Rhone (Rhône)

• Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• Cornas
• Crozes-Hermitage
• Gigondas
• Hermitage
• Lirac
• Saint Joseph

Gorgeous wine.  A blend of mostly Marsanne with some Roussanne.  Drinking great right now but Rhone white wines are always unpredictable.  Golden in color.  The nose has some peaches, wax with an herbal note floating above the rest.  Very nice.  It has a slightly oily texture with lots of body weight.  The peach notes carry thru to the palate.  Slightly orange citrus on the finish.  This will probably shut down at some point but then reopen and last for a couple more decades.  This will work with moderately hearty foods.  

Deep ruby in color.  The nose is dusty with black cherries, some spice and slight garrique.  On the palate, this has some depth.  Good balance.  Tasty.  Nice black cherry fruit with underlying minerality.  This will work with a wide range of foods.  

This retailed for under $30 so it was a fine value.  Though the vintage was exceptional this is not a great wine, but certainly solid.  Ruby in color.  The nose has some cherries and a bit of spice.  On the palate, the cherries continue.  A bit tart and a bit light.  No tannins.  I doubt this gets better.  It should work well enough at the dinner table with most foods.  

Just an amazing wine.  This was a vintage with a lot of heat, some wines got jammy and while this is a big wine, it is definitely under control.  Purple/ruby in color. The nose is complex.  Lots of black cherries, black raspberries, with grilled meats, and some anise. Clean, no barnyard. The texture is amazing.  A great example of a sexy wine.  On the palate, loads of black cherry fruit.  Depth.  No hint of the 16% Alcohol.  Long finish.  This probably still has some room for improvement and certainly no hurry on it.  

Slightly better than a recently tasted 2006.  Purple, ruby at the rim.   Raspberries and boysenberries, with licorice, floral and spice on the nose.  A lot of complexity. Amazing texture. Lush, supple and sexy all at once. Perfectly balanced.  Tannins seem about resolved.  Long finish.  This seems to be at peak right now but should stay over the next few years depending on bottle variation.  Will work with a wide variety of food at this point, but heavier foods would be better.  

One of the great producers in the Southern Rhone and one of the few who doesn't have a super pricey luxury cuvee and so everything goes into the basic wine.  The price on new releases does hover into three digits now, but it is well worth it.  This was pop and pour and while it may have benefited from 30 minutes of air, it is drinking very well right now.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has raspberries, clay, and garrique.  On the palate, this has a beautiful texture.  Black cherry fruit layered with spice and minerals/rocks.  Complex.  Probably at or close to peak.   Will work

2016 is a great vintage in the southern Rhone which makes it a really great vintage to stock up on Cotes du Rhone.  This is a white wine but should last for at least five years despite its $15 retail price tag.  Light green gold in color.  The nose has nice grapefruit with minerals.  On the palate, there is a nice tart acidity.  More peach than citrus.  Long finish.  Very food friendly.  Great value.  

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has a lot of funk/barnyard.  Some blows off with air but not all.  There is also some boysenberry fruit, leather and slight bacon fat.  On the palate, this is drinking well.  Probably at or close to maturity.  Boysenberry layered with damp earth.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This needs heartier foods to work with.  No hurry but probably should be drunk in the next five to seven years.  

Such a pretty wine.  Much more on the elegant side of CdP.  Drinking at what seems to be at peak right now.  Purple with ruby swirls.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, slight cedar, nutmeg and other spices.  On the palate, this is soft and accessible.  Still, deep and with tight layering.  It gently unwinds in the glass.  Nice finish.  This works easily with medium and heavier foods.  Vary tasty.  Not a dominant wine, this will work better on its own than with a bunch of wines.  

Wow.  Great wine that has really opened up in the last year.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, spice, and slight floral notes (violets?).  On the palate, virtually a seamless texture.  Full bodied and full of glycerin.  Loads of black cherries and black raspberries.  Light tannins.  An underlying minerality.  Long finish.  Needs a bit bigger foods.  Just delicious.  Still has a decade or two left in it.  One of thos sips you can't stop drinking as it tastes so good.