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Rhône

Rhône – our collected works

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Team JR
Friday, 26 July 2013
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See Our collected works – a guide.

This collection of tasting notes on Rhône wines currently in circulation illustrates sharply how different are the wines from the two halves of the Rhône Valley. The less successful wines from the northern and southern Rhône tend respectively to be either too thin or too evolved – although Brettanomyces can affect any Rhône wine, it would seem.

Wines are listed in declining score order, which should make it relatively easy to pick out the bargains.

WHITE

Guigal 2010 St-Joseph 16.5
95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne. Caramel, ginger, stone fruit, cream – lots of authentic flavour here. Long peachy finish. Something almost autolytic too? (RH) 13%
Drink 2013 – 2015
£22 Laithwaites
Clos St-Michel 2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape 16
Juicy, ripe, nutty. Very slack acidity – it could really use a bit more zing, I think. Nonetheless, this is pleasant and typically Rhôney in style. (RH) 13.5%
Drink 2013 – 2015
Alain Graillot 2011 Crozes-Hermitage 16.5

Lovely stone fruit and some hay character, quite light-bodied and low in acid, but plenty of interesting flavour. (RH)

Drink 2013 – 2014
£19.75 Yapp Brothers
Joseph Castan 2012 Côtes du Rhône 15.5
Fresh, nutty, a little bit of applemint or menthol – possibly even elastoplast – quite a daring, unusual style. Pleasantly different. (RH) 14%
Drink 2013 – 2015
£11 Theatre of Wine
Christelle Betton 2009 Hermitage 16.5
Minty, peachy, with quite a bit of exotic spicing – really quite unconventional flavours. Very low acid, very broad palate. (RH) 14%
Drink 2013 – 2015
£41 Theatre of Wine
Michel et Stéphane Ogier, La Combe de Malleval 2010 Condrieu 16.5
Loads of soapy, apricot fruit, cream and peach slices. Great flavour, but low acid and not hugely complex. (RH) 13.5%
Drink 2012 – 2015
£34 Swig

RED

René Rostaing, Ampodium 2010 Côte Rôtie 17 +
Rich, fragrant and quite brett-heavy on the nose. Pure black pepper on the palate. Medicinal notes. Full on power. (RH) 13.5%
Drink 2013 – 2020
£45 Laithwaites
Clos des Papes 2008 Châteauneuf-du-Pape 16.5
Fragrant, lifted character with a little volatility – reminds me of Amarone in some ways – which comes to dominate the palate, actually, and I think it would get tiring after a glass. (RH) 14.5%
Drink 2013 – 2018
£53 Laithwaites
Dom des Sénéchaux 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape 17
55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre. Honest, meaty Grenache character. Minty, succulent, rich but not overbearing. Spicy finish, lots of dried herb complexity. Long, peppery finish. Pushes all the right buttons. (RH) 14.5%
Drink 2013 – 2020
£26 Laithwaites
Cave de Rasteau, Ico(o)n 2010 Rasteau 16.5
Not sure I approve of this name – nor the price at €42 from the cellar door! Deep and rich and sweet but not over the top.  Lots of chew – like a distillation of most decent Rasteaus but a bit tight.  Very flattering though. (JR) 15%
Drink 2014 – 2019
Cave de Rasteau, Ortas Prestige 2011 Rasteau 15
Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Sweet and simple on the nose. There's a little bit of gamey mercaptan on the nose. Pretty chewy. Shows how much more complex are the Boutinot 2010 Cairanne and Séguret, I'm afraid. Just a bit scrawny. A vintage thing? (JR) 14.5%
Drink 2013 – 2016
€7.70 ex cellar
Boutinot, La Côte Sauvage 2010 Côtes du Rhône-Villages, Cairanne 16.5 +
Unnecessarily heavy bottle (like its Séguret stablemate). A blend of Grenache, Syrah, old (of course!) Carignan and Mourvèdre. Aged in a mix of barriques and demi-muids with only a fifth in new oak. Dark, brooding crimson. Lifted nose, not too sweet. Quite a high-toned blend. Intriguing. Quite juicy at first and then a little drying on the finish. Distinctly 'stony'. Not yet ready. A little more ethereal than the Séguret. Definitely not playing the alcohol card! Quite refined. Definitely GV (JR) 14.5%
Drink 2015 – 2020
£14-15 Wide range of UK independent retailers
Boutinot, Les Coteaux Schisteux 2010 Côtes du Rhône-Villages, Séguret 16 +
Mainly Grenache with some Syrah, all at least 50 years old. Two years in used barriques with a quarter in new demi-muids. Hand picked, wild yeasts etc. Refined liquorice if such a thing exists. No heat on the finish. This is a wine that should continue to evolve and take on nuance for some time. Lots of juice and no excess sweetness or alcohol. It definitely has the corset of Syrah. Needs a bit of time. Very ambitious. I wouldn't say you would taste it and immediately think of schist. (JR) 14.5%
Drink 2015 – 2020
£12.50-14 Wide range of UK independent retailers
Boutinot, Arc du Rhône 2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape 15.5
Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. Arc du Rhône is named after the classified group of villages which together line up to form a geographical arc across the valley of the southern Rhône and is known locally as the ‘arc of gold’. At the southern tip of this arc stands the hill-top plateau of vineyards belonging to the most famous cru of the region: Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Winemaker Eric Monnin. TA 3.49 g/l, pH 3.46, RS 1.7 g/l.
Soft ruby. Sweet and ripe with a hint of citrus on the nose. Tannins already quite soft, some complexity from a savoury edge. Dryish finish. Overpriced and lacking generosity. (JH) 13.5%
Drink 2013 – 2017
£19.99 Waitrose
J L Chave Sélection, Mon Coeur 2010 Côtes du Rhône 16

