2018 Domaine Durand Cornas Empreintes, France, Northern Rhone, Wine Review

This is a vintage that does drink well at such a young age. Inky purple, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright. The nose has boysenberries, black cherries, roasted herbs, and black pepper. Medium bodied. Medium tannins. On the palate, clay, black raspberries, slight floral quality and spices. This has some depth but it unwinds in the glass. Delicious. It will mature and may improve but it is drinking well now. Drink over the next ten to fifteen years. This would work great, of course, with Cassoulet, but it will also work well Indian food.

Grade:

Score:

Vintage:

2018

Current Price:

$40.00USD

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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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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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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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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2015 Domaine de Fauterie Cornas, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage:

2015

Score:

Grade:

A-

This was quite tight. Opened and tried over three nights and on the third night it finally started to show something. That is, of course, not unusual for a traditional Cornas. Purple in color, opaque and moderately bright. The nose has boysenberries, slight bacon fat, black olives and slight pepper. On the palate, this is medium bodied and very concentrated. Nice texture which is probably the best clue that there is a nice wine lurking in there once it opens. Enough boysenberry fruit to satisfy but this is more about minerality and earthiness. It is quite tasty too. If opening now,

2018 Domaine Durand Cornas Empreintes, France, Northern Rhone, Wine Review

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

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

Northern Rhone Red: The Original Syrah

Do Northern Rhone Syrahs Have to Break the Bank?

2015 Domaine de Fauterie Cornas, France, Rhone, Wine Review