Some nights you just feel so Rhone-ry

A few of us were kicking around the idea of doing a broad N. Rhone tasting but limiting the price point which would let us focus away from the heavy hitters of N. Rhone and trying new things (or vintages we haven’t had of known N. Rhone wines). So we put together a dinner around Brazilian BBQ. Classic combo with the N. Rhones.

The 00 Chave Hermitage, 14 Marcel Juge, 06 Allemand Reynard, 95 Neyers were served blind as they were outside of the “theme” we had set. All four were very much enjoyed and all showed their pedigree.

The Levet really stood out and as repeated constantly on this board the last few months by many members, one of the best values in N. Rhone right now.

15 N. Rhone is a beast. It’s dense, it’s ripe, it’s concentrated with a big ass structure. They’ll live for a very very long time. All of the 15s we had benefited from LONG decants and tasted even better the next day (except the Gonon, that was drained at dinner).

• 1995 Neyers Syrah Hudson Vineyards - USA, California, Napa Valley (11/4/2017)
  blind: high toned sweet dark fruit but well balanced and good concentration. Hints of spice and meat on the nose. Straddled the new world/old world line, would have believed either as it borrows from both.
• 2000 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (11/4/2017)
  Served blind: absolute powerhouse right now. Ripe, youthful, peppery on the nose and full of that savory bright mint you get on Chave. Still needs time to resolve as it’s almost too bright that the oak shows a touch but it’s definitely going places.
• 2005 Delas Frères Côte-Rôtie La Landonne - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (11/4/2017)
  overly polished, ripe and earthy. Stands out a bit too much among the 05 levet next to it which felt more balanced and complex.
• 2005 Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet (Hervé Souhaut) Sainte-Epine - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (11/4/2017)
  Needed a full 3 hours after the bottle was opened to really open up. Initially it wasn’t showing much but I was offered a glass 3 hours later and it was all purple fruit and lilac, so perfumed and fragrant.
• 2007 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (11/4/2017)
  double decanted a couple hours before dinner, this wine is drinking great right now. It’s so meaty and wild. It borders on the edge of almost too savory and briny but it’s such a unique smell that I couldn’t stop smelling it. The palate has a wonderful game-y note to it mixed with olive and earth. Really good right now.
• 2009 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Petite Chapelle - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (11/4/2017)
  tough to drink this next to a bunch of traditional N. Rhone producers, the oak is just a bit too obvious. It has a nice peppery meat to it, but nothing exciting.
• 2011 Alain Voge Cornas Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (11/4/2017)
  kinda bitter and thin today, was expecting more ripeness and fullness on the palate considering the producer (even tho the vintage isn’t one of ripeness). Bit shrill.
• 2011 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (11/4/2017)
  absolutely in the zone right now. Vibrant flowers and olive on the nose, palate is a dash of olive juice with soft dark fruit and roast fruit. The savoriness is off the charts good. With just enough lift from the acidity to cool the palate.
• 2013 Domaine Joël Champet Côte-Rôtie La Viallière - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (11/4/2017)
  Right now it has all the subtle classic cote rotie on the nose and palate, but closed up and not showing much, a bit too lean at the moment.
• 2015 Domaine Lionnet St. Joseph Terre Neuve - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (11/4/2017)
  served blind: A bit modern on the nose but had a nice hit of olive and roast meat, palate was a touch hollow, but had enough stuffing to make it enjoyable.
• 2005 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Les Journaries - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (11/3/2017)
  Double decanted around 10am, dinner at 7pm, needed another hour after that to blossom as it was still a bit tannic, but once the tannins resolved you get this light funk and bacon with a refined textured mid palate. That smoke and bacon fat is delicious as it lingers. Not as wild as the 07 Chavaroche next to it, but that’s not a bad thing.
• 2006 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (11/3/2017)
  ohhhh weee this baby is drinking real good right now. Double decanted about 2-3 hours before dinner. Chock full of olive, black pepper and meaty red berry fruit. PIERCING bright acidity. It’s more savory than fruit at this moment which makes it so damn delicious. It’s the most “VERSET” like Reynard I’ve had yet with that savory olive note running through.
• 2014 Marcel Juge Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (11/3/2017)
  Decanted at the restaurant, consumed immediately. Needed that rush of oxygen to really bloom with that wild snappy fruit nose. Palate is far more textured and less silky than the bottle I opened a couple weeks ago (different retailers) and more in line with what I’m used to with Juge with that bright prickly minerality on the palate. Such a great wine, happy to share it with those that haven’t tried Juge yet.
• 2015 Hirotake Ooka Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (11/3/2017)
  double decanted at 10am for dinner at 7pm. When I opened the bottle at 7 it had a decent amount of spritz, nothing a good ol plug and shake couldn’t handle. Nose was all ripe purple fruit and violets, palate was a bit lean at the moment and shut off, but started to peak out with a dense weighty fruit. Purity is still there which is pretty awesome.
• 2015 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (11/3/2017)
  Ugh, so so good. Has that olive pepper note you get from Gonon St Joe but backed up by a concentrated blast of black berry fruit. Deeply structured and filled with acid to make it easy drinking. Gonna be a long ager but still damn good with plenty of air.

Charlie, thanks for the notes on many wines that I own but have not tasted yet.

Phew, thank God it was an Oriental guy that posted this. Otherwise I would have had to report it to the Mods as “insensitive and borderline racist”.

I’m glad you stayed away from heavy hitters like Chave, Allemand and Delas Freres. It would be unfair to the others.

What a night, Mr. Fu!

Thanks for sharing the details.

Thanks for the great notes!

15 Gonon worth the $70 pricetag I have been seeing?

Seeing the ‘11 was had at $40 I would say no.

The inevitable price hike has hit. Fighting the tide would seem foolish. I grabbed mine on release for $50 but limited allocations among multiple sources.

Theme was all non blind wines were to be under $100. Which the delas freres was. Also the person that brought it is doing a ritual cleansing of all high oak ripe n Rhône and wanted to see how the freres would fare among traditional producers. Not sure I’d ever classify the delas freres as a heavy hitter. Chave and allemand, sure, but they were served blind by generous contributors

Wish you could have thrown in the 15 Faury VV…would like to see it up against the Gonon’s.

Great notes! No matter what you say, I just can’t get into Levet. I’m convinced they not only go 100% whole cluster, but they throw in a bunch of weeds from the vineyard to boot

Doc: I haven’t had a 15 Gonon post-bottling, but I’m betting it’s well worth even $70 in the scheme of Rhone producers.

I don’t have that luxury and $70/btl is as cheap as I’m seeing the 2015.

One of the guys had it the next night out of curiousity. He said great at the price but no 15 gonon

Even among the ‘lessers’, you still have to sneak in an Allemand and Chave…

So the question remains unanswered. Is the '15 Gonon worth it at $70? Bully for you and your wise sourcing at the $50 price point but are you a buyer at $70?

Sure. I’d get a couple if I didn’t have some already

Thanks for the notes Charlie and thanks for bringing the Juge, my first and god willing not my last! I did not take notes so some impressions…I am a Levet fan and the 07 was delicious guess I like stems and weeds Got to admit I went back to the Allemand bottle a couple of times, the 15’s have some power should be long lived. I did learn that you should never underestimate chicken hearts and Chave. Best Thursday night I have had in awhile Friday morning not so much

Anyone know where the 2014 Juge can be purchased?

The real question for fancy Young Fu, is whether he can do this:

Thanks for reminding me, Martin!