Made a few visits in Chateauneuf two weeks ago, it was freaking hot, close to 40 Celsius which is rare even for the south of France. My usual stops are Pierre Usseglio, Clos St. Jean, Clos des Papes and Domaine Giraud. I picked up all the 2010s that I reserved during the “Printemps” and some more Rosé’s and Cotes du Rhones.
Because of the hot weather it was important to RUN - get the wine in the car, put the air con on 18 Celsius and drive quickly the 30 minutes to Vaison where we stayed for a few days. I am happy to report that all the wine arrived in good shape ![[highfive.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/d/db21b9263a9105e51f6f8b11e61dd4de095611f9.gif "highfive"){kind=small}
I didn’t taste much of the 2010s that I collected, it is just too warm at the moment, but will report over the next few weeks.
During my visit to Domaine Giraud Marie gave me a bottle of their Cotes du Rhone “Grenache de Sixte” 2011. A good glimpse into the 2011 vintage I thought and popped it last night. Marie said that contrary to 2010, the 2011 vintage brought plenty of fruit, so it was important to pick and choose and even throw some away. The cold July and perfect autumn led to a long harvest season, so every Domaine had their own “window” where they have chosen to pick the fruit.
The wine is 100% Grenache from 60 year old vines over in Lirac. Light colour, unlike the Chateauneuf, but what a bunch of aromas on the nose! The first sip shows ripe tannins and a perfectly drinkable wine already. An overweight of kirsch, but a light footed wine. I am impressed, this is almost a Burgundian Grenache but with great lenght and surprising complexity. A few Mergueze later the bottle is empty and I am a happy man. I think I have to buy some more and need to find out the price.
To get a comparison I opened a Lirac, the 2005 Reine des Bois from Mordoree. A big wine in its youth, I haven’t tasted any of it since release. Now, a few years later the wine has softened considerably, but the colour is still ink-like and the nose dark and brooding. This is on its way into the drinking window, I would give it another 2-3 years. Modern style but very enjoyable. Happy to sit on a case (or now a case minus 1).
The third wine was a 2010 Persia from Fondreche - when I decanted the wine I found a big fat spider floating in it, arghh, I couldn’t drink it anymore. Call me a pussy. Don’t they filter that stuff during bottling ? Or did that monster hide in the empty bottle before ?
Cheers
Christian