2018 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Les Schistes, France, Rhone, Wine Review

This is a blend of 96% Serine (a Syrah clone) and 4% Viognier. Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is great with black raspberries, smoke and black pepper. Full bodied. Light tannins. On the palate, this is on the more elegant side of Cote Rotie. Nice black raspberry fruit with some char. Good finish. This is drinking well now and should drink well for another seven to ten years. It will work better with food. This would go well with pork chops.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2018

Current Price:

$70.00USD

Rhone Valley & Spanish Rhone-style Wines Tasted at the 2008 Hospice du Rhone Events

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Last month we reported on American Rhone-style wines we tasted at the 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008. We noted that this event was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective because, unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. While this was a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers weren’t represented, there was still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts.

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Northern Rhone Red: The Original Syrah

It’s summer, which means that for three months we say goodbye to rich, heavy red wines and welcome into our repertoire zippy whites and crisp roses to sip on the porch while soaking in the sun. That’s what most of the country does, at least. But not here. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, whose summer comes in the fall and spring, whose spring comes in the winter, and whose winter comes in the summer (and whose fall never comes).

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2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective. Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included. While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts. The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

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2018 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Champon, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage:

2018

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$107.00USD

This is the first ever vintage of this wine. Made from a massal (various clones growing together) selection of 65 year old vines at the top of the hill. The Syrah is Serines which is a particular clone of Syrah that is native to the northern Rhone. Some people think it is a distinct varietal but that is yet to be proven. Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, violets and char. A wonderful velvety texture. Medium tannins. Great balance. Delicious. On the palate, black raspberries, smoke, and great minerality. Tig

Do Northern Rhone Syrahs Have to Break the Bank?

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The classic red wines of the Northern Rhone Valley are some of the world’s greatest. Hermitage, Côte Rôtie and Cornas reds are the finest expressions of Syrah on earth. But the best of them have gotten to be very expensive, especially in American dollars. Recent vintages of Hermitage from Jean-Louis Chave are now more than $200 per bottle (and his scarce, top cuvee, Cathelin, is over $1,000). Guigal’s Côte Rôtie La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque are nearly $250 per bottle, and even the Guigal Côte Rôtie Brune et Blond bottling is over $75.

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2018 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Les Schistes, France, Rhone, Wine Review

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Rhone Valley & Spanish Rhone-style Wines Tasted at the 2008 Hospice du Rhone Events

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2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

2018 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Champon, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Do Northern Rhone Syrahs Have to Break the Bank?