So, unlike in pre-Covid years, I didn’t host that many tastings in 2021. In a normal year I’d probably host one or two tastings per month, but in 2020 and 2021 I managed to host only a couple of tasting per year. This Northern Rhône Syrah tasting was one of those few.
First off we had a couple of pre-tasting whites while we were setting up the glasses and bottles and stuff. Unfortunately the Joaquin wine seemed a bit off - when they’re good, these Joaquin wines can be truly something. Very substantial and complex wines, completely unlike what one normally associates with Southern Italy.
Then we had a small three-wine set of blind wines which I introduced by saying one wine fits the theme, one is quite close and one is far off. It didn’t take much guesswork for the attendees to correctly guess which was which, although getting the countries for the non-Rhône wines was quite difficult.
Then we had the tasting proper - several flights of mainly small-producer Syrah from Northern Rhône, arranged by the appellation: first Crozes-Hermitage, then St. Joseph and finally Côte-Rôtie + Cornas. Some positive surprises, some disappointments. Unfortunately the hot vintages showed quite badly in some bottles, but there were a few that managed to feel surprisingly fresh and balanced even if they were from very solar vintages.
After we had gone through these wines some of the attendees left, but those of us who stayed behind opened and emptied some extra bottles. Unfortunately the Lamy bottle didn’t make it to the final lineup photo.
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2017 Joaquin Fiano di Avellino Vino Della Stella - Italy, Campania, Fiano di Avellino DOCG (6.11.2021)
From very old Fiano vineyards, located at 700 meters above sea level. Even though this is the entry-level wine of the winery, there’s rigorous bunch selection and only the best grapes are used for this wine. Fermented slowly and aged for 12-18 months in stainless steel and concrete tanks. 13% alcohol.
Remarkably deep and intense yellow-green color with a striking neon-yellow hue. The nose feels tropical, but also somewhat understated and a bit off with aromas of sweet exotic fruits, some swimming pool chlorine, a little bit of musty old cellar, light dusty tones and a sweet, volatile hint of nail polish remover. The wine is remarkably concentrated, powerful and intense on the palate with bold flavors of sweet exotic fruits, some slightly wild waxy tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light lifted notes of nail polish, a hint of overripe apricot and a touch of dusty old cellar. The overall feel is quite fat with only medium acidity. The finish feels very ripe, concentrated and slightly musty with intense flavors of overripe apricots, some leesy notes of creaminess, a little bit of acetic VA, light dusty notes and a hint of earth.
An impressively big, powerful and very ripe Fiano, but something feels a little bit off here. I suspect there might be a bit of TCA here, even though the wine was opened already on the previous day and the wine still didn’t exhibit any overt corked notes, just something weird and dusty. All in all, I suspect the wine wasn’t showing as it was supposed to, so marking it now as flawed. NR (flawed)
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2011 Grgich Hills Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley (6.11.2021)
The fruit is sourced from organically farmed vineyards. Fermented spontaneously, MLF blocked. Aged for 10 months in French oak barriques (40% new). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Intense yellow-green color. Ripe yet not particularly sweet-toned nose with aromas of fresh pineapple, some woody spice, a little bit of creamy oak, light herbal notes of lavender, a hint of fresh apple and a subtle touch of sappy vegetal greenness. The wine feels broad, tropical and quite full-bodied on the palate with flavors of ripe pineapple and creamy oak, some melting butter, a little bit of savory wood spice, light herbal notes of lavender, a hint of juicy Golden Delicious apple and an evolved touch of woolly lanolin. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance despite the slightly viscous, oily mouthfeel. The finish is rich, juicy and balanced with rich flavors of grilled pineapple, some browned butter tones, a little bit of crunchy golden apple, light bitter notes of exotic spices, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of woolly lanolin.
A rich, somewhat oaky and still surprisingly balanced white. My initial guess was a white Rhône - perhaps a Hermitage Blanc or St. Joseph - with some age and my next one was a Californian Rhône blend. Well, at least I got California correct! All in all, the wine was enjoyable and well made; even though the oak component is quite obvious, it doesn’t feel overdone, but instead nicely complimenting the texture and rich fruit flavors. I found the wine stylistically closer to white Rhône than either Burgundy or Cali Chardonnay, if that makes sense, but still the wine is pretty darn tasty for what it is - it might be quite big and ripe, but not excessively so. Quite terrific stuff. (90 pts.)
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2015 Ziereisen Syrah Gestad - Germany, Baden (6.11.2021)
Macerated for 8 weeks with the skins, aged for 21 months in 225-liter barriques (25% new). 13,5% alcohol, 0,9 g/l residual sugar. Tasted in a blind flight of one Rhône Syrah, one non-French old world Syrah and one new world Syrah.
