Northern Rhone night
Tasted Saturday, January 13, 2024 by melvinyeowq with 91 views
Introduction
A group was interested to learn about northern Rhone so decided to share a set of seminal producers. Favourites were the old Guigals, Gonon, Faurie, Sorrel and Clape (which had the most votes).
NV Laurent-Perrier Champagne Demi-Sec 90 Points
France, Champagne
Label from what I suspect to be the mid-90s. Dark golden in colour, still retained a little fizz but drank more like an aged sweet.
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2018 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu
A more typical Condrieu and not as transcendental compared to the ‘08 I tried a couple of years ago. Aromatic with low acidity, honeysuckle; apricot and grapefruit notes dominated rather than citrus fruit. Some warmth and alcohol burn was evident from the vintage.
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2011 Franck Balthazar Cornas Chaillot 89 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
Youthful, especially alongside the Gonon which was 7 years younger. Typical blue fruit of Cornas, unfortunately had some brett and greenness that was distracting.
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2018 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph 92 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
Very elegant despite still being recognisably Syrah with bacon, meaty notes. An easy-going, approachable vintage for Gonon. Most preferred this to the Balthazar alongside.
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1993 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 94 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Didn’t expect much from this given that it was a torrid vintage in northern Rhone, but turned out to be the biggest surprise of the night. Brooding nose with coffee notes on the nose, silky and poised on the palate with a lingering finish. Wonderful balance. One of the best old Guigals I’ve tried and that’s saying something!
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1991 E. Guigal Hermitage 92 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Similar to the previous old Guigal Hermitages that I’ve tried; showed very youthfully with vibrant dark red fruit despite the integrated oak and resolved tannins. Charming, restrained wine. A little more rugged than the ‘93 Côte-Rôtie alongside so I preferred the latter, but it was an even split at the table for this flight.
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1998 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Rather tertiary with obvious soy and mushroom notes. Rather flat compared to my last bottle which had an incredible intensity and acidity.
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2017 Marie et Pierre Bénetière Côte-Rôtie Cordeloux 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
This was a perplexing one - smelled and tasted like a new-school, natty Grenache like Comando G. Sweet and jammy; no northern Rhone character here at all.
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1986 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 91 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
Some old-school funk on opening (but wasn’t as bad as the ‘88 that I had last year which literally just smelled of manure). Plenty of character - a euphemism for not being completely clean, which I don’t mind if not too distracting. Surprisingly alive with dark cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Certainly one vintage where the Thalabert isn’t too far behind La Chapelle IMO.
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2014 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
Similar to my previous experiences, rather foursquare and tasted a little over-the-hill on opening, but improved with time in the glass.
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2013 Bernard Faurie Hermitage Greffieux-Bessards 93 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
White capsule. A contrast of styles alongside the Sorrel which saw an even split at the table in terms of votes; I was in the camp who preferred the more traditional, structured Faurie to the prettier Sorrel. Purple fruit, smoky and savoury olive notes, some spice possibly from stems? A serious Hermitage that needs more time but glad to have finally opened a Faurie from my stash.
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2008 Marc Sorrel Hermitage 91 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Showed quite similarly to the 2011 Le Greal that I opened a couple of years ago. Attractive VA that many at the table loved but thought it was a little too much for me. Pretty red fruit on the palate, delicate and elegant for a Hermitage but thought it lacked depth compared to the Faurie; perhaps due to the weaker vintage.
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2004 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas 94 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
Much better than my last bottle a year ago which was too sweet and lacked structure. Showed more similarly to the excellent ‘95 that I had a couple of years ago. Blackberries, some cassis and a wine that unfurled and became more inviting in the glass. So northern Rhone, so Cornas if you know what I mean. In a perfect drinking window.
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