Northern Rhones

This tasting featured a mix of fine Northern Rhone wines with an Aussie kicker for comparison.

• 2010 Bodegas Breca Garnacha Breca 90 Points

  Spain, Aragón, Calatayud

  Very dark red with a purple/garnet hue. PNP, drank 1 glass over 15 minutes. The nose is herbal with smoke, prominent graphite, black cherry, caramel, and developing a strong kirsch character after 30 minutes in glass. The nose is almost port-like. The palate is medium bodied, nice fruits of black cherry, kirsch, raspberry, graphite, and lots of pepper on the medium finish. Good QPR wine. Needs a year of two to evolve.

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• 2009 Ferraton Père & Fils Ermitage Blanc Le Reverdy 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Medium deep gold color. Decanted 1 hour. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. This was an enigma wrapped in disappointment. While a recent tasting a of the '09 St. Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers was impressive, this wine didn't come close. At its peak, which was fairly brief, this wine was very good. However it never developed a significant nose; and the palate while initially vibrant, collapsed before our eyes. I don't know whether the decant impacted this (I wouldn't think so given the youth and the progression of the '09 St. Joseph). The nose initially had a pungent, musty quality, earthy followed by muted notes of pear, acacia, and orange peel. The palate was stronger than the nose at the outset, with caramel, caramel apple, orange zest, spice. But the palate fell off and developed some heat after 45 minutes. The 90pts(+) score is based on where this peaked and the plus for the hope this goes somewhere with a a bit of age.

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• 2003 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Dark red color. Drank 1 glass over 1 hr. Nose starts with earth, cedar ships, damp earth, cherry, spice. The palate has medium body, cherry, light white pepper, soft tannins. Medium finish. This was quite nice, maybe a bit thin in the mid palate, but overall well integrated and drinking at peak now. I don't see this improving, but holding for a couple of years. 90+ pts.

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• 2004 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Very dark red color. Decanted for 3 hr, drank 1+ glass over 2+ hours. Gloriously perfumed nose with a mix of earth and funk, lovely damp and musky aromas, intensely floral after about 15-30 minutes, dark cherry and dark berries, spices, and subtle roast meats. The palate is medium bodied, integrated velvety tannins, nice acids that work well with the darker cherry and berry flavors, pepper, spice, and long lingering musty earthy finish. Wow, really impressive and hands down my WOTN. Tied for group WOTN.

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• 2007 Delas Frères Hermitage Les Bessards 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Very dark red color. 1 hr decant, drank 1 glass over 2 hours. This was another really great nose. Heavily perfumed, showing a distinct marijuana note, herbal, smoky, floral, deep and ripe with a mix of berries and spice box, with an earthiness that develops later. The palate is concentrated, bright fruit of raspberry, mulberry, and cherry with darker undertones, very rich, white pepper, long finish with perfect balance. This was very good initially, but really developed nicely over 30 minutes. Impressive. 93+pts, my #2 WOTN and tied for group WOTN.

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• 2006 Domaine Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet Ermitage 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Very dark red-purple color. 2.5hr decant, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. Much more new world in style, with smoke, bacon fat, spice, blackberry. The palate is quite dense, full bodied, white pepper, spices, dark red fruit and blackberry, anise, and prominent and somewhat firm tannins. Drinking young still, this may benefit from another 2 years. 90(+)pts.

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• 2006 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Méal 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Very dark red-purple color. Drank 1 glass over an hour (decant time unknown). Big and powerful wine. This starts off slow and emerges nicely after 30+ minutes and seemed to gaining even more complexity. Nose is meaty, gamey, blackberry liqueur, boysenberry, graphite. The palate is full bodied, chewy, blackberry, boysenberry, black raspberry, and some red berry notes too, graphite, prominent acidity, round tannins with some grip. This was really evolving late and went form 92 to 93pts. Young, but approachable now with a good decant. My #3 WOTN and tied for group WOTN.

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• 2005 Clarendon Hills Syrah Brookman 92 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

  Dark purple color. 20-30 min decant. Drank 1 glass over 30+ minutes. Nose is dark and brooding, violets, blueberry, blackberry, savory. The palate is inky, blackberry, cassis, blueberry, full bodied and concentrated, dense and lush fruits, velvety, well balanced, long finish with oak and pepper. 92+ to 93 pts.

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Excellent grouping of wines, all showing well.

WOTN voting was an interesting 3-way tie all with 17 points:

2004 Alain Voge Cornas VV
2006 Delas Freres Les Bessards Hermitage
2006 M Chapoutier Hermitage Le Meal