Moderately translucent yet quite intense dark cherry red color. Quite big, ripe and sweet-toned nose with rich aromas of sweet blackberries, some toasty oak spice and sweet mocha character, light pungent notes of peppery spice, a little bit of rubbery reduction, a hint of boysenberry and a touch of something gamey. The overall impression here is relatively woody, although the wine isn’t excessively oaky - just noticeably more oaky than the other two wines. The wine is rather ripe and quite broad, yet surprisingly dry, delicate and light-bodied on the palate. Bright, crunchy flavors of fresh blackberries, ripe dark plums, some peppery spice, a little bit of sweet mocha oak, light gamey tones, a reductive hint of rubber and a touch of tart forest fruits. The structure relies on the high acidity as the tannins feel very lithe, supple and silky. The finish is long, spicy and moderately woody with bright flavors of ripe blackberries, some gamey meat, a little bit of mocha oak, light smoky tones, a hint of fresh blueberry and a touch of vanilla.
Although a relatively light and delicate Syrah, this was surprisingly serious and precise effort at the same time, coming across more Burgundian rather than easy-drinking glou-glou in style. Although this Syrah was more oaky in style than the new world Syrah we had, people guessed this must be from the old world, based on the obviously cool-climate nature of the wine - several people actually guessed this was probably from Germany, based on its ripe yet still surprisingly fresh and acid-driven nature. All in all, a very enjoyable effort, but for my taste the new oak shows still a bit too much, lending a somewhat sweet, toasty edge to the otherwise wonderfully fresh and precise fruit flavors here. I’d wait for another 6-9 years with this wine, just to allow the oak to integrate better with the fruit. Enjoyable stuff that calls for some aging. Great value at 18,70€. (89 pts.)
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2016 Aurélien Chatagnier Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes Le Crêt Louison - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes (6.11.2021)
The fruit is sourced from a rented vineyard just outside the Saint-Joseph appellation. All bunches fully destemmed, fermented spontaneously and macerated in fiberglass tanks, aged for 12-15 months in predominantly (over 90%) old oak barrels. 12,5%. Tasted in a blind flight of one Rhône Syrah, one non-French old world Syrah and one new world Syrah.
Somewhat translucent, deep and wonderfully luminous dark ruby red color. Clean, unadulterated and just so very classic Syrah nose with aromas of fresh blackberries and damsons, some gamey tones, light floral notes of violets, a little bit of blueberry and a hint of olive. The wine feels lively, clean and very focused on the palate with a light-to-medium body and vibrant flavors of ripe blackberries and boysenberries, some ferrous notes of bloody meat, light floral notes of violets, a little bit of tart red plum, a hint of olive and a brambly touch of fresh raspberry. The high acidity lends great freshness and sense of balance to the wine, whereas the gently grippy medium tannins bring some nice sense of firmness to the palate. The finish is long, crunchy and gently grippy with bright flavors of crunchy raspberries and blackberries, some ripe boysenberry and blueberry tones, a little bit of olive, light floral notes of violets, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of savory old wood spice.
A beautifully clean, focused and crunchy Northern Rhône Syrah that drinks like a classically built Saint-Joseph. Multiple people identified the wine very quickly as the Rhône Syrah from our flight of three wines. At first the wine felt a bit understated and many commented on how it wasn’t giving much, but only after 10 minutes or so, the wine started to exhibit great sense of balance, structure and intensity of fresh, vibrant fruit. The overall style is still very youthful, but not too primary in any way; the wine is drinking crazy good right now, but there’s no doubt that this will be even better at 12-15 years of age. Excellent value at 19€. (91 pts.)
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2013 PB Valley Khao Yai Winery Shiraz Reserve - Thailand, Khao Yai (6.11.2021)
The fruit is sourced from vineyards farmed on the borders of Khao Yai national park, located in the Nakhon Ratchasima province. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. 14,5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Tasted in a blind flight of one Rhône Syrah, one non-French old world Syrah and one new world Syrah.
Moderately translucent raspberry-red color with somewhat evolved plummy overtones. The nose feels somewhat evolved and slightly oxidative with aromas of aldehydic green apple slices, something slightly plastic-y, light sweet notes of blackberry marmalade, a little bit of ferrous blood, a hint of fresh blueberry and a subtle touch of toasty wood spice. The wine is mellow, slightly warm and a bit odd on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and ripe flavors of blackberry marmalade, some blueberry and overripe plummy tones, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light rubbery or plastic-y tones, a hint of savory wood spice and an aldehydic touch of green apple. The high alcohol lends a subtly boozy touch to the taste. The overall feel is a bit blowzy, thanks to the quite modest acidity and very mellow, supple tannins. The finish is somewhat warm, quite soft and gently grippy with slightly sweet-toned flavors of overripe plums, some blackberry marmalade, light aldehydic notes of green apple slices, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice, a hint of something vaguely plastic and a touch of wizened cherry.
