TN: Rhone, 89/99 Beau, Valbelle, Sorrell, Bousquet, Gaillard ++

WINE TALK
1

My monthly tasting group met for the last time at my house this month. our theme was Rhone valley.

Started off with a little rose.

2005 Jaboulet Tavel Rose - Pale ruby color, roses and cherries on the nose. Juicy and tasty. Still kicking for an 05 rose.

On to the reds!

2005 Santa Duc Gigondas - deep color, anise and raspberry on the nose. Spicy and dry finish. Good but not great. Horrible for $40. $25 would be nice!!

1989 Beaucastel - Deep ruby with slight bricking. Smoke, leather, barnyard, and raspberry on the nose. velvety texture with tons of red fruits, minerals, tea leaves, dried herbs, just wow. Damn fine bottle of wine! Probably my best Beau experience so far.

1999 Beaucastel - Darker color, herbs, smoke, blacker fruits, licorice, very big palate feel with cherry and black cherry and a powerful finish. Touch of iodine as well. Very good but could use some time in the bottle or more decanting. This bottle was opened for an hour then consumed over the next 3.

2006 St Cosme Gigondas “Valbelle” - very tight. flowers, tobacco, and raspberry nose with soem spice on the palate. Very young. More shut down now than the 04 at a similar stage. Even with air it was still tight. Lots of potential from one of my favorite Rhone wines.

2000 Bousquet des Papes VV Chante le Merle - So perfumed. Just beautiful showing! Warm stones, floral notes, dried herbs. Silky on the palate with firm tannins. A very perfumed expression of CdP and just wonderful. Drinking well but young now. This should blossom in 5 years or so. One of the favorites!

2004 Domaine des Relagnes Cuvee Vigneronne - New producer to me. Smoky blackberry nose. good balance and nice raspberry and meaty flavors. But nothing special compared to the other wines tonight.

2006 Pierre Gaillard Cornas - Darkest color so far. Excellent nose. smoke, leather, violets, black berry. Very supple on the palate with polished black fruits and ample tannin. needs some time to really shine. Nose is better than the palate, but a tasty Cornas. not profound for the region, but a delicious syrah that will drink well for at least a decade.

2006 Domaine la Roubine Vacqueras - Cigar ash, earthy, meaty nose. Syrupy texture and tons of tannin. even when decanted, didn;t show too much. not a flawed bottle, but in a funky stage right now. Hopefully better in 3 years.

1998 Sorrell hermitage VV - Still deep in color, roasted meat, spicy notes. Old school wine here. Black cherry, but very meaty, bloody, and earthy. Still some tannin to be resolved. But delicious and another favorite of the night.

2007 Grand Veneur CdP - I wish i had brought a bottle of ‘Les Origines’ to compare with this. Tasted like a barrel sample compared to the other. Meaty, smoky, but with huge fruits aromas and flavors with licorice notes. Sweet fruit up front with a full body. Needs some time to settle down and lose the baby fat. We were all hopefull for its future.

2005 Jaboulet Muscat de Beaumes Venise - Floral and perfumed in style with orange blossom notes. Good but nothing special.

2006 Somaine Durban Muscat de beaumes Venise - More complex with notes of tea leaves, orange, lemons. More concentrated than the Jaboulet and a nice step up.

Overall a very nice tasting and everyone brought some nice wines! Lots of fun guys

2

I brought in a little bit of the 99 Beau to work today to try. It had oxidized over the night, not horrible. But didn’t really last the evening. Bummer!

3

I didn’t know Gaillard made a Cornas. Interesting. I’m surprised the '99 Beau would not hold to the next day.

4

Paul Jaouen wrote:

I didn’t know Gaillard made a Cornas.

I picked up some of the 2006 NBI bottling last year for $25.00/btl but haven’t tried any yet. My suspicion is that it and the NBI Seyssuel are actually Vins de Vienne wines repackaged for NBI release.

5

My store was offered a St. Joseph, Cornas, Condrieu and I think Cote Rotie. I have tried a few bottles of the Condrieu that i enjoyed and then this Cornas. My store doesn’t sell them though I purchased some for myself.

I have been happy with his wines for the price points that they are. The Cornas would retail for $45 or so in MD. Which isn’t too bad for Cornas.

6

Tasted 2007 Gaillard Condrieu today, killer stuff, but expensive.

1989 Beaucastel…when it is on, it is on.

2006 St Cosmes are awesome, but painfully young.

Thanks for the notes!

7

The Gaillard Condrieu was about $35 wholesale in MD. So not cheap, but not horrible for Condrieu.

It was my first time with the 89 Beau. The guy who brought it said that this was an above average bottle but not insane. He bought a case on release and has gone through 6 of them so far. So for me, it was pretty amazing and for him, merely excellent. I’d love to try one of the killer bottles!

8

Nice notes Mike.

Just got a three pack of the 06 St.Cosme Valbelle, and had one on deck for the next day or so. Sounds like I should wait a while.

9

I definitely would. Lots of good stuffing in there. But not a lot of pleasure right now. We sampled it over a 5 hour span and it was tight. When i first poured it, it took about 3 min. of vigorous swirling to get it to open up some aromas.

I’d probably wait a few years before I popped one.