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Rhône: Odd Bottles

When it comes to classic wine regions which provide an affordable source of fine wines for drinking at home, the Rhône Valley is one of my favourites. Click to locate stockists.

Gilles Barges Condrieu 2000: Quite a heavy deposit of potassium tartrate crystals here, although nothing that can't be rectified with a straightforward decant. This wine has a fairly pale colour for Condrieu, with a rather subtle nose, giving off a few notes of minerally, chalky, floral character. On the palate it displays a very similar minerality, with nice balance, showing great freshness. It fails, however, to display any of the intensity or flavour that great cuvées of Condrieu can demonstrate. It offers good drinking, however, especially at the knockdown price of five quid. Good. 15/20 (June 2006)

Guigal Condrieu 1999: A pale lemon gold, with a nose of apricots, peaches, and just the barest hint of pine nuts. Quite elegant and restrained, and still quite youthful and tight on the palate. Good fruit with the beginnings of a rich texture, well balanced with fresh acidity, this wine will probably drink better in a year or so. 15/20 (April 2001)

Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 2003: A decent colour here, and with some round, sweet and rather young Syrah character on the nose. Rather soft on the palate, perhaps rather unfocused, and slightly hot, a vintage characteristic no doubt. Low acidity, and rather a firm tannic backbone. To me it seems very typical of the 2003 vintage. Hot fruit. It is decent, but there is not much more to say than that. 15/20 (February 2007)

Guigal Côte-Rôtie Chateau d'Ampuis 2003: This, however, is better. There is some good fruit on the nose here, with rather more direction and poise than the Brune et Blonde. It has a good structure, which carries the fruit along well, giving it a much better style. It has an appealing firmness. It is still marked by the vintage, though, with a rather confit edge to the fruit. Nevertheless, a good wine. 16.5+/20 (February 2007)

Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 2003: The star of the show as far as these three wines from Guigal are concerned. A nose with definition here, full of dark and sweet fruit, quite distinct in character from the preceding wines. Clearly this is very fine. On the palate there is a lovely combination of grip, structure, definition and elegant fruit, somehow avoiding that soupy, hot vintage character. It is pure and beautifully poised. This is very impressive and is streets ahead of the first two Guigal wines. 18.5+/20 (February 2007)

Ogier Côte-Rôtie 2000: Good rich hue. Stylish nose, showing aromas of oil of oranges, with fresh yet roasted fruit, as well as notes of bacon. An attractive blend of elegance and body on the palate. There is texture, and extract which is palpable, but there is also balance and freshness. Classic style, roasted fruit notes, correct acidity. Excellent for a weaker vintage. Still youthful and a little primary at present, although still very composed. Lovely. 16.5+/20 (June 2005)

Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Hermitage 1992: Quite a pale wine for the appellation, with some tawniness to the hue. Initially some industrial rubber on the nose, followed by a medley of roasted herbs and vegetal aromas, with hints of a cola-like caramel and molasses sweetness. On the palate this persists, with aged fruit. Tannins ready, soft supporting acidity. I can best describe this as a fair effort in an awful, washed out vintage, and I'm glad I didn't splash out too much on it. 13/20 (June 2001)

Domaine des Remizières Hermitage Blanc 1990: A moderately rich, golden wine, leading out to a clear rim. On the nose, mature aromas, of roasted nuts, with a rather lifted, herbal, lemony character. It does not have the rich, well-knit composition of the previous bottle and seems somewhat closer to the edge. Full, rather grippy palate, with fresh acidity and lots of apparent structure. Complex notes of liquorice, fennel and aniseed. It is quite attractive, but its character sounds a note of caution. I do not think I will leave my remaining bottle for too much longer. 16.5/20 (March 2007)

Voge Cornas 1988: A vibrant red wine, with just a little bricking at the rim. Just a touch rubbery, with aromas of grilled meats and aromatic Provençale herbs, with some berry fruits. The palate is absolutely ready, with fully integrated tannins and balanced acidity. Raspberry and blackberry fruit, with a slight pastille sweetness, and a meaty note. Rich, nicely textured, although a tad rustic. Despite a short length, a lovely wine. 16.5/20 (December 2000)

Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage 1998: Good purple colour. Nose of red and black fruit. Medium body, soft acidity, very soft tannins. Good intensity of fruit on the palate. A soft, peppery finish. 14.5/20 (September 2000)

Lucien Barrot Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: A good, mature yet still quite deep colour here. The nose offers beefy, confit cherry character and notes of burnt, twiggy garrigue which are appealing, but the aromas hardly burst forth from the glass, and there is a hot edge to it all. A big, full texture, building through the midpalate, with a creamy extract. But there is also an alcohol-driven edge to the picture, reflecting that hot element sensed on the nose. Nevertheless there are good, masculine tannins which reach a crescendo on the finish. Good drinking; it is hard to predict whether this will improve in the cellar, as it may have the potential, or just fall apart. Time will tell. 16.5/20 (April 2006)

Louis Bernard Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: A lovely red purple colour, with a nose of sweet fruit, cigars, liquorice and oak. This precedes the attractively balanced palate, with lots of glycerine, good tannins and ripe fruit, with acidity just leaning towards the low side. Easy drinking stuff. 15.5/20 (January 2001)

Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf du Pape 1993: Deep purple colour. On the nose, black fruit aromas, with oak and smoky, charred wood nuances. The palate is beautifully structured, with plentiful tannins and a good level of acidity. Splendid complexity, with flavours of black fruit, tar, leather, dark chocolate, spices and oak. Medium body, leading into an elegant finish. Good length. A bargain - purchased at the cellar door. 16/20 (June 2000) Retaste: This wine has developed nicely in bottle since last tasted in 2000. There is a pleasing amber edge to the wine. Char grilled meat with nice maturing fruit and a touch of volatile acidity which I haven't noticed before. Delightful balance on the palate, with mature fruit sitting well with soft, integrated tannins and correct acidity. Strangely, that volatility doesn't come through on the palate, but who's complaining?. Drinking very well, and I don't think there is room for further improvement here. Drink up. 16/20 (May 2002)

Clos des Papes Châteauneuf du Pape 1995: A vibrant, bright red-garnet hue, with absolutely no sign of age. The nose is initially dominated by aromas of rubber, although there soon appear pleasing aromas of dark cherry fruits, meat and leather, with some roasted herbs. Full bodied, with firm and dark fruits on the palate, with correct acidity, good tannins and lovely texture. Shows great balance especially towards the endpalate, which has an edge of spice. There's plenty of life in this wine yet. Drink over the next 7-10 years. 17+/20 (May 2002)

Clos St Andre Châteauneuf du Pape 1990: A mature hue. Lots of spice on the nose, which has a rich, open, mature, meat and leather character, with a little ethyl acetate that does blow off. Quite mellow on entry, but quickly bares the firm, slightly angular, tannic and acidic structure beneath. Decent texture, and certainly an appealing array of mature flavours. Overall a little disjointed, but good. Drink now. 15.5/20 (January 2006)

Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: A moderate garnet red colour. Sweet ripe fruit on the nose, with a touch of liquorice, and aromas of roasted herbs. A full texture on the palate, with a glycerol mouthfeel and good acidity. Spicy, peppery alcohol, roasted herbs and berry fruits. Soft, slightly chalky tannins. More spice and pepper on the finish. Never the most serious Châteauneuf. 16/20 (March 2001)

Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc 2004: A very pale hue. This wine is quite open on the nose, with notes of pear, pepper, a little bacon and some sweet, herbal, mineral elements. Full, sweetly ripe palate, with bags of grip. Big, heavy-boned style, full of stone fruit flavours which reach a crescendo on the finish, balanced by quite decent acidity. Some length too. Very good indeed. For drinking now, although I suspect it might improve in the short-term. 17/20 (January 2006)