A somewhat evolved and slightly odd Thai Shiraz where the wine exhibits some weird plastic tones. However, these notes seem to subside slowly with air, so it might be just some weird form of reduction - which isn’t unlikely, seeing how the wine was closed with a screwcap. However, that screwcap didn’t seem to be able to protect the wine from oxidation, since the wine showed subtle yet detectable, aldehydic green apple nuances, which prompted people to question whether the wine was in sound condition. This was correctly identified as the new world Syrah of the bunch, due to the high alcohol and relatively modest acidity. The closest guess for the wine was “something from Japan, China or somewhere else nearby”. Drinkable, but not really a fine wine - perhaps this was better upon release. Perhaps a bit optimistically priced at 24,55€. (83 pts.)
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2018 Franck Balthazar Crozes-Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (6.11.2021)
A négociant Syrah made with purchased fruit sourced from a 35-40 yo vineyard. Macerated with the skins for 2 weeks, aged for 10 months in old oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol.
Deep, almost fully opaque dark ruby color with a youthful, subtly purplish hue. The nose feels clean, fragrant and classically styled in the unmistakably Northern Rhône Syrah kind of way with aromas of Kalamata olives, raw meat, brambly blackberries, some sweeter notes of ripe boysenberries, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light floral notes of violets, subtle inky hints and a lifted touch of sauvage volatile character. The wine is firm, crunchy and quite acid-driven on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of tart lingonberries, ripe blackberries and bilberries, some olive tones and gamey notes of meat, a little bit of stony minerality, light bitter nuances of phenolic spice, a hint of tobacco and a slightly sharp, acetic touch of VA. The focus is on the bright, high acidity, although the somewhat grippy medium tannins also contribute to the firmness and the structure. The finish is dry, fresh and gently grippy with crunchy flavors of ripe blackberries and fresh blueberries, some brambly black raspberry notes, a little bit of olive, light stony mineral nuances, a tangy hint of tart lingonberry and a sharp, subtly vinegary touch of acetic VA.
A lovely, fresh and crunchy Crozes-Hermitage with remarkable sense freshness and bright acidity for the warm 2018 vintage. The wine shows the tiniest bit of acetic VA - something I did not notice in the previous bottle a month ago - but this remains so subtly in the background that it never manages to distract from the pleasure. However, based on this nuance, I perhaps wouldn’t keep the wine open for too long - there’s something wild here that might turn into something more feral and unwanted with too much air exposure. But all in all, this is a nice, balanced and fresh Northern Rhône Syrah from the lighter end of the spectrum. Perhaps a tad awkward and all over the place, but shows good potential for future development. Expect the score to go up over the next handful of years, return to this in 5-7 years. (89 pts.)
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2016 Julien Cecillon Crozes-Hermitage Pierre Aiguille - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (6.11.2021)
A single-vineyard Syrah from a very old parcel (80 yo vines) in Crozes-Hermitages. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, macerated with the skins for 25 days, aged for 26 months in 3rd use oak barrels. 13,95% alcohol, total SO2 81 mg/l. Bottle #254 of total 600 bottles.
Somewhat translucent cherry-red color with a pale red rim. Very sweet-toned and surprisingly oak-driven nose with pronounced aromas of vanilla, cloves and other Christmas spices, followed by notes of ripe blackberries, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of strawberry jam, light inky tones and a cool hint of mint chocolate. The wine feels big, broad and chewy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants and sweet dark plums, some vanilla, a little bit of clove-driven Christmas spice, light inky tones, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of strawberry jam. The rather noticeable oak influence lends a rather sweet edge to the flavors and makes the wine appear quite rich, burly and polished. Structurally the wine is balanced, but a bit on the soft side, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and very mellow tannins. The finish is rich, somewhat soft and quite warm with a lengthy, slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of ripe dark fruits, blueberries, some vanilla oak, light clove-driven notes of mulled wine, light bilberry jam tones, a hint of strawberry jelly and a touch of marmaladey blackberries.
A surprisingly rich, soft and heavy Crozes-Hermitage from a producer I expected to make very fresh, poised and precise wines - this wine was a complete antithesis to the wonderfully firm and classically built 2016 Saint-Joseph Babylone. It’s difficult to understand how 3rd use oak barrels can make a wine that is so noticeably oaky - normally wines that are as oaky as this are aged in new barriques! The sweet oak flavors dominate both the taste and the nose, making the wine appear very big, sweetish in taste and quite lush in character - qualities that were only exacerbated by the atypically high alcohol and modest acidity for the relatively classic 2016 vintage. Firm tannins would’ve helped to bring some welcome firmness to the palate, but no, even the tannins were very ripe, gentle and well-manicured. Overall the wine wasn’t really that much to my liking - it was just too big, soft and sweet-toned for a Crozes-Hermitage Syrah. As the producer guarantees this is a Crozes-Hermitage for the cellar, I truly hope this will transform into something more balanced and impressive, if left to age for another 10 years. At 32€, I’m starting to question the value of this wine. (84 pts.)
