I’m not a AFWE zealot, but I can really taste oak in a bad way with most Guigal reds. I’m not a fan.
Definitely like Faury St Joe.
Question is: which reasonably priced, middle of the road (in a good way) are you backing the truck up for?
Great so far for ‘drink me nows’ in the $20-$30ish price range. The Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2015 was a sick value at the $30’s price range when I had it. Just had a Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel that was quite tasty.
I don’t know much about availability in the states but Cave de Tain also have holdings in a lot of N. Rhône appellations, except for Cote-Rotie and Condrieu. The few 2015’s I’ve tasted from there have been very elegant and fresh, and not marred by heat in any way. The 2011’s from St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage are already very pleasurable!
If you have not already acquired it, K&L was offering some Tunnel Cornas sub $30 yesterday. Not sure if its the specific bottling/vineyard you are looking for, but that seemed like a fair enough price, and I bought one.
Total Wine carries some of the Cave de Tain offerings, like their base syrah and marsanne offerings, as well as their Crozes but the none of the fancier bottlings seem to show up in our location, other than off vintages of the Gambert Loche Hermitage. Is there anyone in the US who carries their full line up? (sort of like how PJ’s in NYC carries most of the CVNE list)
Heh…based on how much I loved the 2003 Guigal Crozes and St. Joe’s I was planning on getting a few of their 2015’s, but I haven’t seen them yet. I am more oak tolerant I suppose. And Chapoutier’s Les Meysonniers as well!
Have you considered Cave de Tain’s Crozes? or the harder to find / early drinking Barou?
[/quote]Total Wine carries some of the Cave de Tain offerings, like their base syrah and marsanne offerings, as well as their Crozes but the none of the fancier bottlings seem to show up in our location, other than off vintages of the Gambert Loche Hermitage. Is there anyone in the US who carries their full line up? (sort of like how PJ’s in NYC carries most of the CVNE list)[/quote]
Dan will probably skin me for bringing him into this as he is so adamant about not discussing wines in his portfolio, but I am pretty sure Hand Picked Selections carries most of if not their entire lineup.
Secured:
Voge VV
Allemand Chaillot
Marc Sorrel Greal
Rostaing Landonne
Paris Geynale
Clape
Clusel-Roch Grandes Places
Still hunting:
Chave
Allemand Reynard
I only buy Chave St. Jo these days. I leave the rest for soul-patched sommelier types like Fu and Alfert.
Bought my Gonon allocation and will go after Guillaume Gilles, Levet, Stephan, Texier, and Benetiere when the time is right.
The Northern Rhone is now 26% of my collection.
Did this evening have anything to do with that? 
The Graillot Crozes continues to be a home run at that price point; I probably went through two cases last year. Weird thing about the mags (at least here) is that they are a couple of euros cheaper than buying two bottles separately.
Other nice Crozes at ~$25 point is the Domaine Les Alexandrins. It’s not as good as the Graillot, but it’s a beast of a Syrah.
On the higher end, am definitely a fan of Rostaing. I’ve had a couple of the La Landonnes with age on them and they were spectacular.
I agree, based on a bottle on Wednesday evening. It was quite drinkable now but had enough grip that I suspect it will age 5 to 8 years at least.
John, good to hear re: Coudoulet. Have seen surprisingly little commentary on Beaucastel’s 2015s, and so I’ve been left to wonder whether 2015 in the South is ripe and goopy or ripe but balanced. If you’re saying Coudoulet at least is the latter I may need to grab a few.
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Got your wish by one cent.
Has anyone seen Benetiere offered for either '14 or '15? Bizarre that I haven’t seen any '14 released. Anyone know the story here? (Or maybe I’m just not in the loop on these offers.)
14 not being offered for sale, only Dolium made. 15 around the corner.
As I stated in other threads, the '14 Cordeloux was sold off in bulk, Pierre refusing to put his name on it, as the VA was through the roof.
A few names not mentioned much to look at : Rousset. Silly silly silly good value. Vernay. Somehow people continue to ignore the reds here, until they taste them…
Disclaimer, I represent Benetiere, Vernay, and Rousset.
I grabbed a couple myself, they are the basic Cornas. They have the Pur Noir for $120.
I am grabbing a few magnums of Jaboulet Thalabert from our local monopoly as well.
Robert,
Not to drift, but can you still ship to Oregon?
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