Domaine de la Solitude Châteauneuf du Pape 1999: A vibrant, youthful garnet-red hue. There's plenty of black cherry fruit, spice, game and a touch of leather on the nose. On entry an elegant, harmonious texture is apparent, and this persists through to the finish. The tannins are dry, just a touch chalky, and there is a characterful, peppery acidity, which gives good backbone to the wine. Chocolate and butter notes show through on the finish, giving some character to the length. The 1998 and 1999 vintages (and no doubt the 2000 vintage also) will have spawned a number of great value wines from Châteauneuf du Pape - grab this one while you can. 17+/20 (April 2002) Label

Domaine de la Solitude Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: Slightly denser, richer colour with this wine. The nose is very closed, and even after several hours it gives nothing but some hard, slightly sooty aromas, with barely a hint of fruit. The palate is well structured. As expected, a backbone of sooty tannins, with correct acidity and a good, mouthfilling texture. Rich with a touch of sweetness. Has good potential. 17+/20 (March 2001)

Brusset Gigondas Les Hauts de Montmirail 1997: This wine has a deep colour, with little sign of age. It is showing a lovely nose, with aromas of black fruits and smoke, with meaty, stony undercurrents. The palate is creamy, with a rich texture. There is still plenty of fruit on the palate, with at most moderate acidity, but a typical Gigondas backbone, a combination of firm, masculine extract and a low level of slightly chalky tannins. This is delightful now, but should continue to drink well for another five years at least. 17.5+/20 (January 2004) Retaste: A deep, glossy hue, showing little maturity. Burnt, smouldering, twiggy garrigue on the nose, which is rich in black cherry and berry fruit. Ripe, textured and creamy palate, with a rich seam of succulent, grainy tannins which hold a presence right through the midpalate to the end. Blackberry and blueberry fruit reflect the ripe character of the wine, lingering into the grippy finish. This still has potential in the cellar, but is just fine for current drinking. Very good indeed. 17.5+/20 (April 2006)

Domaine du Cayron Gigondas 2000: A dark, intense, red-black hue. Some volatility at first, which subsides to reveal meaty, garrigue-spiced fruit with a dark, macerated berry character. Soft, and a little out of focus on entry, but it shows some extract and good flavour through the midpalate, although at present also a little disjointed alcohol. This needs another two to three years to integrate and develop, although it will never be great. 15.5+/20 (November 2005)

Domaine de Font-Sane Gigondas Cuvée Futee 2000: A moderate colour. Slightly confected cherry fruit on the nose, with a liquorice edge. Good rounded texture, with some elegance on the palate, and a slightly oily polyphenol mouthfeel. Full and rounded with good fruit and structure. Tasted at a Southern Rhone 2001 tasting. 16.5+/20 (March 2003)

Chateau de St Cosme Gigondas 2000: A beautiful dark colour, with dark cherry fruit on the nose which is very obviously Grenache. Peppery, mineral and rocky notes, with a deep presence of fruit. Fresh, flavoursome palate, with a delightful structure. Deep, fine, velvety tannins giving a little grip on the midpalate, balanced with a little creamy quality. Great finish. Approachable now, but will be better in 1-3 years and should drink well thereafter. 17.5+/20 (November 2005) Retaste: A last minute replacement for an off bottle, with roast lamb. Lovely nose, fairly dark and mysterious, with some cherry Grenache fruit, but also some notes of leather and subtle nutmeg. Very stylish entry, immediately withdrawn but then rapidly opening out into a textured, balanced, savoury wine. Lovely seam of tannins giving some grip, and which will see this wine develop well over the short term. Fine finish, and a firm, spicy length. Very good indeed. 17.5/20 (April 2006) Retaste: A nice glossy hue, a dark core, and a deeply coloured cherry red rim. The nose is smoky and laden with cherry and summer berry fruits. On the nose it has a full texture, an elegant composition, plenty of extract and substance, and yet it is fresh and lively, with polished but peppery tannins giving a good grip to the finish. Blackberry fruit notes and wood spice flavours provide the pleasure. Just as good as I remember it, and drinking well now, although it has a little more in the bank yet I think. 17.5/20 (January 2008)