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2015 Domaine Rousset Crozes-Hermitage Les Picaudières - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (6.11.2021)
The fruit is sourced from one of the most esteemed vineyards within Crozes-Hermitages, Les Picaudières, where a large percentage of the vines are from the 1930’s, planted in high density, and the average vine age is around 50 years. The wine is fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, then aged for 15-16 months in a combination of stainless steel, old oak foudres and mainly used (5-10% new oak, the remaining barrels are 1-7 years old) 228-liter Burgundy pièces. 13% alcohol.
Surprisingly deep, concentrated and virtually fully opaque reddish-black color. Ripe yet somewhat restrained nose with classic savory aromas of gamey meat and brambly black raspberries, some sweeter cherry marmalade tones, a little bit of charred bacon, light red-toned notes of wild strawberries, a more concentrated hint of dark plums and a fine touch of savory wood spice. The wine is surprisingly concentrated and very ripe on the palate with a quite full body and rather intense, dry-ish flavors of dark fruits, fresh black cherries, some meaty umami, light jammy notes of sweet blackberries and strawberries, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of inky character and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine is surprisingly rich and concentrated for a Crozes-Hermitage, but unfortunately the medium-plus acidity doesn’t feel high enough to lend much sense of cut and freshness to the wine, and the ripe, relatively soft tannins really don’t bring much firmness or sense of structure to the wine either. The finish is rich, juicy and slightly sweet-toned with moderately long flavors of ripe forest fruits, some inky tones, a little bit of greasy bacon and meaty umami, light blueberry tones, sweet hints of strawberry jam and cherry marmalade and a touch of brambly blackberry.
An impressively big and concentrated effort for a Crozes-Hermitage - in this respect this wine is stylistically closer to Hermitage than to Crozes-Hermitage - but unfortunately the warm vintage shows here. The fruit feels so ripe that at times it almost veers into the jammy territory, and both the acidity and tannins don’t really bring enough sense of structure to this big, concentrated wine. The quality of the old-vine fruit is obvious here, but I feel that the wine suffers a bit from the vintage; this is a bit too fat, soft and sweet-toned Northern Rhône Syrah for my preference. With any luck some further aging might help the wine drop some of that baby fat and sweetness from the fruit, but I doubt this will ever lose that softness. Nevertheless, this feels like a wine I would love, if it just came from a cooler, more restrained vintage. Good stuff, but nothing exceptional this time. Priced according to its quality at 22,25€. (88 pts.)
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2019 Domaine Georges Vernay St. Joseph Terres d’Encre - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (6.11.2021)
The fruit is sourced from a terraced 30-yo vineyard in Chavanay, located almost next to Condrieu, in the northern reaches of the Saint-Joseph appellation. Fermented and macerated for 2-3 weeks in stainless steel tanks, aged for a year in used oak barriques. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, slightly translucent cherry red color with a vibrant purplish hue. The nose feels very youthful and quite primary with fruity aromas of brambly black raspberries, ferrous blood, some crunchy cranberries, a little bit of ripe blueberry, light meaty tones and a hint of crushed peppercorns. The wine feels clean, lively and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of blueberries and tart cranberries, some brambly blackberry notes, a little bit of primary blueberry-driven sweet fruit, light wild strawberry tones, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feel is very easy-drinking with its purity of fresh, well-delineated fruit, high acidity and very light and gentle - almost imperceptible - tannins. The finish is ripe and crunchy with rather long flavors of blackberries and fresh black raspberries, some tart cranberries, a little bit of raw, peppered meat, light ferrous notes of blood and a hint of stony minerality.
A very nice, fresh and crunchy little Syrah made in a pure and very drinkable style. In our tasting of Northern Rhône Syrah, this wine came across as a bit less serious than most of the wines, coming across as very fruity and linear with quite little in the way of structure - apart from nice, crunchy acidity - yet it didn’t come across as simple or underwhelming in any way. The wine is very lovely and approachable, yet not too easy. Primary, yet not too fruity or candied in character. I can see the wine getting a bit serious with a few years in a cellar, if it loses some of its most exuberant primary fruit, but seeing how really well the wine drinks right now, I see no harm in popping a bottle open right now. However, at 30€ the wine feels perhaps a tad pricey for the quality. (89 pts.)