Black, leathery, open and expressive, if a bit chewy and pinched on the palate. Hearty, rustic, traditional. (RH)

Drink 2013 – 2014
£12.95 Yapp Brothers
Christelle Betton, Le Caprice 2011 Crozes-Hermitage 16
Blackberry, white pepper, sweet spices. Gentle, rounded, fresh. (RH)
Drink 2013 – 2015
£21 Theatre of Wine
Christelle Betton, L'Espiègle 2011 Crozes-Hermitage 16.5 +
Good purity and pepperiness. Fragrant, long persistence. Ticks all the boxes for style and typicality. (RH)
Drink 2013 – 2016
£16.40 Theatre of Wine
Michel et Stéphane Ogier 2010 Côte Rôtie 16.5
Slinky, smooth, aromatic and open-knit. Supple tannins, moderate length. Not as impressive as you’d hope from the appellation? (RH) 13%
Drink 2013 – 2019
£48 Swig
Guy Farge, Passion de Terrasses 2010 St-Joseph 16
Quite interesting, very aromatic in a rustic way – earthy, manure and perhaps a little bit of VA. Certainly very traditional! Strong, dense black fruit but it is just a bit too extreme for me. (RH) 12.5%
Drink 2013 – 2018
£20.70 The Sampler
M Chapoutier, Les Meysonniers 2010 Crozes-Hermitage 17
Proper black peppery spice and a lovely leathery complexity. Really pleasing, full, lengthy and meaty. (RH) 13%
Drink 2012 – 2018
£15.99 Sainsbury's
M Chapoutier, Les Micas 2009 Côte Rôtie 16.5 +
Lots of Viognier perfume – almost reminds me of those chillable Italian reds – then a solid dose of black fruit and pepper. Opulence vinified. Not much meatiness – but it is rather young. (RH) 13%
Drink 2013 – 2019
£31.49 Tesco
Skalli, Tesco Finest 2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape 15.5
Very light and rather ordinary on the nose. Sweet but not at all intense. Dull. Sinewy. Not enough real fruit concentration. (JR) 14.5%
Drink 2014 – 2017
£13.49 Tesco
Cellier des Dauphins, Tesco Finest 2011 Gigondas 15.5
Mid smudgy red. A little light and rank on the nose. Some richness but a bit awkward and stringy. (JR) 14.5%
Drink 2014 – 2017
£12.99 Tesco
J L Chave Sélection, Farconnet 2006 Hermitage 17.5
Dark ruby. Sumptuous nose with some evolution. Really rather majestic with richness and yet with a dry finish. This would be a excellent introduction to Hermitage even if it is a bit more evolved and much faster maturing than most. (JR)
Drink 2013 – 2020
£34.90 Justerini & Brooks
Marc Sorrel 2007 Hermitage 16
Layered dark ruby. Smudgy and interesting but a bit sweet and occluded in impact. Difficult to see the absolute purity of Hermitage in this wine. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2024
£41.40 Justerini & Brooks
J L Chave Sélection, Offerus 2009 St-Joseph 16.5
Deep dark crimson. Fine and smooth and very appealing and correct without recourse to sweetness or oak. Just what St-Joseph should be – but is there the merest hint of reduction here? Juicy and appealing. GV (JR)
Drink 2012 – 2017
£18.40 Justerini & Brooks
Ch des Tours 2009 Côtes du Rhône 16.5
Sweet and polished and pretty nectar-like. A bargain hint of Rayas? Very pure, sweet, just-not-jammy Grenache. Lots of fun. And no animal flavours at all. Very sweet; very transparent. GV (JR)
Drink 2012 – 2016
