Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Cotes du Rhone Villages Offline
Rotisserie Jules, London, UK
Tasted January 26, 2007 by king-bing with 1,269 views
Introduction
This was an instructive and interesting offline. The overall quality of the wines was very good, even if nothing totally stood out as being a true great. Nothing was poor either, though some were not very exciting and a couple had distinct styles that may not be to everyone's taste. It was clear that while a most producers handles the alcohol pretty well, even in 2003, it did mar a few of the wines. These tended to have an abv of 14.5%.
Flight 1 (25 notes)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Reservé Blanc des Blancs Brut
91 points
Very biscuity and doughy nose. Much less acidic than many champagnes and (for me) better for it. I wonder if this had been cellared for a while. Certainly seemed a little mature. Fairly full palate and rather tasty. Given I'm not much of a fan of champagne, this was rather nice.
Red - Sparkling
1990 Seppelt Shiraz Show Sparkling Great Western
88 points
Some age in the colour. Black peppery nose Not much fizz (I was late...), but not terribly refined mousse. Nicely mature and decent length. Drinking well. Interesting, but as one fellow sampler put it "what's the point of making it sparkling"? Hard not to agree that there is a good wine here, made worse by sparkling.
Red
2003 Les Vignerons de Laudun Chusclan Côtes du Rhône Villages Chusclan Les Granges
85 points
Quite a light colour. Classic grenache nose of white pepper, and perhaps some turmeric? Still rather tannic, not much fruit. Could be a little closed.
Red
2003 Domaine la Soumade Rasteau
90 points
Much deeper nose than previous wines. Much better fruit, some class. Still pretty tannic, but has a good future. Good length of finsh too. A real step up.
Red
2003 Domaine de l'Amandine Côtes du Rhône Villages Séguret
89 points
Lots of white pepper on the nose. Very refined tannins on the palate, though not massively fruited. A little simple, but tasty.
Red
2003 Domaine de la Mordorée Lirac Cuvée de la Reine des Bois
91 points
The nose really jumped out of the glass on this. Rich style, but very good too. Works well. Very tasty and great value.
Red
2000 Domaine La Bouïssiere Gigondas
90 points
A better wine than the 2003. Good, solid stuff and well made. A rather good drink.
Red
2003 Domaine les Grands Bois Cairanne
90 points
Nice grenachey nose with an overlay of white pepper. This is realy rather good - very solid and none of the heat of the vintage (only(!) 13.5% abv). Gentle but persistent. Excellent value (about €4.50 from the village).
Red
2001 Domaine les Hautes Cances Cairanne Vieilles Vignes
91 points
Lovely nose - very clean. Rich style let down but showing some alcohol (14.5% abv), though it's not very obtrusive. Lovely supple palate Some tannnins still. Nice clean finish. A couple more years perhaps?
Red
2001 Montirius Gigondas
90 points
Slightly deeper nose than some. Very supple on the palate, showing some of that Gigondas slight sweetness on entry, though an almost clarety dry finish.
Red
2001 Montirius Vacqueyras Clos Montirius
flawed
Very bretty and stinky nose. Even some urine. On the palate this dries away very quickly. Something not right here. A shame, as at last year's ASDW tasting it showed very well.
Red
2001 Domaine le Sang des Cailloux Vacqueyras Cuvée Floureto
92 points
Slightly bretty nose, and distinctly grenachey too. Nice depth to the fruit. On the palate, it was quite extracted (bit in a good way) - a classic iron fist in a velvet glove. Very 'focussed' fruit. Tastes a lot like a very good Chateauneuf. Big future as its still pretty young.
Red
2004 Domaine de la Charbonnière Vacqueyras
87 points
Clear raspberry nose. Gentle fruit, maybe even a little mean. Decent enough wine but not great.
Red
1998 Domaine de la Presidente Cairanne Les Partides
86 points
Distinctly mature colour. Cherry and raspberry nose. Nice gentle mature wine, but not especially interesting. Better when younger.
Red
2000 Domaine Sainte-Anne Côtes du Rhône Villages
86 points
Very different. Distinct blueberries on the nose. Almost new worldy. Still pretty tannic and not a great deal of fruit. Will more time help or will it only get worse?
Red
2000 Domaine Sainte-Anne Côtes du Rhône Villages St. Gervais Les Mourillons
86 points
Better structure than the standard cuvee. Smoother on the palate, but an odd bitter finish. The nose is rather dominated by oak and vanilla. Somewhat like a new wave Rioja?
Red
2003 Domaine La Bouïssiere Gigondas
89 points
Spicer nose than other wines so far. Very smooth on the palate. Nice fruit quality, but maybe a shade boring?
Red
2000 Domaine Rabasse-Charavin Cairanne Cuvée D'Estevenas
91 points
This was lovely stuff. Not overtly fruity, instead rather gently spiced. Delicious and drinking perfectly now.
Red
2000 Domaine Chaume Arnaud Vinsobres La Cadène
85 points
Slightly confected element on the mid-palate. Very smooth, and easy, but also rather simple. Nicely balanced though.
Red
2000 Domaine Roche-Audran Côtes du Rhone Villages Visan Pere-Mayeux
86 points
Rather dusty and cheesy nose with some raspberry notes. "Polished" is what one person thought and I agree. Kind of good but dull. Drinking well now.
Red
1998 Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Cairanne Réserve des Seigneurs
90 points
Serious and brooding nose, though with some alcohol too. Black fruits - unusual in these CdRVs. Needs more time - still pretty tannic, but has the fruit to last too. Only problem is that it seems rather charmless. Another 2-3 years?
Red
1998 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas
88 points
Some oak and VA on the nose, but nice deep quality too. Rich and spicy on the palate with some fruitcake too. Almost Tuscan in style - rather atypical. Needs more time still, but solid stuff.
Red
1998 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Valbelle
90 points
Very deep and rich nose. Serious tannis and fruit still. This seems incredibly young still - even at 9 years. Drying finish. Quite a lot of silt in my glass (comes at being at the end of the table!). Hard to judge this wine. It's very impressive inn many ways, but also seems atypical of it's place. Rather internationally styled. Some of the table thought this might be slightly corked.
Red
1998 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues
92 points
Much more classic than the St Cosme. This is a very good wine. Like a very good Chateauneuf du Pape in many ways. Drinking very well now, but will last.
White - Fortified
2003 Domaine de Durban Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
88 points
Pretty standard Muscat de B de V, but a little more viscous and richer. Better balancing acidity than expected. Nice finish to the meal.
Closing
There was no clear winner for WOTN, though 4 of 12 votes went to the Sang des Cailloux. Top QPR/value award I think had to go to the 2003 Domaine Grand Bois Cairanne.
The Domaine de la Presidente and the Charbonniere were late entrants to replace the corked 1999 Tardieu-Laurent Gigondas - reasl shame.
Thanks to Neil with assistance from Mark for putting it together.