An evening of Rhone

Always excited to participate in a Rhone-themed evening and even more fun when it includes both whites and reds from the area. Food was prepared by the chef and generally set to match up with the courses. Overall a lovely evening.

• 1996 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Gastronome Blanc de Blancs Brut

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  It is always very satisfying to get the pop of a champagne bottle when it has some age. This poured out slightly lighter in color and in general I would say this is a champagne that skews even a bit young for the years. I assume fairly good storage. There's certainly the complexity that more years gives it on the tongue though. Hint of oxidation but not too much. Lots of bubbles. Going strong. Will continue to keep an eye out for these although not so easy to find.

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• 2010 Château-Grillet (Neyret-Gachet) Château-Grillet

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Château-Grillet

  Young and very fresh and almost a hint green in style although I do mean that in a good way. It's a bit reticent and while it opened through the night it never quite got to where the 2006 did in terms of brightness. I think it's a years thing. This was also around the time of the handover from old to new ownership I think. A classic style of wine that we enjoyed.

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• 2006 Château-Grillet (Neyret-Gachet) Château-Grillet

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Château-Grillet

  Of the three Grillets this was the most expressive to me and the most in the right drinking window. The difference was mostly in the vibrancy but also a bit in how flavorful the wine is. More floral than the others. Bits of citrus. You can see some of the classic viognier coming through a bit more than it feels like it does in the other years.

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• 1999 Château-Grillet (Neyret-Gachet) Château-Grillet

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Château-Grillet

  To be fair to this wine it was shipped in the day before and so if there is such a thing as travel shock it would be well within its rights to have that. It comes across as quite closed and reticent. There's a bit of a vanilla. A bit of freshness. Missing the vibrancy and brightness that the '06 had in spades. It's not unenjoyable, but it's not where I'd have liked it to be.

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• 2013 Xavier Gerard Condrieu Côte Chatillon

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Perhaps a slightly unfair pairing. This was in a flight of Grillets (99, 06, 10) and I wanted to see how it compared with those as a more standard Condrieu Viognier. I'd say ok actually. This is very much what I think of when I think viognier - lots of floral and lime and bright and really the best comparison is one of those fancy hand soaps you find in powder rooms. There is a bit of a crispness to it. Two of the Grillet were quite restrained and this definitely wasn't that. One of the good bottles (not all in this lot have qualified).

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• 1990 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Very classic Rhone and interesting because in many ways it reminded me more of a hermitage than a cote rotie (the best analogy I have is often aged hermitage has that all over the place feeling that I get with finger painting whereas I associate CR with more structure and power). This was funky and gamey and fruity and different combinations with every sip. Drinks very well and certainly a lovely wine from one of the early pioneers of the region.

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• 1991 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Very excited to try this again as the first bottle that we had was a wow wine for me. I'll agree with the owner that this perhaps isn't quite at that same level, but I still think it's drinking really well. It jumps out of the glass, hint of feral, lots of lavender, lots of freshness, bits of darker fruits. Very enjoyable.

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• 1993 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  LaLa's need a lot of time and this was maybe just on the edge of starting to be ok to drink and really probably would have liked a few more years in the bottle. The fruit comes across as more red than dark here and it's younger in style and maybe even a bit fruitier and some of the feral secondary notes haven't quite picked up yet. Still an enjoyable wine and has that structure and power that you might expect from it (a bit less of the delicacy which to me comes from the floral side which this didn't have as much).

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• 1983 Château Rieussec

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Lovely bright and sweet and easy to drink. Very enjoyable.

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Lots of wonderful wines but I think even if it wasn't quite as good as some bottles the '91 Mouline had to be the star of the show.