2015 Rhones - What are you buying??

2015 is getting a lot of press all over Europe, but my biggest interest lies in the Rhone. That said, it’s a relatively young love, and I’m curious to hear what you veterans are buying, both for for early drinking and cellaring.

So far, I’ve purchased:
Faury St Joseph VV
Graillot Croze-Hermitage
Vincent Paris Cornas Le Geynale

I haven’t bought any Southern Rhones yet - even less experience there. So far, I like but don’t love them (in general), but I’m curious what others are into.

Envoyer just sent out an offer for the Voge Les Chailles @ $50, which sounds like a higher price than years past, but this is 2015 after all.

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What happened to the various Chapoutier No. Rhone offerings? Many of my usual vendors when from the 2014 offerings to the 2016 pre arrivals without showing the 2015’s.

The few lower level wines from the Northern Rhone that I’ve had have been very good: Vincent Paris’s St. Joseph and Barou’s St. Joseph and VdP Ardeche syrah. Definitely ripe, with boatloads of fruit, but not over the top for my somewhat AFWE palate.

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I’ve tasted the Graillot, and the “regular” Faury, and they were both very good (I slightly preferred the Faury). I would expect the Faury VV to be outstanding. Geynale should also be terrific, though I haven’t yet had it.

I swore of almost all southern Rhones some years ago. I would only touch them in a much cooler year, which 15 is not.

Franck Balthazar chaillot (popped one once it arrived. Beast of a wine)
Gonon and faury

Waiting for that allemand and juge

Shush, boy, or daddy ain’t gonna let you get any.

Gonon (bought)
Paris Geynale (bought)
Jamet
Allemand
Levet
Souhaut
Clape
Champet
Benetiere
Gilles
Balthazar (including Sans Soufre)

And some bargains/QPRs:
Clape Vin de Amis (bought)
Gonon Iles Feray (bought)
Various Texier cuvees (buying)
Chave Mon Coeur (bought)

I expect to go pretty deep here and then could be lights-out (or way down) going-forward on the big dogs (Allemand, Jamet, Clape).

Love Southern Rhone GSMs. Will likely get Vieux Telegraphe CdP La Crau, Beaucastel CdP, and Le Vieux Donjon CdP.

For someone who hasn’t had much Northern Rhone experience, what producers/regions would be a good starting point?

My first couple Northern Rhones were Cote Rotie, which is a bit like learning to swim in the deep end. Wouldn’t recommend that. Try a St Joseph from well known producer (like Domaine Chave), preferably with a few years on it. 2011’s are drinking great right now.

Where did you pick up Souhat? I got shut out by Garagiste …

I think Guigal’s regular blends are solid and widely available; the base Crozes and St Joseph are reliable value as well.

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Havent grabbed any yet, Arv. Usually from Crush.

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Yes, probably better to start with some of the more approachable wines. 2015 is a good vintage to stick your toes in the Northern Rhone waters, since it’s not short on fruit. Among the “lesser” wines that shouldn’t be too hard to find or too expensive, I’d suggest:

Clape - Vin des Amis
Jaboulet - Dom. Thalabert - Crozes Hermitage
Vincent Paris - St. Joseph
Alain Graillot - Crozes Hermitage

(Some of the wines on people’s lists here, like Gonon and Allemand, are very hard to get your hands on.)

Rhone “Rangers.”

I’me a locavore (local yokel)!

The “regular” Faury St Joseph (not VV) is really good, pretty open for drinking, relatively affordable and easy to find. Try that one and see how you like it before diving in too deep. If you want to turn it up a notch, another wine to try is Clape’s Renaissance.

And don’t limit yourself to 2015. 2013 was an excellent year (slightly under the radar), and 2014 got snubbed by the critics. It was indeed a more difficult year, but good producers made some very fine wines.

Where in the heck is everyone finding the 15 Balthazar?

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CdP - Donjon and Clos des Papes so far.

Envoyer had it for $49.99 great price.

Guigal Condrieu. I’m just a sucker for points.

That is a great price…I just bought 14’s, guess i’m a day late darn it.

What’s the deal with Domaine Courbis? Style? Some of the notes sounds pretty modern, glossy, but I’ve never had it.

If you like them a little glossy and riper, Voge and Paris 30/60 are solid buys. Not my style, but total crowd pleasers.

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