TNs: Northern Rhones 90 and Older

NORTHERN RHONES 90 AND OLDER - Bistro Campagne, chicago IL (8/1/2009)

This was something that a few of us had been talking about doing for a while, so we finally went ahead to make it work. All our real focus was on, was having older northern rhones as there wasn’t a real set flighting or theme outside of having older northern rhones. We took a look at the Bistro Campagne menu and it looked like it would work perfectly for this dinner

  • 1985 E. Guigal Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    nose: real lovely nose initially with tones of bacon fat, black cherries, celery sticks, bits of black spices and some dark florals, but then seems to flatten out and the exression and layering disappears and becomes a bit more simple

taste: a bit hollow on the mid palate with a really good medium feel that is rather suave with good tones of black cherries, bacon fat and tones of black spices. Refined tannins, but this doesn’t really have the drive that a previous bottle had and fell off a bit

overall: had a great fill level and seemed to be a great bottle at first, but fell off a bit soon after being open. Wasn’t over the hill, just a bottle that was lacking and didn’t hit that next level that had previously been done (89 pts.)

  • 1990 Noël Verset Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
    nose: ridiculously deep nose filled with big and balanced tones of animal hides, scorched earth, pipe tobacco, loads of bacon fat, leather, black cherries, along with bits of mesquite tones and some various funky tones that are hard to place. Very well layered that is very intriguing and beguiling at the same time. A nose that can’t come from anywhere else

taste: great medium/full feel with good tannins still present that give really good grip still with well balanced and deep tones of pipe tobacco, scorched earth, loads of bacon fat, black cherries, and tones of mesquite

overall: a wine like no other that provides much intrigue. An absolute beguiling nose that is very deep and rough with a real edge to it, but a sumptuous quality at the same time. Certainly seems like it has a ways to go, but is an absolute delight right (95 pts.)

  • 1989 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
    nose: extremely funky that is loaded with tones of bacon fat, black cherries, dark floral tones, and some tones of manure. Wonderful depth and balance that can only come from the northern rhone

taste: wonderful and medium/full bodied with melded tones of bacon fat, black cherries, raspberries, and dark floral tones with a tinge of spice tones and bits of lavender. Very classy tones that are extremely balanced

overall: drinking beautifully and is certainly not for fruit forward fans at all. This is pure aged northern rhone through and through in all its beauty. Was great on pop n pour, but certainly emerged more in the glass and added a satin quality to it (93 pts.)

  • 1990 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
    nose: took a bit to get going, but when it did, lovely tones of dark florals, bacon fat, violets, dark cherries, dark berries, and a touch of black pepper all round out together in a relatively feminine style. Very classy and elegant that becomes more layered and deep as it gets air

taste: A very pretty medium/full feel with still very good tannins gives this a elegant backdrop with plush and round tones of black pepper, dark florals, bacon fat, and dark cherries. Rather feminine on the palate too, this served as a real nice contrast to the verset and Jamet

overall: Has a good life ahead of it. It took about 90 minutes of air to really get going, but when it did, it was a thing of beauty. Very well balanced that helped make this a very classy and elegant wine (93 pts.)

  • 1976 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côte-Rôtie Les Jumelles - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
    nose: dark and brooding, but doesn’t scream as the previous bottles. Bolder tones of black cherries, herbs, loads of spice tones, lavender, along with white and black pepper. Excellent depth, but doesn’t seem to have that next level that the previous two bottles possessed

taste: a tamed bully with a real silky medium/full feel, this has presence on the palate with excellent tones of white and black pepper, black cherries, allspice, and a bit of lavender. While the tones are really well balanced, there isn’t as much expression on the palate or depth as the previous two bottles

overall: in a sense this was a slight disappointment as the last two bottles that I have had, have been monumental. This was still very much an outstanding bottle and had a real presence about it, but just didn’t have that extra level that the past two bottles had (92 pts.)

  • 1982 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    nose: absolutely captivating nose filled with lovely tones of purple florals, dark red cherries, various spice tones, lavender, herbs, mineral rich earth, and loads of perfumes. Very burgundian on the nose that is extremely layered and pure. A very heady nose that has a lifting quality to it that almost becomes extra sensory

taste: Excellent fine grained tannins along with a real polished and silky feel with really good depth and tones of lavender, loads of dark red cherries, perfumes, and mineral rich earth. Very pure and has a delicate side to it that makes it quite attractive. Seemed a bit clipped on the finish and mid palate though and didn’t really seem to kick into third gear and was stuck in second gear.

