So I’m in whole a Rhôneissance thing right now. The Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Gigondas, the big Pape-A…All things considered, at least the #WSETDiploma program has given me that, because prior to, I never knew about these outstanding wines that are so “reasonably priced.” Intricate wines that can end up taking your palate on quite the journey.
Look, until two years ago, I lived in Chile and you simply could not find these babes.
Oh fine, in strict rigor, I’ve been around the block. I mean my girl Kim had me sipping an ’86 Pape back in 2016, but overall, my sites were set on Burgundy or Priorat when I was able to drink outside the box. And don’t get me wrong, full props to Chile for prioritizing their own fruit, because it is absolutely phenomenal. But Rhône…
So, purple-mouthed fellow, after much ado, I present to you a Purple Heart Award for the 2013 Domaine de Bonserine Côte-Rôtie La Sarrasine. I know that I’m maturing because I made an actual note to buy a bottle to stow away until the end of 2031. Who am I? I have no clue what’s happening tomorrow and here I’m wanting to keep a wine around for the next ten years…Maybe it’s a good cellar that’s going get me to settle down in the end.
Because I’m so focused on wiring my brain for the WSET, I notice my notes have gotten: A. negatively duller B. positively more legible. Here we go:
The nose is pronounced with everything from smoky bacon squirted in grapefruit to a black pepper bean stew garnished with fresh bright raspberries and violets.
The mouth has dark chocolate-covered cherries dusted in chalk and “subdued pie smells” (taken directly from the notes…) And though these descriptors sound, perhaps, overly dense, it shines bright. It’s a 30-some-year-old who is finally owning their shit, more confident and vibrant than ever before. Sure, the ol’ metabolism isn’t what it once was, new curves, new soft spots. But the bones are still very strong.
On a side-note, I’m getting a whole stewed-beans vibe from southern France in general. Just like Italy has its tomatoes, southern France its beans. Thoughts?
And then there is Gigondas, perhaps the strongest force behind my Rhôneissance moment.
The 2017 Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas is fresh, plum and brilliant. Profound aromas of cherry, salami, black pepper and tar. In the mouth, high acidity plays perfectly with intense black fruit flavors with notes of cedar, violet, bitter chocolate and more tar. The tannins are tightly-knit and set this wine up for a long-lived life.
The 2019 Domaine Palon Gigondas is elegant and mega-concentrated. This baby was a bonus track brought by my boy Xin, the eighth wine in a hefty lineup. My notes are much less systematic, with things like, “Uh oh, I just said charcolate…” I wanted to say dark chocolate and cigars. And then, “Anybody who smells like salami is a friend of mine.” The nose is so pretty, the mouth so silky. And the aging potential is enormous.
Confidentiel, a 2016 Domaine Montirius Gigondas Grenache/Mourvèdre blend with amazing aromas of meat, black olive, spice, leather, violet, red cherry, raspberry, red plum and cooked beans. The mouth is dry with medium + acidity, high alcohol and soft, ripe medium + tannin. A medium + body and flavor intensity of black cherry, raspberry, leather and milk chocolate to name a few. The finish is long and outstanding. Baby has a long life ahead of it.
And we can’t leave out Cornas…
The 2016 Domaine Equis Cornas had a profound intensity of horsehair lathered in cherries, raspberries and violets with a spritz of musk. Also present were violets, vanilla and clove to make a complex nose. Medium + acidity with medium alcohol and medium + crunch tannin. The medium + body has a medium + intensity of flavor with cherry, cassis, leather, blueberry and some of that yummy Brett. The finish could last for days, the aging potential decades.
Then there was Condrieu.
Oh yes, Rhône can rock the white as well. The 2015 Domaine de la Roche Paradis Condrieu has smile-inducing aromas of lemon curd, cotton candy, orange honey, and a hunk of clay with thyme and baking spices. There’s some brioche and apricot in there too. Despite the sweet smells, it’s a dry mouth with medium + acidity, body and flavor intensity, showcasing mandarins, honeysuckle, fresh hazelnut, pineapple, golden delicious apples, yellow and white peaches with vanilla. The finish is long, the mouth rich and opulent with all the right components to age for many more years. Poise is the word for this one.
Other stars I don’t feel like transcribing:
The 2019 Château Pesquié Ventoux, Quintessence. OH, THIS WAS YUM!
The 2016 Domaine Montirius Vacqueyras, Les Clos, and the 2017 Château de Nalys Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Now, join the Rhôneissance and go get ya some!
Because when in Rhône…
I curse every other moment of this #dipWSET journey, especially after I was told recently that I’m too “journalistic,” too expressive in my tasting notes. Well, guess what, WSET, I’m a muthafuckin’ journalist, and color lives within 🌈💜
But then there are the fantastic palates/people I’ve met throughout this experience, and I soften. A humble group rooted in concrete jungles and subway systems, with cold, wet winters and hot, muggy summers. Proper canopy management is essential so that we can air out when necessary, but also remain protected from the plethora of things that can go wrong. Pests, disease, wind, early flowering…
We are rich in complexity, with intense, balanced discussion. Just the right length and most definitely suitable for aging.
If you’re serious about learning wine, finding a solid group is essential. Split the costs. Do the work so that when you can’t, others will. Listen. Share. And most importantly, enjoy! 😘🥂
