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2004 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône Blanc Château de Fonsalette Reserve - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (10/6/2009)
When I visited Chateau des Tours this summer, I was recommended to decant their white 2005 Cotes du Rhone Reserve Blanc for 12 hours if I wanted to open a bottle. I wonder if I should have done exactly that with this bottle of 2004 Fonsalette Blanc. Medium golden. Burnt hazelnut, caramel and exotic fruit on the nose. I detect a bit of heat. Fat, oily texture - this has legs. Palate dominated by exotic fruit; honey melon, peach, apricot. Lacks a bit of definition and freshness. Comes together with air. The nose becomes more fragrant and flowery and there’s more lime and minerality on the palate. I will check in and see how this is doing tomorrow. I found more freshness and cut in the 2004 Chateau des Tours Cotes du Rhone Blanc. This wine would be a good partner for veal and chicken dishes. -
1999 Domaine Font de Michelle Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (10/2/2009)
Another disappointing showing for this wine. A rather unpleasant smell and taste of sweet, canned tomatoes and a metallic aftertaste. Even if there is still plenty of sweet Grenache lurking underneath it comes across in a vegetal way which is just no good. The wine does firm up after 3 hours of aeration, but even then it remains mediocre. I have no clue what’s going on here. I went through a case of this wine over the last 5 years and every bottle was solid. Wait a year or two I guess. UPDATE: There is hope. Much, much better on day 3 with plenty of sweet kirschy, Grenache coming through. It may be that this is just going through an awkward phase. We’ll see. Wait 2-3 years. -
1999 Domaine du Pesquier Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (9/26/2009)
Great, traditionally styled Gigondas here. Dark red. Barnyard, horse sweat, dried cherry fruit on the entry. Precise and well framed on the palate. Grounded coffee, garrigue, sous-bois and plummy, red fruit on the palate. Good persistance and length. Excellent. -
2003 Domaine Charvin Côtes du Rhône ‘Le Poutet’ - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (9/25/2009)
Previous bottles consumed this year indicated that secondary notes of barnyard and earth were beginning to show up and the same holds true for this bottle. A bit of funk on the nose, but there is still a lot of delicious cherry and raspberry fruit running through. What came as a big surprise to me was that after a night in the fridge, the funkiness was totally gone and what was left was very pure, concentrated, sweet Grenache. The fruit had firmed up overnight and stood much clearer and brighter on day 2. To me, an indicator that the wine is still oh so young. Wow, an incredible wine for the money. Another 5 years left easily. The good 03s in the Southern Rhone are really outstanding. -
2004 Château des Tours Côtes du Rhône Reserve - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (9/25/2009)
What can I say. Another outstanding bottle of this wine. The cepage is pretty much the same as for the Rayas Fonsalette Rouge #Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah) and I wouldn’t be surprised if the wine is just as good. While I find that the 2004s from both Rayas and Des Tours are drinking well know, I am sure that the wines from both estates will be more interesting and complex with 5-15 years of bottle age. Notes consistent with previous bottles.
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