A Few Rhones at Urban Butcher

The chef at Urban Butcher cooked us up some peppered steak and some amazing pork, not to mention all the charcuterie. Lots of meat, so we brought some Rhones. Wonderful food, solid wines, good times, especially for a Monday!

• 2012 Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Clean and fresh on the nose, with orange peel, saline and honeycomb. Fleshy but nervy as well, with a nice combo of minerals, oceanic elements and creamy, richer notes. Chalk and honeycomb mix on the finish.

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• 1994 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône Château de Fonsalette Reserve 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Mature but still pumping. Aromas of earth, soot and dust on top of plum sauce. Fine tannins, medium acid, still richly textured. Still showing some fruit, with plum and cherry compote; the earth, dust, smoke and olive pit flavors are quite complex. Medium+ length on the finish. Impressive, and it paired well with lots of charcuterie.

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• 1999 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Cornas 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Took some time to open up, but showed nicely after an hour or so. Smells like berry compote, a bit dumb, but starts to show some barn and earth. Silky on the palate, medium acid, dusty tannins, a smooth mouthfeel. Olive tapenade, herbs and subtle earth accent the juicy black cherry fruit. Not the most complex Cornas, but very nice.

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• 2011 Domaine Jean David Côtes du Rhône Villages Séguret 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Séguret

  Vibrant red and black fruit on the nose. Good structure on the palate, firm tannins, medium acid a bit of glycerin. Black and red fruit laced with earth, herbs and ginger. Lots of complexity here, this could probably improve with a few years in the cellar. Impressive Côtes du Rhône Villages.

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• 2005 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Impériale 93 Points

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

  A bit tight and brooding to start, but time in the decanter helped bring this wine to life. Smells of plum cake, roasted fig, graphite, cocoa powder and pepper. Firm tannins, slightly less than medium acid (I could use a bit more). Fleshy fruit, an interesting mix of strawberries and black currants, the fruit is pure and delicious. Notes of anise, graphite, beef jerky and cocoa add complexity, offering much to ponder. A lovely wine, but still quite a baby. I'd bury this for another 5-10 easily or give it a really good decant.

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• 2006 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 94 Points

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

  We decanted this and it started singing. Lots of fruit on the nose to start, cherries, plums, some Fruity Pebbles cereal, but then come the cured meat, olives and pepper. On the palate this is full and grippy, still strong and age-worthy but well balanced. Plums and jammy blackberries, rich and velvety, coated with anise, smoke, bacon and coffee. Some graphite and mineral elements come out on the finish. It got better and better with air, as it will with more cellar time. A gorgeous Pégaü but no rush.

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