The day after our most memorable Una Noche Riojana, I wasn’t intending on having dinner out, but my 2nd son asked to go to JSG and my youngest immediately seconded the motion. So off we went last night (Saturday the 19th Deptember 2009), but I brought no wine as I didn’t feel like drinking.
After ordering all the appetizers (2 Escargots à la Bourguignonne, 1 Escargots Miguel, 2 Os a Moëlle and 1 Terrine of Foie Gras) for the 5 of us, I ordered a glass of 2008 Château de Roquefort Côtes de Provence Corail Rosé. I’ve written about this rosé very recently, so I need not repeat.
With my main course of Trio of Lamb Loin, Lamb Chop & Megrez Sausage with Couscous, I figured I’d just get another glass (for those unfamiliar, rosé is the traditional Moroccan pairing for couscous and lamb stew). Eric and Cinthy walked in with Mrs. Doc (Doc was still stuck in the hospital), though, and Eric graciously sent my wife and I glasses (the first one blind) of the following wines to go with our main courses:
Wine # 1 - Initially, there was quite a bit of heat on the nose, but it blew off in around 15 minutes, more or less, displaying intense, sweetly ripe, spicy dark fruit, wild blackberry, bit of cassis, black pepper, moderate (though obvious) oak and a whisper of dried thyme. These were mirrored warmly on the palate in a fullish body, the pepper and oak leading in lacing the dark fruit/berry/cassis. I figured this was slightly above 14% abv. Nice, subtler on the palate than in the nose, with a touch of rusticity.
nb: my two teenagers smelled it and could identify the oak and pepper - I felt so proud.
Because of the pepper, cassis and blackberry notes, I thought it was predominantly syrah from the northern Rhône. My wife just said it was a Rhône but couldn’t say from where. Because of the intensity and rounded ripeness and drive, I knew it was young, surely from an early 2000 vintage.
Though I got the vintage range and general area (Rhône) right, I was wrong in that it was a southern Rhône and not northern Rhône and it was predominantly grenache (90%) and not syrah (10%). It turned out to be 2003 Château de St Cosme Gigondas Cuvée Hominis Fides.
Not too surprising I slipped up as I don’t drink much Rhône at all. I don’t buy any and, come to think of it, I only really get to drink Rhônes with/from the Stockbroker, Doc and Eric.
1999 Château de Beaucastel CdP - Not served blind. Initially dominated by cedar, pine (both topnotes) and bretty barnyard scents, specifically of the equine fecal persuasion, that wrapped spicy blackberry, black cherry and thorny, dried underbrush notes. After around 10-15 minutes, the barnyard notes eased down substantially and cassis and iodine stepped forward.
In the mouth, it showed more black berry fruit than black cherry, iodine, bit of dark spice, subtle dark minerality, just a hint of dried herbs (thyme and lavender) and a hint of dark violets. The fecal notes were absent on the palate, the wood very well integrated and totally unobtrusive. Readily less hefty, forward and over-all more refined than the St Cosme Gigondas Cuvée Hominis Fides, with cleaner lines and better focus. Nice and very interesting contrast in the 2 southern Rhônes - entertaining and perked me up from my drowsiness.
Edited for Typos