June 22, 2020
Syrah from hillside, granite-heavy soils above Chavanay (the tenderloin of Saint Joseph). Deep, spicy, rich, seductive red wine, full of black licorice, peppercorns, blue and blackberry, mole and espresso smells and flavors. Concentrated and robust yet smooth with medium acidity and rounded tannins, this is a young Northern Rhone Valley Syrah to either drink or hold. Great value for a high-impact Syrah. Domaine de la Roche Paradis (“Rock Paradise”) is the creation of Yann Menager, whose day job is vineyard manager for the prolific Yves Cuilleron. Menager recently started purchasing special yet underappreciated vineyards in the Northern Rhone and making […]
February 17, 2020
A robust, spicy red from Gigondas in France’s Southern Rhone Valley. Just opened I get briary raspberries, strawberries and blueberries and with resuscitation out comes the five-spice, cinnamon, black pepper, dark soy sauce and roasted red chili pepper. It gets bolder and stronger with each passing minute of air. You get a whole lot of wine for your money here. The blend in the Mas de Flauieres Gigondas Grande Reserve is 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre.
August 27, 2019
100% Syrah from a single vineyard somewhere in Northern Rhone Valley. (It’s IGP Collines Rhodaniennes, a broad designation covering a lot of the Northern Rhone.) Quality fruit and precise winemaking makes for a fruit and spice-driven, medium bodied, ready to drink Syrah. Start to finish you get ripe blueberries, black raspberries, cracked pepper, anise and black olive. Medium acidity, fine tannins. Combo of steel tank and neutral barrel ageing for around six months: not oaky. I poured this wine at a Cuilleron wine class and the room went nuts over it. I suggest finding some of this before it’s all […]
August 27, 2019
The inimitable, prolific Yves Cuilleron makes a few thousand cases of this saignée Rosé, all Syrah from his hometown of Chavanay (which is the southern end of Condrieu in the Northern Rhone Valley.) The wine’s prettiness and relative delicacy doesn’t make me think saignée. Get the raspberries, strawberries and cherries along with a lime-y citrus and, naturally, cracked black pepper. It’s very dry and easy to like, especially on the finish when an earnest berry flavor kicks in. I poured this wine at the Yves Cuilleron tasting I led. It won the room over – all 20 of us. The […]
July 9, 2019
The estate vineyard and winery Boudinaud consistently brings big value to their wines. The red Cotes du Rhone “La Boissiere” is 55% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre then Cinsault and Counoise. Dark blackberry and strawberry fruit smells and flavors plus dry French herbs, cracked black peppercorns, dried lavender and musk. Ripeness, firm tannins and an animal-y earthiness line up to make a satisfying grilled red meat and strong sausage wine. This has French Bistro by the glass wine written all over it.
October 19, 2018
This is the real deal in Condrieu. Nose of melon, peach, apricot, citrus blossom and honey. Taste keeps that all going with a little lemon tea and fresh green olive in there too. Intriguing, rocky, lemon bitters, sea breeze finish. Freshness and acidity cut through Viognier’s effusive character. I love this wine. Could drink it happily the rest of my life. Check out the other Vincent Cluzel wines I’ve reviewed HERE. Check out all the Rhone Valley wines I’ve reviewed HERE.
October 18, 2018
Fresh, bright strawberries and raspberries with a dusting of peppery spice and herbs de Provence is your first impression of Mas de Flauzieres Gigondas Four Danuga. It makes sense, as it is the winery’s “early drinking” wine: gentle tannins, neutral oak aged, transparency. The blend is 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre. Along with the red berries, pepper and herbs, with air also get deep red plums, sweet grapefruit and anise. It’s polished and super-pretty…nothing like the rustic style Gigondas is known for. Tasty now with best drinking I’d say 2020-2026. To see all the Rhone Valley wines I’ve reviewed, GO […]
October 17, 2018
An outstanding Northern Rhone Valley, France Syrah from the the northern portion of the 30 mile long appellation along the Rhone River. The Vincent Cluzel Saint Joseph 2016 offers up blueberry and dark wild cherry smells and flavors as it dances with classic sensations of smoky black olive, soy sauce, black pepper and bacon. Both pretty & uplifting and dense & chewy, this shows the quality and value you can get from high quality Saint Joseph. I just bought a six pack for myself (no lie). Drink now through 2025. Vincent Cluzel’s family owns and farms vineyards in Condrieu and […]
June 24, 2018
A tasty Southern Rhone Valley red from the highly regarded village/appellation of Vacqueyras. Typical blend of the area: 70% Grenache followed by Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault. This wine has loads of ripe, dark, slightly jammy blueberries and dark strawberries plus anise, lavender and cracked black pepper. A whiff of barnyard but no more. (Good bret, IMHO) Firm tannins along the gums on the finish are to be expected from Vacqueyras. Overall, this is clean, juicy, fruit-first Southern Rhone red that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. At $23 it is a Great Value. I would suggest letting it breathe to […]
April 22, 2018
Perfumed, energetic aromas of blueberries, wild strawberries, new leather, lavender, black pepper and black olive (real Northern Rhone Syrah classic smells). The taste leads with the fruit with the spice and soil coming in strong from behind. I really like the balance of ripe, friendly fruit and Northern Rhone Syrah pronounced spice. Fleshy, structured and rather surprisingly ready to drink now (for a 2016). Christelle Betton started running the family property in 2003 (3rd generation), and then launched the winery. Very small producer – 15 acres under vine. There’s a pleasing marriage of old and new world style winemaking […]