Rhone (Rhône)

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

This is 100% Grenache from organic grapes grown in Pignan.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries and spice/garrigue.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black cherries and some plums with underlying spice and char.  Nice energy and balance.  Long finish.  This needs more time to mature and open and surely will improve with five to seven more years.  It drinks well now though and will continue to do so for another twelve to fifteen years.  It will work well with lamb stew and other slow cooked, savory dishes.  

This is an excellent producer, but this was a real treat.  Besides their regular bottlings, they make 5 prestige cuvees and this is the top one.

This is a luxury cuvee for this wine who make a few different CdP's.  It is a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 20% Mourvedre.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has raspberries, black cherries, garrigue, pepper and black olives.  Full Bodied.  On the palate, this is drinking well now.  Very concentrated notes of black cherries and black raspberries with underlying pepper and smoke.  This has a long finish.  It will improve over the next five to seven years but either way will drink well for the next twelve to fifteen years.  Great on its own, but better with grilled

This is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% a field blend.  It is quite tight and shut down at the moment so if drinking soon, give it about six hours of air or more.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and garrigue.  With air a bit of lavender comes out.  On the palate, this has a lovely silky texture.  The fruit is quite tight but there are black cherries and black raspberries with a bit of black licorice and anise.  Everything feels right about this wine but it just isn't showing much at the moment.  Give it another five to seven years and then it should be o

I don't recall ever tasting a wine from this producer before.  This is a blend of 80% Grenache noir 20% Syrah.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose seems older with dust, dried cherries but also some black raspberries and garrigue.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, black cherries and dried fruits.  Moderate finish.  This seems like a wine to drink in the near term, maybe over the next three to five years.  It will work well with pasta or stews.  

Charvin is a unique Chateauneuf and not to everyone's preferences.  Its a bit lighter, more red fruits and on the more elegant side of a wine not typically known for its elegance. Utilizing a high percentage of Grenache, this one is 85% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Vaccarèse, and 5% Syrah.

This is one of, if not the best, producer of Gigondas, but they also make great Chateauneuf.  It is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, and 5% Cinsault.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has prunes, cherries, garrigue and slight floral notes.  Medium bodied.  Young but nice complexity.  Tight layers or  plums, spice and earth.  Lively.  Nice finish.  This needs a couple more years until peak but should drink well for the next twelve to fifteen years.  

This is the second wine of Vieux Telegraphe.  Dark garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with spices, garrigue, and black cherries.  It has a soft but inviting texture.  Black cherry fruit with baking spices.  A bit of cough syrup on the finish.  With air, just a touch of prunes.  The is drinking a bit better than the first wine at the moment and one to drink while waiting on the bigger 2018's.  It should drink well for another ten years.  This will work well with meats and fowl.  A burger would work well.  

What an excellent value in white wine.  For $20, this was better than many white Chateauneuf's.  It is a blend of 90% Grenache Blanc and 10% Ugni Blanc.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has minerals, wax, toast and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, almonds, lemons, and wax notes with good acidity.  A bit of a bitter almond note on the finish.  The drinks well on its own and would work well with  food.  Fried chicken would be a good match.  Drink over the next few years.  

From the ripe vintage of 2007, this bottling got just average scored from Robert Parker/ The Wine Advocate.  It is easy to see why, but that is not a reflection on quality as much as style.  This bottling was quite enjoyable but certainly an outlier from the traditional Châteauneufs.   A blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre. Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lovely cherries with some strawberries with a hint of dried flowers and spices.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is elegant and lighter.  Charming might be a good descriptor.  Cherries, with slight cranbe