The Rhone Valley has slowly become an area of interest of mine. My tastes in wine tend more toward muscular and mature reds, especially Italian with all of their earthiness and brisk acidity. Wild wines that often require food yet tend to take decades to reach the sweet spot that I love. However, there are very few Italian wines that I've tasted in their youth and didn't want to put away in the cellar for five or more years. This exercise becomes tiresome as I wait for my Italian cellar to mature. And so, in an attempt to find wines that appeal to my taste, but didn't require the patience of a Shaolin monk, I found the Rhone.
Some people find this odd, because many associate the Rhone Valley with big, overripe Grenache. This is no surprise, as critics like Robert Parker hand out 100+ point scores to a slew of over-the-top, prestige bottles that are created to cater to his palate. However, there's a lot more to the Rhone than just intense dark fruit with sappy textures. This is a vast region with a more continental climate in the north and Mediterranean in the south. Both with numerous soil types, elevations, and a list of 20 or more grape varieties (although it's really Grenache to the south and Syrah to the north that make up the lion's share). The Rhone Valley is home to smoky, earthy, pepper, herb and mineral-laden reds with intense fruit and juicy textures. When you say it like that, you start to see how a lover of Italian wine could find a second home here.
The first thing to understand is that it's not all about Chateauneuf du Pape (although there are still some great affordable bottles to be found). The true values in the south can be found in the AOC designations of Cotes du Rhone, Cotes du Rhone villages (such as Cairanne and Rasteau), Vacqueyras, Lirac and Gigondas. Many of these wines, while unique in their own way, are like baby Chateauneuf du Pape for less than half the price. Saint Joseph, a designation in the north that is starting to gain serious momentum, is ideal for anyone seeking smoky, earthy wines redolent of olive and blackberry fruit.
As for the whites, they are some of the most unique you're sure to find. Viognier, Marsanne and Roussane are the primary grapes here and show such unique characteristics that they are sure to peak your interests. Viognier is one of my favorites due to its intense spicy, floral characteristics, which translate right from the nose to the palate. What's more, Viognier, made in a richer style with its weighty texture, is an excellent pairing partner for spicy foods such as Indian and Thai cuisine.
Below are a number of excellent wines coming from the Rhone Valley, each a relative value, and sure to peak your interests.
On to the wines:
Reds of the Southern Rhone
2010 Domaine de L’Obrieu Le Antonins Cotes du Rhone Villages Visan – The nose showed dark red fruits, old wood and gravel dust. On the palate, it was juicy and fresh yet ripe with wild berry fruit, plum and earth tones. Minerals and slate came forward in the finish with blackberry and a hint of heat. (
89 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
2010 Pierre Amadieu Sas Romane Machotte Gigondas – The nose was rich with dark earth, black fruits, hints of herbs and black pepper. On the palate, it was spicy with a medium body, showing blackberry jam, sour berry, and spice with a sometimes sweet and sometimes sour quality. The finish coated the palate with blackberry, herbs and cheek-puckering tannin. (
87 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
2011 Château Saint-Jean Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu – The nose showed dusty red and black fruits and cinnamon with dried flowers, pepper and a hint of animal musk. On the palate, it was rich yet medium-bodied with ripe dark fruit and juicy herbal, earth notes. The finish was fruity and fresh with lingering blackberry and spice notes. A very pleasant and enjoyable wine. (
89 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
2010 Domaine Daniel et Denis Alary Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne La Font d'Estévenas – The nose was highly expressive with crushed wild berries, hints of stems and herbs with soil tones and a whiff of sweet violet candies. On the palate, it was silky smooth yet juicy with notes of blackberry, cherry, black licorice and spice. The long finish was saturating to the palate with intense concentration clinging to the senses. (
93 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
Reds of The Northern Rhone
2009 Vidal Fleury Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde – The nose showed dark fruits, earth and animal musk, with grilled meats and herbal tones. On the palate, it was beautifully balanced with a tense structure. Ripe wild berry turned to tart blackberry with juicy acidity keeping its youthful structure at bay. It finished with cheek-puckering tannin, blackberry and long-lasting, inner floral notes. (
91 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
2011 Les Croses Crozes Hermitage – The nose showed ripe strawberry and blackberry notes with hints of mineral and herbs. On the palate, I found lively, ripe dark fruit, wild berry and dark earth tones. The finish was long and saturating with wild berry and herbal notes. (
89 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
White Rhone Wines
2011 Chateau Noel Saint Laurent Cotes du Rhone – The nose was rich and floral with hints of pistachio, apple and lemon. On the palate, it was medium-weight with flavors of peach, tart citrus, heather and minerals, all kept fresh by brisk acidity. The finish was spicy with hints of apricot and long-lasting floral tones. (
88 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
2009 Vidal Fleury Condrieu – The nose was rich and spicy with floral, waxy tones, followed by almond, with intense, almost confectionary, sweet peach. On the palate, it showed an oily texture with flavors of white strawberry, peach, spice and herbs. The finish was clean and fresh, leaving tart pit fruits that saturated the mid-palate and seemed to linger between each sip. (
89 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
2011 Domaine Julien Pilon Dimanche a Lima Saint-Joseph – The nose showed sour floral tones, peach skins and notes of hard salty cheeses. On the palate, it was fresh with a light, yet elegant structure, showing ripe stone fruits and minerals that seemed to fill the senses. The finish was long, coating the palate with spicy, rich stone fruits. (
89 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
2011 M. Chapoutier Chante Alouette Hermitage – The nose was reticent at first, yet blossomed with coaxing, to show aromas of rich peach tartlet and a refreshing whiff of lemon zest. On the palate, it was ripe with brisk acidity, showing ripe apple and pear. This was a truly characterful wine with great presence on the palate which carried into its long spicy fruit and floral finish.
(91 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
Don't Forget the Rose
2012 M. Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone Belleruche – The nose was finessed with light berry, floral tones and a hint of herbs. On the palate, it showed wonderful presence with notes of cherry and herbs with a touch of juicy acidity. The finish left the mouth watering for another sip. (
89 points) Find it on:
Wine-Searcher!
2009 Vidal Fleury Condrieu – The nose was rich and spicy with floral, waxy tones, followed by almond, with intense, almost confectionary, sweet peach. On the palate, it showed an oily texture with flavors of white strawberry, peach, spice and herbs. The finish was clean and fresh, leaving tart pit fruits that saturated the mid-palate and seemed to linger between each sip. (89 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!
