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1998 Domaine La Roquette Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (5/29/2009)
Loads of mint, tobacco, garrigue and black olives on the nose and palate. Within the first hour this reminded me of the 1998 Vieux Telegraphe but as more time passed the fruit seemed to fade lot here and I was left with an impression that maybe this is at peak or past peak. It’s a quite nice, mature Chateauneuf but it’s not a great wine. I’ll try to drink my remaining bottles over the next 3-5 years. -
2003 Domaine Daniel et Denis Alary Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne La Font d’Estévenas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne (5/29/2009)
A quite evolved wine with a medium golden color. It comes across sligthly oxidized and heady. Honeyed, nutty aromas - this is okay, but the wine lacks freshness and is a bit too rich on alcohol. Not a wine I would buy again. -
2004 Domaine des Tours Vin de Pays de Vaucluse - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse (5/29/2009)
Another outstanding bottle of this wine. So, pure, fresh and elegant that it’s just a sheer delight to drink it. Clear cut raspberry and cherry fruit with a bit of white pepper and spices. Never fails to impress. -
1998 Marc Sorrel Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (5/25/2009)
A great bottle of mature Syrah from the Northern Rhone. Feminine style resembling Cote Rotie, there is raspberry fruit combined with game, leather, mushrooms and meaty flavors. Quite good acidity which makes the wine lively and not heavy, maybe that’s why I like it so much. Excellent wine. -
1998 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (5/24/2009)
The 1998 is a much better wine than the 1999. While it still carries a whopping 15% alcohol and while it is still marked by new wood, the oak is better integrated and the fruit is fuller and sweeter compared to the 1999. This wine is clearly marked by the vintage in the sense that the fruit is a bit on the pruney/raisiny side - very ripe and sweet. Big, fat texture - this wine fills out the mouth. A tiny bit heady, this could almost be a port wine. There’s a bit of tobacco and licorice too. For what it is, this is well made wine with many years of life left. It certainly requires food. As much as I think that this is actually quite decent, I still prefer the base cuvee from Yves Gras. -
1999 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (5/24/2009)
15% alcohol it says on the label. You’ve been warned! There is no compromise here. Full-blown, full speed ahead Gigondas from Yves Gras. There is a lot of mocha, chocholate, tobacco and baked/cooked black fruit flavors here. Unfortunately there is also the mark of new wood which, in my view, is not necessary. The oak treatment doesn’t bother me so much the first hour, but after 2-3 hours the fruit dries out and the oak is too overt. The wine is a decent match for grilled red meat, but ultimately I find it tiresome to drink these heavy, heady, full bodied wines. -
2000 Château de Saint-Cosme Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (5/24/2009)
I lost interest in the wines from Saint Cosme years ago as I find them too extracted and too manipulated for my taste. Much to my surprise, this bottle showed well last night. Quite delicious cherry fruit and a stinky nose displaying barnyard, leather and coffee. The wine is gentle, not over the top by any means. Very spicy on the palate. Drinking well now, I like the vibrancy of the red fruit.
Posted from CellarTracker