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2018 Cyril Courvoisier St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (6.11.2021)
The fruit is sourced from a few very old vineyards in the commune of Mauves. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, first vinified in whole bunches for a few days, then crushed and followed by traditional fermentation employing punch-downs with pigeage (treading with foot). Macerated with the skins for 2-3 weeks. Aged for 9-12 months in used (3-6 times) oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfite additions. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, deep and quite opaque blackish-red color. Savory, somewhat angular and even slightly vegetal nose with aromas of brambly blackberries and fresh bilberries, some sappy herbal tones, a little bit of crushed peppercorns, light olive notes of tapenade, a subtly grassy hint of green olive oil, a touch of gamey meat and an acetic whiff of VA. The wine is ripe, broad and juicy on the palate with a full body and very expressive flavors of sweet, blackberry-driven notes of dark forest fruits, some olive notes, a little bit of peppery spice, a light yet quite pronounced, savory streak of meaty umami, a hint of sweet plummy fruit and a faint vinegary touch of acetic VA. The overall feel is quite supple and a bit on the soft side, thanks to the gentle medium-minus tannins and somewhat balanced yet a bit modest acidity. The finish is rich and juicy with long, savory yet sweet-toned flavors of ripe blackberries, some sweet dark plums, a little bit of tapenade, light inky notes, a hint of gamey meat and a touch of crushed peppercorns.
A very rich, ripe and supple St. Joseph that has wonderfully pure and varietally correct Northern Rhône Syrah flavors, but is ultimately a bit lacking in the structure department. The solar quality of the vintage really shows: the wine is open, expressive and very fruit-forward, but also slightly voluptuous due to the abundance of fruit, very soft tannins and rather modest acidity. Furthermore, the faint yet still detectable hint of acetic VA bothers me a little bit. Fortunately the wine is so very expressive right from the get-go, as it feels like the acetic notes only grew as the wine stayed open. There’s lot to like here, but overall I’d prefer my wines a bit less ripe and more crunchy. Hopefully some aging might make the wine drop its baby fat a bit. Priced according to its quality at 22€. (90 pts.)
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2017 Nicolas Badel St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (6.11.2021)
Although the biodynamically farmed fruit comes from the Montrond vineyard, the wine is labeled only “Saint Joseph” and the “Montrond” reads in the back label. All the fruit is destemmed, then fermented spontaneously in concrete tanks. Macerated for three weeks. Aged for 9 months in used (from 3 to 5 times) Burgundy pièces. Bottled unfiltered with minimal SO2 additions. 14% alcohol.
Very deep, dark and almost fully opaque black cherry color. Clean, quite big and rather ripe yet not noticeably sweet-toned nose with intense, fruit-driven aromas of blueberries and boysenberries, some blackberry marmalade, a little bit of olive, light plummy tones, a perfumed hint of violets and a touch of fresh red cherry. The overall impression is very attractive and thoroughly true to the variety. The wine feels juicy, clean and vivacious on the palate with a medium body and a silky texture. Very expressive and intense flavors of sweet bilberries and ripe black cherries, some peppery spice, light ferrous notes of blood, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of inky character. The wine is quite supple with its balanced medium-to-moderately high acidity and ripe, gentle tannins, yet the wine never comes across as soft or lacking in freshness. The finish is rich and juicy with vibrant flavors of ripe bilberries and blackberry marmalade, some peppery spice, light inky tones, a little bit of olive, a savory hint of meaty umami and a perfumed touch of wild purple flowers.
A wonderfully vibrant, fruity and eminently smashable Saint Joseph. The overall feel is quite immediate with very its expressive fruit and structure that keeps out of your face yet keeping the wine wonderfully in balance. It’s hard to say if the wine will age gracefully, as it really doesn’t feel like it is built to age and the emphasis leans heavily on the vibrant, youthful fruit, but seeing how wonderfully the wine drinks now, I don’t see that as a negative thing. This entry-level bottling of Badel seems to be a perfect little Syrah that can be drunk now for all its youthful delights while the more serious cuvées age in the cellar - although I wouldn’t be surprised if this wine turned out to be even better after another 4-6 years of aging. At 22€, this wine shows great value. (91 pts.)
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2015 Alain Voge St. Joseph Les Côtes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (6.11.2021)
This is the first vintage in which the labels bears the Cru from where the biodynamically farmed fruit is sourced from: Les Côtes. The Cru is situated in the southern reaches of the St. Joseph appellation, south from Mauves, and the average vine age is 10 years, having been replanted from 1999 onward. 80-90% of the fruit is destemmed. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks, macerated with the skins for a few weeks. Aged for 16 months in old 228-liter Burgundy pièces. Total production 5000 bottles and 50 magnums. 13% alcohol, 34 mg/l SO2.
Deep, dense and fully opaque black cherry color. Ripe yet savory and quite brooding nose with aromas of peppery spice and gamey meat, some fresh dark forest fruits, a little bit of sweet black cherry, light woody notes, a hint of ripe bilberry and a touch of earth. Although the wine opens up with air, the overall impression remains somewhat restrained and thoroughly classic in style. The wine is dense, textural and even somewhat muscular on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, youthful flavors of brambly blackberries, game and sanguine notes of iron, some tart lingonberry, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, a hint of savory old wood and a touch of earth. Impressive sense of structure with its high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The dry finish is lively and savory with a long, crunchy aftertaste of fresh blackberries and bilberries, some gamey tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of savory old wood spice.
