I really like the 2004 vintage in the Northern Rhone and this is a nice wine with lovely clear fruit in the dark fruit spectrum except for the residual oak influence which is still a tad raw, minor secondary development which may improve with time, will be better in 2021 although will always present as international in style.
If you like Guigal you will fall head over for this
Does it count if I like Guigal’s Cote du Rone?
This is a fair bit more elegant than a CDR and the oak is quite classy but obvious.
2004 is a very fine vintage in the Northern Rhone; Robert Parker gave it an 85 which meant a lot of nice deals back in the day. I have never cottoned onto Gaillard because of all the oak but I appreciate the note!
I’ve also appreciated the few 2004 Northern Rhone syrah that I’ve had. More recently was thr 2004 George Vernay Cote Rotie Maison Rouge. Similar to the Gaillard, this veered to the modern style but definitely not as oaky as Gaillard’s (or Guigal’s).
I’ve seen Gaillard’s CdR around a little bit but never tried them.
Any comments on those bottlings?
I like Gaillard’s Côte Rôtie and I’m pretty adverse to oak. The only thing is that they need time so that the oak integrates. It never goes away indeed, but it’s not overtaking.
I got a good deal on some 2007 last year and grabbed a few, very classic CR imo. Not complex or anything, but if you want the CR experience on any given night, this does the job pretty well.
I bought a few 2015, and also some St Joseph Clos de Cuminailles which needs some time but should make a nice bottle in 7-10 years (below 20€ in France).
FYI what he does in Languedoc is not too shabby either.
Alain
Probably not. That’s only 50% syrah, with the rest being grenache and mourvedre. And I don’t think it sees any small, new oak. It’s a very reliable wine, though.
Overall 2004 is absolutely NOT a fine vintage in the Northern Rhone … it is - at best - a fair to good vintage (compared to 2005, 2009, 2010 … and also 2003 if you like the ripe style …
That doesn´t mean there were not (very) successful wines - there ARE some (by the usual suspects) … and also lots of wines that are now drinking nicely with avarage concentration, absolutely no heat … and most tannins are resolved …
Nothing against loving a particular 2004, I just want to put the vintage in perspective … it is (IMHO) the lightest vintage after 2002 (worst) and 2008 in that decade …
If you mean with “nice” that it was available quite cheap due to Parkers low rating, I agree …
Gaillard is a producer often described as “modern” … granted - the wines are more lush and charming, lacking a bit in structure (IMHO), but are usually early to drink with pleasure (also due to the quite high Viognier-%) … the Rose Purpre (from Rozier and 100% Syrah) is more serious, but in a similar style …
Parker disparaged 2004, pretty much writing it off entirely, saying the wines were underripe/green. That has not been my experience. I haven’t had a great 2004 but, as you say, Gerhard, a number of provided real pleasure.
I tasted there last summer. I had the CdR, but it is the lone wine I don’t remember at all. The St Joseph’s were really good and the two Cote Roties were very impressive. I think their use of oak is really well done, and I think the new oak was only a fraction of the total production. As the OP said, the oak is classy, but obvious.
The three Condrieu were really delicious, but I’ve never seen them stateside.
About a month ago I had a 2003 Vialleres, which I found surprisingly delicious:
Darkish mauve color. Meaty on the nose with a touch of medicine. Absolutely fabulous on the palate with rich gaminess and meat. Really stunning match to the mixed sausages cooked with an rosemary-onion wine sauce over an open fire. The pairing was serendipitous. Easily the finest Gaillard I have ever drunk and from a hot vintage at that. If I recall correctly, 2-5% Viognier is added to the cepage. Outstanding.
I seem to recall that the Gaillard wines dubbed “Cuvée Unique” are special, oak-heavy wines made for North Berkeley Imports and are only available in the U.S., but my memory of this knowledge is hazy.
If you don’t mind hints of green / under-ripeness then '04 is indeed a “fine” vintage, and it also tends to have some lively acidity. In that decade, I think '03, '02 and '08 are worse…
I had a look at JLLs site and the new oak is 30-50% with the rest being 1-3 year old barrels, all fine grained Nevers and Alliers barrels, it appears he has been dialing back the amount of new oak across his range of wines over the last few years
3 Condrieu!
I also tasted at the winery about 6 years ago. I don’t know if they’re just glad that someone went all the way there to visit with them, but I was so overwhelmed and quite confused with about 12 different reds and whites that they had me sample, some from the barrel and the rest in the tasting room. Don’t get me wrong, as they were great, very friendly folks and the town where they’re at is easily the most rustic and prettiest that I’ve seen in the Cote Rotie area. It’s just that they have way too many different products.
I suppose you never tasted in a Burgundian cellar 
Joke aside - I eventually agree, they could make the things a bit easier, at least in St.Joseph and Condrieu …
while Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage, Cotes-du-Rhone, Vins de Vienne, red and white, dry and sweet have to be kept seperately …