Monday, November 23, 2009

Nearly recent Rhones

2005 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux
For whatever reason, this doesn’t seem to be shutting down. Admittedly, this bottle was opened a few days before and was kept in the fridge less a glass, but still, it is remarkable how well this is showing as a young wine. If you missed out on this vintage, don’t make that mistake again.

2004 Clos du Tue-Boeuf Cheverny La Guerrerie
Not a great showing for this, but still a nice dining companion. A bit wobbly.

2001 Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Cairanne Cuvée Prestige
After a couple of poor showings over recent months, I had begun to really worry about these wines. Well, it looks like I was just having a run of bad luck with bottles. This was outstanding and everything I want out of a grenache. Sappy and pure with herb laced fruit that was pinned together by focused tannin.

2000 Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Cairanne Haut-Coustias
This was the disastrous wine from a couple of months ago. Wacked out by overwhelming VA. This bottle was an entirely different story. Full of fruit and with that tangy mineral underpinning and structure that mourvedre shows in this limestone site.

1999 Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Cairanne Haut-Coustias
As well as the 2000 showed, it will always be the weak sister to this wine. Sappier and more focused with a wider spectrum of flavors, both fruit and otherwise. This has always been a great wine and one that one can never have in high enough quantity. I’ve gone through most of 2 cases over the years and wish I had several more.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I second you on that Grezeaux. Very nice stuff.

Florida Jim said...

Sounds like the 2000 Haut-Coustias bottle had a bad closure. One bottle with VA and another without - very unusual.
Best, Jim

the vlm said...

Scott (that is you, right?)-

Grezeaux rules.


Jim-

It is sorta strange, but I can only report what I experience. I'm sure there is VA in both, but something tripped the switch in one bottle, but not the other.

Florida Jim said...

Nathan,
FWIW, several of us had a bottle of CA syrah the other night and all of us thought it was fouled with VA. I contacted the winemaker and he ran a test on the wine. VA was low but di-sulphides were present.
The lesson for me was that sometimes di-sulphides (or worse) can present like VA and can fool the taster.
I am not suggesting that is the case here but I thought my story interesting in view of your experience.
Best, Jim