Tasting Notes

92-95
Vinous Josh Raynolds - 01 Jan 09
Component #1, from a classic galets roules (rounded stones) vineyard: Pungent cherry and garrigue aromas are expansive and subtly smoky. Very rich, with creamy cherry and dark berry flavors, gently chewy texture and a late note of cracked pepper. Component #2, from sandy soil only meters from the galets site: Intensely perfumed bouquet of red and dark berries, violet, minerals and cola. Supple red berry flavors are impressively precise, with a strong mineral undercurrent. (Reynaud's Cotes du Rhone Chateau de Fonsalette blend of grenache, cinsault and syrah was also extremely impressive in November, suggesting 92-94 potential.)
Drinking Date:
Rhone Vineyard Valley of Fine Wine

Rhone

The Rhône Valley in southeastern France is famed for its diverse wines. It's divided into Northern Rhône, known for Syrah-based reds and white wines from Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne, and Southern Rhône, which features blends like Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Northern Rhône wines, such as Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, are intense and complex, while Southern Rhône's Châteauneuf-du-Pape is known for powerful, spicy reds. Top producers include E. Guigal, Domaine du Pegau, and Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, exemplifying the region's rich winemaking tradition.