£19.95 Lea & Sandeman
J L Chave Sélection, Offerus 2008 St-Joseph 15
Mid ruby. Very evolved. Dry finish. Quite tart. Correct but not much fruit or fun. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2018
£18.28 Lea & Sandeman
Dom du Monteillet 2010 St-Joseph 16.5
Scented, liquorish and vital. Just a hint of black pepper but lots of fruit and energy and northern Rhône character. Some development. Complex and pretty. (JR)
Drink 2010 – 2015
£21.50 Lea & Sandeman
André Perret 2010 St-Joseph 14.5
Evolved ruby. Sweet with a hint of Band-Aid – not a good sign. Not much fruit vitality on the palate. (JR)
Drink 2011 – 2013
£19 RRP
Pascal Jamet, La Tour d'Arras 2010 St-Joseph 16.5
Gamey spearmint on the nose. Lots of dramatic leather and interest. Almost a marmite wine. I like it! (JR)
Drink 2011 – 2016
£17 RRP
Étienne Pochon, Château Curson 2009 Crozes-Hermitage 16
Very dark crimson. Sweet, dramatic and winning. A bit flashy. Spicy and then very sandy and drying on the end. Not quite ready. (JR)
Drink 2013 – 2017
£15.28 Justerini & Brooks
Dom du Colombier 2009 Crozes-Hermitage 15
Mid crimson. Very dry. Solid and correct but too drying to be much fun. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2019
£18.45 Berry Bros & Rudd
Jean-Luc Colombo 2008 Crozes-Hermitage 15
Dark crimson. Intense ripe but dry Syrah. Quite flashy and dramatic. Dry finish. Lacking a bit of fruit. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2019
£13.99 Waitrose
Clos St-Michel 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape 16
Mid ruby with some brown. Very evolved nose indeed – not unpleasant! Lovely salty north Rhône character. Appetising and transparent. Medium weight. Appetising. (JR)
Drink 2011 – 2015
£17.99 Waitrose
La Bouïssière 2008 Gigondas 16
Transparent blackish ruby. Light, rather animal nose. Very evolved tannins. Not very fresh but true to type! If you want full ripeness under a Provençal sun, this is your wine. (JR)
Drink 2010 – 2016
£22 RRP
La Bouïssière 2010 Gigondas 16.5
Blackish ruby. Scented and rather clarety. Lively – some Syrah here? A very attractive whole that is dry rather than sweet. Appetising. Verging on severe but not. (JR)
Drink 2012 – 2020
£21.50 Lea & Sandeman
Tardieu-Laurent, Vieilles Vignes 2009 Rasteau 15
Blackish crimson. A bit gamey, porty and overripe. Lacks freshness. Very droughty finish – uncomfortable. (JR)
Drink 2013 – 2018
£20 RRP
Giraud, Les Grenaches de Sixte 2011 Côtes du Rhône 17
Mid ruby. Light sweet treacly nose with very attractive transparency and development. Sufficient acidity to stop it being jammy. Lots of sweet strawberry pleasure. Fresh finish. Impressive persistence. (JR)
Drink 2010 – 2015
£13.50 Tanners
Dom Lafond Roc-Épine 2010 Lirac 16
Livid crimson. Attractively mellow nose. Round and spicy but not aggressively hot. Tough. Quite well mannered and delivers lots of pleasure. (JR)
Drink 2012 – 2017
£12 RRP
Santa Duc 2009 Gigondas 15
Very dark crimson. On the way to oxidation. Too much for me! Though there are some herby, and jammy, notes. Very dry finish. (JR)
Drink 2010 – 2014
£20.45 Berry Bros & Rudd