Chateau Trignon 'Lou Gigous' Gigondas 2003: Good colour, with reasonable intensity and depth, and certainly vibrant. Great nose, full of ripe cherry Grenache fruit, with a mineral and garrigue edge; similarly on the palate, which is full of ripe, creamy black cherry flavour. And there is structure in abundance; piles of tannin coat the mouth through the midpalate and finish, indicative of the hot vintage, although the acidity is quite decent. Plenty of grip and presence here, and this should sit out several years in the cellar with ease. But whether all that tannin will resolve harmoniously is a difficult question to answer. 16/20 (November 2005)

Domaine Maby Lirac La Fermade Cuvée Reserve Blanc NV: A lemon yellow hue. A lemon and grapefruit nose, with a fresh, zingy note suggesting good acidity. This holds true on the palate, where clean white fruit flavours are backed up by attractive acidity. A balanced level of alcohol and a medium body make this easy to drink. No length, but I wouldn't expect any. An enjoyable, refreshing wine. 15.5/20 (August 2000)

Vidal-Fleury Muscat de Beaumes de Venise 1998: A gorgeous colour meets the eye here, a pale golden wine with just a hint of burnished copper somehow floating in the background. Despite this promising start, the wine has fairly simple floral and orange blossom aromas on the nose. A nicely balanced palate, although lacking somewhat in character, with quite simple sweetness. Some attractive spice notes sit with the usual floral, aromatic flavours. 14/20 (June 2001)

Domaine de la Grande Bellane Organic Côtes du Rhône Villages Valréas 2000: A lovely colour, and classic raspberries on toast on the nose. There's a hint of boot polish suggestive of a touch of volatile acidity, although this blows off after a while. There's also a good stone and mineral edge, and a note of roasted herbs. On entry there is a nice glycerol-edged texture, with soft and chewy tannins and a firm acidity. Stony, mineral firmness sits well with the gravelly, raspberry fruit. All in all a classic, nicely flavoured Côtes du Rhône. This wine, which I have tasted in the last four vintages, has turned out to be a reliable, good value and authentic taste of the Rhône, year after year. 16.5+/20 (April 2002)

Domaine de la Grande Bellane Côtes du Rhône Villages Valréas 1999: Good colour. A nose of peppery, sweet Grenache fruit and roasted herbs. A low acid palate reflecting the warm vintage. Soft tannin and a medium body. Some attractive spicy and peppery blackberry fruit, but overall fairly simple. 15/20 (June 2001)

Guigal Côtes du Rhône 1999: A youthful, vibrant, garnet-red hue. Quite classic on the nose, which is dominated by Grenache-derived cherry fruit, with a good depth of aroma. There's also some residual oak, and black pepper from the Syrah (the only grape in this blend I don't mention is the Mourvèdre). Good weight on entry, correct balance, with structure provided by some spice-edged tannins and sharp acidity. Good, youthful fruit. There's even the barest hint of residual carbon dioxide which provides freshness and lifts the wine across the palate, before it disappears. 16+/20 (August 2002) Retaste: An attractive, vibrant garnet hue. Nice development on the nose, which is fairly stinky, with mature cheese aromas and notes of burnt toffee. A good but simple palate. Nicely balanced, with some chewy, burnt fruit aromas and gentle acidity. Has a bit of grip which is appealing. Enjoyable wine which has shown the benefit of short-term bottle age. Ready, but will improve over the next year or two I feel. 16/20 (May 2003) Label

Caves Saint-Pierres Côtes du Rhône Villages 'Preference' 2003: Good colour. Nice plump, leafy, slightly peppery Grenache fruit on the nose, sweet and with a quite typical, slightly confected feel. Plump, soft, round mouthfeel. A little structure. More peppery Grenache character. Slightly grippy finish with a little tannin showing. Sweet and forward style. Quite good. 13.5/20 (January 2005)

Brunel et Feraud Image du Sud (Vin de Table) 1998: This vin de table is produced by Andre Brunel and Laurence Feraud, of the Châteauneuf estates Pegau and Cailloux. It has a moderately deep, red-purple colour. Aromas of ripe blueberry and blackberry fruits mingle with well toasted oak, the experience being repeated on the palate, with a spicy edge to the fruit. An elegant weight and balance, and good chewy tannins. Lovely. 16/20 (December 2000)