Well, if you can find the estate wine at around $30, jump all over it, buy every bottle you can find.
40 Rhone reviews and no one has mentioned my go-to producer - St Damien, with its several Gigondas’ bottlings. Many vintages I have preferred it to $50 CdP’s. Usually around $30.
SYMPATHY FOR THE PAPE
Please allow me to introduce myself
I’m a land of wealth and taste
I’ve been around for a long, long time
Stole many a man’s soul to waste
And I was 'round when Syrah
Had it’s moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Viognier
Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you
Hope you drink my wine
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my wine
I stuck around Tain L’Hermitage
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed Marsanne and Roussanne
Condrieu screamed in vain
I rode a tank
Held Etienne Guigal’s rank
When the Rhone Rangers raged
And the pretender’s sank
Pleased to meet you
Hope you drink my wine, oh yeah
Ah, what’s guzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah
(Woo woo, woo woo)
I watched with glee
While your Phoney Rhone Rangers
Fought for two decades
For the sugar gobs they made
(Woo woo, woo woo)
I shouted out,
Who killed Chateau Grillet?
When after all
It was you and me
(Who who, who who)
Let me please introduce myself
I’m a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for the Anti Flavor Elites
Who get killed before they reached Monkton
(Woo woo, who who)
Pleased to meet you
Hope you drank my wine, oh yeah
(Who who)
But what’s guzzling you
Is the nature of my wine, oh yeah, get down, baby
(Who who, who who)
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my wine, oh yeah
But what’s confusing you
Is just the nature of my wine
(Woo woo, who who)
Just as every Cote Rotie has Viognier
And all Americans hate Grenache
As heads is tails
Just call me ‘Negociant’
'Cause I’m in need of some restraint
(Who who, who who)
So if you drink me
Have some Vacqueyras
Have some Tavel and some Lirac
(Woo woo)
Drink all your overdone Chateauneuf
Or I’ll lay your soul to waste, mm yeah
(Woo woo, woo woo)
Pleased to meet you
Hope you drank my wine, mm yeah
(Who who)
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my wine, mm mean it, get down
(Woo woo, woo woo)
Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!
(Woo woo)
Tell me baby, what’s my blend
Tell me honey, can ya guess my blend
Tell me baby, what’s my blend
I tell you one time, guess my blend
Oh, who
Woo, woo
Woo, who
Woo, woo
Woo, who, who
Oh, yeah
What’s my blend
Tell me, baby, How much Syrah?
Tell me, sweetie, How much Grenache?
Woo, who, who
Oh, yeah
Woo woo
To be precise, that’s more than $30, but still a good price.
Thread drift: what do you think of the Clos des Truffiers? I’ve been told it is a big, bold, extracted, RP-style wine - is that your take also?
Because Peyre Rose are more on the delicate side imo, so the comparison is a bit difficult or more of a matter of taste.
Alain
Once you get to try a couple bottles from the North, I’d recommend reading Alan Rath’s notes from his recent trip to the region. Lots of great details, notes, & pictures.
The Northern Rhone is my favorite wine region, and I found sitting down with a glass of Cornas and reading his travelogue to be lots of fun.
The Clos des Truffiers is impressive, certainly no lightweight, very concentrated and powerful, but also not monolithic and overoaked. The 1997 (1st vintage) is already complex and drinking nicely, younger vintages might need some more time except you like it as they are now. (More like a Southern than Northern Rhone)
Peyre Rose might have more finesse eventually, it is less powerful, more chewy, feels “cooler” - one could call it “feminine” … but it´s also a very concentrated wine … (more like a Northern Rhone)
I like both, but in case would opt for Peyre Rose … (both are expensive and not easy to find)
Thanks for your feedback!
As many people I’m getting away from (too) powerful wines that I once liked. If this one needs 20+ years to be approachable, I’m going to stay away! 
I see what you mean for Peyre Rose, and I agree.
Yep these are expensive wines, really the high end in Languedoc. I prefer La Grange des Pères which is a bit cheaper (ex-domaine). Or some other style entirely…
Alain