Overall: This was an almost there situation. It had seen some good air, which had been the benefit of it previously, but this bottle just couldn’t get into that final gear and have it be as great as it was previously. A real delight though for the nose alone as everything was there with some real class and stature, it just didn’t kick into that final gear that has made this a mind bending wine in the past (94 pts.)

A great night. Lots of laughs as usual with food that went perfectly. In a sense the wines were a slight let down, but that was due to the weight of expectation, which was quite high. The wines still showed very well, and the Verset was easily one of the most intriguing wines I’ve had this year and will certainly leave a real memory for me. A lot of fun was had and I look to do it again
Posted from CellarTracker

Finally some folks who understand that Northern Rhones should be at least 10 years old (and prefereably 15+) before drinking! Bravo.

This is how I generally prefer them, but I do also kill them under 10 too. I just love the region, so they’re my green eggs and ham [basic-smile.gif]

Wow! I’m a big fan of '89 Jamet.

AGED RHONES WITH THE BAD BOYS - Bistro Champagne Lincoln Square Chitown (8/5/2009)

  • 1985 E. Guigal Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Pop and pour- the initial nose showed some nice promise with lard,smoke,dark cherries,and a bit of mushroom beef broth.
    Palate proved to be a bit thin. some dark fruit,meat flavors, and smoke but very thin.
    This showed us a little leg and then feel apart pretty quickly. Not over the hill probably just a bad bottle. (89 pts.)
  • 1990 Noël Verset Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
    A life changing experience! This wine was simply a big wow from the get go. Smoke,meat,animal hide,plums,a bit of olive. Very deep and very intriguing nose.
    The palate was big and complex with meaty broth flavors lingering along with mesquite charred wood flavors and really elegant dark fruits.
    This wine shows what aged Northern Rhones can bring it has plenty of life left but this came out punching. (96 pts.)
  • 1989 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
    Poopy diaper nose with lard.
    Not a full as the Verset on the front end but comes in with a really nice finish.
    Raspberries,tar, and lavendar.
    This came after the Verset and may have been lost in the shuffle for me. Would like to spend a couple hours with this beauty. (92 pts.)
  • 1990 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
    This took some time to open up. Showed black pepper,lavendar,smokey meats, beef juice-you likea the juice? yes I do.
    Very balanced and complex mouth of really lovely dark berries,bacon,smoked meats,and tanned leather.
    This was a pretty energetic bottle- another one that would be fun to spend more time with as it really started
    to hit it’s stride as we were finishing it up and moving on to the next flight. (93 pts.)
  • 1976 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côte-Rôtie Les Jumelles - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
    refined nose of pepper,dark florals,herbs de,and cherries.
    Mouth was very light but it did show a nice elegantly aged quality as it was very soft and silky.
    Tobacco,cherries,some purple florals,and a bit of black pepper.
    Came across as kind of tired next to the others in this flight-I’m wondering if we should have
    had the older wines first? (91 pts.)
  • 1982 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    An amazing nose of everything- smoked meats,lavendar,mushroom soup,tar,cherries.
    As good as the nose is the mouthfeel was a little flat for me. Showed some smoke,leather,
    cherries,and purple florals.
    Never really turned into the explosive wine we expected. However, I did catch a glimpse of
    what the wine can bring on the nose-WOW. (93 pts.)

A great night with Jordan,Claudio,TimF,and Kdawg. At one point Jordan offered to have Tim’s wife put a bottle in a cab from the burbs and send it into the city. (Since we only had 6 bottles for the 5 of us). Lot’s of laughs. The food was good with a 10 dollar corkage.
Posted from CellarTracker

Finally some folks who understand that Northern Rhones should be at least 10 years old (and prefereably 15+) before drinking! Bravo.

Hear, Hear! [thumbs-up.gif]

For Hermitage I’d fully agree. For Cote-Rotie I think it is nonsense, most of the vintages drink beautifully right off the bat and along the years.