An excellent, stern and thoroughly old-school Saint Joseph that combines a surprisingly stern, structure-driven expression with that classic Saint Joseph freshness. After tasting several lighter, easy-drinking Saint Joseph wines, this was one step above in terms of both quality and seriousness, coming across as somewhat Cornas-or-Hermitage-like in its power and intensity, yet retaining the freshness and lightness that characterizes many St. Joes. This is also yet another 2015 Saint Joseph that doesn’t seem to suffer from the solar 2015 vintage, but instead comes across as remarkably fresh and poised. However, as the wine feels still a bit closed and also still noticeably youthful in its expression, it’s quite obvious that this wine might not show its best now, but will benefit from further aging - return to this in another 10 years or so. At 24,70€, this was a bargain. (93 pts.)
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2015 Domaine des Rosiers Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Drevon - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (6.11.2021)
The fruit is sourced from multiple estate vineyards in Côte-Rôtie, lots vinified separetely. A blend of Syrah (98%) and Viognier (2%), aged for 18 months in barriques (25% new). Annual production 15000-20000 bottles. 14% alcohol.
Slightly translucent dark red color with a youthful purplish hue. Clean, quite classic and rather ripe Syrah nose with aromas of fresh bilberries and juicy blackberries, some meaty notes, light sweet notes of toasty oak spice, a little bit of black cherry, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of licorice. The wine is ripe, quite densely textured and rather broad on the palate with a quite full body and intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants and black cherries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of earth, light notes of licorice, a bitter hint of phenolic spice and a touch of cocoa. The somewhat noticeable oak influence makes the wine feel a slightly polished, while the high-ish alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The mouthfeel is velvety smooth and a bit on the soft side, thanks to the medium-to-moderate acidity - although the moderately grippy tannins bring some welcome firmness to the palate. The finish is rich, slightly sweet-toned and somewhat grippy with quite bold flavors of juicy bilberries and blackcurrant jam, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light licorice tones, an extracted hint of woody bitterness and a sweet touch of cocoa.
A rich, ripe and quite weighty Côte-Rôtie with a somewhat polished feel to it - mainly thanks to the somewhat sweet-toned, solar fruit, courtesy of the 2015 vintage, and somewhat noticeable, toasty new oak character. Although the wine isn’t super-modern or gloopy in any way, I think that just by reducing the new oak influence this wine would come across as much more savory and serious stylistically. Now the wine isn’t bad in any way - on the contrary, I can acknowledge the obviously high quality of the wine - but it’s just in a style I don’t enjoy that much. There’s great intensity of fruit here and the overall feel is quite balanced and enjoyably structured despite the richness of the fruit, but even then I admit I prefer the style of the lighter and more savory old-school producers more. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 38,50€. (92 pts.)
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2012 Les Vins de Vienne Côte-Rôtie Les Essartailles - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (6.11.2021)
A Côte-Rotie made by the négociant company formed by three Northern Rhône mavericks, Yves Cuilleron, Pierre Gaillard and François Villard. The fruit is sourced from lieux-dits around Ampuis (Combard, Côte Rosier, Grandes Places and Lancement), partly destemmed, fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for 2-3 weeks. Aged for 16 months in French oak. 13% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent ruby red color. Quite savory and slightly restrained nose with fine-tuned aromas of cranberries and cherries, some savory wood spice, a little bit of evolved meaty character, light strawberry notes, a hint of brambly raspberry, a fragrant, herbal touch of rosemary and a curious, spicy whiff of saffron. The wine is ripe, somewhat mellow and silky-textured on the palate with a moderately full body and quite ripe flavors of juicy dark berries and wild strawberries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light brambly notes of raspberries and blackberries, a hint of savory old wood and an evolved touch of meaty umami. The overall feel is balanced but also quite gentle and approachable, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and quite ripe, friendly medium-minus tannins. The finish is quite long, savory and slightly evolved with flavors of ripe dark forest fruits, some fresh dark plummy tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, a little bit of sweet blackberries, a toasty hint of mocha oak and a touch of gamey meat.
A nice and balanced but also somewhat anonymous and slightly soft Côte-Rôtie. Not a bad wine in any way - just one lacking a bit in character. In our tasting of 10 Northern Rhône Syrah wines, many wines from “lesser” (or less esteemed) appellations - like St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitages - offered more freshness and character than this wine. Although this wine is starting to show some evolved qualities and depth of flavor, it still didn’t manage to leave a particularly memorable impression. It’s a nice and thoroughly enjoyable effort, but nothing I’d actively try to seek. Perhaps a tad pricey for the quality at 39€. (89 pts.)
