Gramenon and Allemand

These wines were massive and must be amongst the darkest, most extracted Cotes du Rhones ever produced. This is not to say that they are the best ever made. Despite the primacy of Grenache in the blends, I don't think I would have picked out any of them as being Grenache-based. Pretty exaggerated winemaking and not to my taste.

• 2011 Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône Poignee de Raisins

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Dark. Whoa! Alcoholic and frankly pruny. Overdone, prickly and hot. Yuck.

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• 2010 Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône Villages Les Laurentides

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages

  Incredibly dark. Not as exuberant as the Poignee, more licorice aromatics. Big wine. Deep, intense blackberry and anise with an interesting spice component. Round, full tannins.

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• 2010 Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône La Sagesse

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Also dark and thick looking. Serious and very tannic. Very northern Rhone and nothing about this reminds me of Grenache. More obvious astringent wood tannins on the finish give a dry edge.

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• 2010 Domaine Gramenon La Papesse

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vinsobres

  Again, black as the night sky. More garrigue on the nose than fruit. This has a more open, less dense feel than the other wines with penetrating, high acidity. Long black fruit and graphite, not nearly as syrupy. On one hand, more approachable texture, but this has acidic structure that begs for more bottle aging.

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These 2 were more like it and beautifully showed the tremendous difference between these vintages.

• 2009 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Slightly lighter and less saturated than the Gramenon Grenaches! Already showing some violet fragrance. Medium weight, tannic. Classically stern, bootstrap quality Cornas with excellent acidity. Surely not too ripe despite the vintage-lots of resiny fruit and grip. Very impressive young wine that needs plenty of time.

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• 2008 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Medium color. Also fragrant, but in a very different way than the '09. Much more weedy and herbal. Medium to lighter weight. Gentle mix of earth and a hint of ripe red fruit. Good acidity, lowish tannins. Its elegance and complexity reminded me of drinking the '08 Chave. To drink on the early side. Very good result for the vintage.

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