. on lees in French oak casks)

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• 2009 Les Vins de Vienne Taburnum 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Collines Rhodaniennes

  Light medium canary yellow color; ripe pear, poached pear, pear nectar, white flower nose; mature, gardenia, tart pear palate with lowish acidity; medium finish (17 mos. on lees in French oak casks)

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• 2010 Les Vins de Vienne Côtes du Rhône Les Cranilles 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Very dark purple red violet color; very tart plum, tart currant nose; tight, tart black fruit, tar, tart currant, anise palate with a touch of garrigue; needs 3-4 years; medium-plus finish (60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre; 12 mos. 75% in French oak and 25% in vats)

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• 2009 Les Vins de Vienne Gigondas Les Pimpignoles 86 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas

  Dark purple red violet color; violets, tart plum, ripe berry, blackberry nose; tight, tart black fruit, charcoal palate that doesn't match the nose; cliff finish; needs 2-3 years; medium finish (60% Grenache, 40% Syrah; 16 mos. in French oak casks)

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• 2009 Les Vins de Vienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Otéliées 88 Points

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

  Dark purple red violet color; aromatic, tart berry, ripe plum, ripe black fruit, violets nose; tight, tart black fruit, tart berry, tar, mineral palate; needs 6 years; medium-plus finish 88+ points (80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre; 16 mos. in French oak casks)

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• 2009 Les Vins de Vienne Saint-Joseph Archevêque 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph

  Opaque purple red violet color; nice, tart roasted plum, tar, pepper, tart black fruit nose; tasty, tart roasted black fruit pepper, olive, tar palate; needs 3-4 years; medium-plus finish (16 mos. in French oak casks)

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• 2009 Les Vins de Vienne Côte-Rôtie Les Essartailles 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Dark purple red violet color; reticent, tart plum, roasted black fruit, tar nose; very tight, tar, tart black fruit, mineral palate; needs 7-8 years; medium-plus finish 87+ points (16 mos. in French oak casks)

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• 2009 Les Vins de Vienne Sotanum 86 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Collines Rhodaniennes

  Dark purple red violet color; black fruit, licorice, light lavender nose; solid, tart berry, ripe black fruit, broad and unfocused, unlikely to age into anything very interesting; medium finish 86+ points (16 mos. in French oak casks)

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