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2010 Christophe Billon Côte-Rôtie La Brocarde - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (6.11.2021)
A single-vineyard Côte-Rôtie, the fruit coming from a vineyard bordering the famous Côte Brune. Average vine age 45 yo. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, aged for 26 months in predominantly new French oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol.
Dense, quite opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved dried-blood hue. Rich, sweet and moderately evolved nose with complex aromas of wizened dark fruits and blackberry marmalade, leather some raisiny notes, a little bit of gamey meat, light oaky notes of cloves and dark-toned toasty wood, a floral hint of violets, a sweet touch of blueberry jam and a subtly acetic whiff of balsamico. The wine is very savory and textural on the palate with a rather full body and quite intense flavors of juicy blackcurrants and wizened black cherries, some raisiny and pruney tones, a little bit of balsamic VA, light evolved notes of stewed meat, sweet hints of oak spice like cloves and vanilla and a touch of leather. Rather high acidity with quite firm and assertive tannins. The savory finish is textural and rather grippy with lengthy flavors of wizened dark fruits, dried figs and juicy blackberries, some raisiny tones, a little bit of balsamic richness, light cherry nuances, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of leather.
A rich, bold and moderately evolved Côte-Rôtie with great sense of complexity and depth of flavor. You can taste the wine has obviously seen some new oak, but it has integrated quite well with the developed, savory fruit flavors, now contributing to the complexity rather than obfuscating it. Based on the somewhat tertiary dried-fruit flavors, the wine is getting close to its apogee, but then again, seeing how the tannins could still resolve a bit more and how the oak could integrate even further with the fruit, I’m not saying the wine is peaking now. It’s getting close, though. Perhaps this wine will fit Northern Rhône Syrah’s Rule of 15, meaning that the wine will be at its best after another 4 years. Who knows? Nevertheless, people seemed to enjoy this wine a lot - it did end up the WotN for many in our tasting and was among one of my favorites as well. Not affordable at 48€, but delivers for the price. (93 pts.)
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2015 Franck Balthazar Cornas Sans Soufre Ajouté - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (6.11.2021)
The young-vine bottling of Franck Balthazar, the grapes sourced mainly from approximately 10-yo vines in La Légre and Les Côtes vineyards. Vinified entirely without SO2, from the fermentation to the bottling. The grapes are fermented spontaneously in whole clusters and the wine is aged for 12-18 months in old 600-liter demi-muids. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and without any sulfites. 13% alcohol.
Dense, fully opaque and slightly inky blackish-red color. Clean, savory and quite crunchy nose with intense aromas of fresh blackberries and brambly black raspberries, some bacon, a little bit of dusty earth, light sweet notes of volatile lift, a hint of game and a touch of something vaguely sauvage without making the wine appear funky. The wine is ripe, clean and quite densely textured on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of brambly blackberries, savory meaty tones, some tangy saline notes, a little bit of fresh blueberry, light tart nuances of red forest fruits, a hint of peppery spice and a faint acetic touch of balsamic VA. The overall feel is quite firm and sinewy, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is lively and crunchy with moderate tannic grip and lengthy flavors of fresh red berries and brambly blackberries, some ferrous notes of blood and game, light tart and slightly bitter notes of chokeberries and lingonberries, a hint of earth and an acetic touch of balsamic VA.
A firm, quite muscular and surprisingly fresh effort for a Cornas from the quite solar 2015 vintage. The wine shows wonderful sense of purity, freshness and intensity of flavor, never once coming across as funky or weird despite the complete lack of sulfite additions. Probably the only sign that points out to the no-sulfite regime is the subtly yet somewhat noticeably elevated level of acetic VA, which I haven’t noticed in other Balthazar Cornas wines (although the 2018 Balthazar Crozes-Hermitage we had at the same tasting did show similarly subtle streak of acetic VA, now when I think of it). All the same, the wine is still firm, very youthful and quite tightly-knit, showing great sense of future development - most likely this wine will benefit from another 4-7 years of aging and will keep just fine for years more. A delightful and very promising effort. (92 pts.)
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2018 Kosovec Estate Winery Škrlet - Croatia, Croatian Uplands, Moslavina, Voloder – Ivanić Grad (6.11.2021)
A 100% Škrlet vinified with natural yeasts in steel tanks with the lees. Bottled unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very slightly hazy and somewhat youthful lemon-yellow color with faint greenish highlights. Relatively funky nose with moderately bretty aromas of Lambic beer and leather, lemony citrus fruits, some leesy tones, light sweeter notes of ripe yellow fruits, a little bit of phenolic spice and sappy herbal character, a sweeter hint of apple jam and a touch of waxy funk. The wine is ripe, somewhat neutral and slightly oily on the palate with a medium body. Despite its somewhat neutral overall flavors, the taste still comes across as quite intense with good sense of focus. There are flavors of red apples, some leesy notes of yeast, light bretty notes of leather and phenolic spice, a little bit of sappy herbal spice and a hint of stony minerality. The moderately high acidity feels balanced with the body and the flavors. The finish is dry, long and slightly funky with flavors of bretty leather and slightly leathery funk, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of waxy character, light leesy notes of yeast, a hint of ripe yellow apple and a tart touch of lemony citrus fruit.
In contrast to the previous bottle of this wine, which was somewhat reductive, but otherwise clean as a whistle, this bottle showed a somewhat noticeable streak of brett, lending the wine a distinct lambic-like quality and somewhat leathery overtones. And this wasn’t a change for the worse - at least for me, as I’m not averse to any funky qualities. Instead the bretty characteristics intermingled quite nicely with the bright fruit flavors and leesy notes, making this feel not unlike a Croatian Muscadet with a small dose of brett. A nice effort, although it seems obvious there is some bottle variation going on here. Good value at 11€. (89 pts.)
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2014 Sadie Family Treinspoor - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (6.11.2021)
A single-vineyard Tinta Barroca, fruit sourced from a plot planted in 1974 in Malmesbury. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, aged for a year in concrete tanks. 13% alcohol. Total production 3200 bottles.
Somewhat translucent blood-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. Savory, somewhat restrained and very subtly funky nose with aromas of ripe redcurrants and juicy red gooseberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of old leather, light earthy notes and a hint of fresh red plum. The wine is savory and medium-bodied on the palate with somewhat restrained and perhaps a bit dull flavors of redcurrants, some rusty iron nail, a little bit of earth, light bitter notes of chokeberries and smoky phenolics, a subtly bretty hint of dry old leather and a rustic touch of vague farmhouse funk. The overall feel is quite stern and tightly-knit with the high acidity and rather pronounced, moderately stern tannins. The finish is dry, quite grippy and moderately long with savory, slightly rustic flavors of redcurrants, some gamey meat, light ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, a hint of rusty iron and a touch of ripe red plum.
Although I love Sadie Family wines, this Trainspoor bottling is one I often struggle with. It is often enjoyably savory, structured and showing good sense of acidity. However, for some reason it is often also lacking a bit in freshness and focus, coming across as somewhat dull, stern and rustic. And I normally love rustic wines! And dislike fruity, polished wines! But somehow what normally works for me, doesn’t really hit the nail here. This 2014 vintage is supposed to be great, but it only manages to combine the rather tough and tightly-knit structure of the 2016 vintage with the somewhat dull, rustic and slightly funky flavors of the 2013 vintage. However, I must point out that the wine does show tremendous potential for future development, so it’s more than possible that this wine is in a slump right now and will turn out just wonderful if one is willing to wait long enough. Maybe this will will be a stunner after 15 years from the vintage? (89 pts.)
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2017 Hubert Lamy Bourgogne Blanc Les Chataigners - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (6.11.2021)
From multiple vineyards planted between 1990 and 2008 in and around the appellation of Saunt-Aubin. Fermented spontaneously and aged in old, neutral 350-and-600-liter oak casks. 13% alcohol.
Luminous and quite intense yellow-green color. Fresh and nuanced nose of red apples, stony minerality, some creaminess from the oak élevage, a little bit of white peach, light nutty notes of slivered almond, a hint of pineapple and a touch of savory old wood. The wine is lively, clean and quite crunchy on the palate with a moderately full body and relatively concentrated feel for a “mere” Bourgogne Blanc". Rather intense flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple, tart lemony citrus fruit tones, some creamy oak notes, a little bit of ripe white peach, light stony mineral nuances, a subtly reductive hint of gunpowder smoke and a touch of savory old oak spice. The rather high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance and lends it some sense of structure. The mouth-cleansing finish is lively and crunchy with long, pure flavors of lemony citrus fruits and cool, stony minerality, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of flinty smoke, light sweeter nuances of pineapple and ripe Golden Delicious apple, a hint of savory wood spice and a final touch of tangy salinity.
A pure, fresh and even somewhat concentrated Bourgogne Blanc with some sense of weight and even a little bit of fat, yet nothing that would make the wine feel heavy or take toll on its great sense of freshness. However, I do admit the sense of ripeness and weight did make this wine a bit of a curveball, as I poured it blind and people initially guessed white Rhône and Languedoc, followed by Pinot Blanc from Alsace or Alto Adige. And tasting the wine while hearing these guesses, I don’t disagree - I can see where these guesses were coming from. However, that is not to say this wine is not typical, because once you know what the wine is, it is obviously very Burgundy. It’s just a bit more concentrated than what one would expect - yet not showing the depth and breadth of a higher-Cru Burgundy. Nevertheless, a terrific wine that is drinking quite well now - especially with some air, as the wine does take its time before unfurling - but will improve for a good number of years more; I wouldn’t hurry with this one. Great value at 24€. (90 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker