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It’s halfway through the 2008-09 NHL season as of this writing; my Detroit Red Wings are playing well, and we continue to explore and enjoy fine red wines from France’s Rhône Valley whilst watching the games. In this report, we note not only selections from producers we’ve come to admire over time, but also some that are new to us as well.

We quite enjoyed the 2003 Domaine des Girasols Rasteau when we tried it a few years ago, so we thought we’d see how it’s coming along and try an earlier vintage as well. We started with the ’01.

2001 Domaine des Girasols Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau, 14% alc., $24.49: Clean, dark color, with pretty violets on the nose, underscored with Provencal herb; plenty more of the same on the palate, over a solid core of black plums, currants, berries and even some black olive. Very smooth and dry; this is in a very nice place right now, needing little if any air, as it’s delicious poured right out of the bottle. Might have a few more years of improvement, and is certainly structured to hold for some time beyond that, but it’s so good now, it’s hard to keep hands off. Bravo! Find this wine

2003 Domaine des Girasols Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau, 14.5% alc., $24.49: Clean, dark color, with a hint of the barnyard on the nose over deep, dark fruit shaded with violets and Provencal herb; this time out, the rich core of fruit does seem to reflect some of the heat of the mutant vintage, not quite resembling a cherry stick flavor only because of its deep earthy character. Full bodies, with solid structure, and obviously younger and tighter than the older model, it gains a smoky tone with air and becomes more user friendly as it opens. This will show best with some grilled red meat and time in a decanter right now, but will reward a good five years in the cellar, so be patient. Find this wine
 

We also tried some selections from Domaine Chaume-Arnaud at around the same time in early 2007, including the 2003 Vinsobres, so we recently revisited that bottling and three others as well.

2006 Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Côtes du Rhône, 13.5% alc., $17.49: Good dark color, with dusty cocoa and black fruit on the nose and dusty, earthy black plum and cocoa flavors. Full bodied, with solid structure and presence, this is good now with some air, and it’ll be better in a few years. A solid, satisfying Cotes du Rhone. Find this wine

2001 Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Côtes du Rhône Villages Vinsobres, 13.5% alc., $15.99: Deep dark color, with a sun baked smoked stone nose that carries over onto the palate with a solid core of dry black currant and black plum fruit, shaded with hints of briar-bramble and leather. Full bodied and smooth, with ample structure to take it at least another 3-5 years down the road. Well received at our house. Find this wine

2003 Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Côtes du Rhône Villages Vinsobres, 13.5% alc., $18.49: Good dark color, not quite as deep as the ’01; not much on the nose, just a little sun baked red fruit. Richer, riper and more fruit forward than the ’01, with plenty of smoky red berry, plum and even some black cherry on the palate, shaded with a hint of cola. Full bodied, round in the mouth and well structured, this is in a good place right now, and in no danger of fading any time soon. I like the ripe character here, as it’s not excessive, but certainly reflects the heat of the vintage. The ’01 is more “typical,” and probably my favorite of the two, but both have their selling points. Find this wine

2005 Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Côtes du Rhône Villages Vinsobres, 14% alc., $23.99: Good dark color, but not giving much more than a little funky forest floor on the nose at first; earthy red and black plum and berry flavors, more red than black, with subtle undertones of cocoa. Full bodied, with good structure and length; smooth, rich and more than just approachable with just a little air. This has a few years of improvement in it to be sure, but it’s drinking quite well right now. Not a “great” wine, but certainly a very good one. Find this wine

Domaine Chaume-Arnaud and Domaine des Girasols imported by J et R Selections, Mount
Pleasant, MI

Here’s a new wine (at least in our neighborhood) from Laurence Feraud of Domaine du Pegau that we find to be a good value.

2006 Laurence Feraud Côtes du Rhône Villages "Seguret", 13.5% alc., $13.49: Good dark color; seems to show a Grenache dominated personality, with earthy red and black plum and berry flavors and aromas, more red than black, all accented with a subtle note of leather. Smooth, full bodied, with a solid tannin and acid backbone, this is solid, serviceable and then some. Find this wine

Imported by Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA

Here are three that are new to us from our friends at AHD Vintners. Obviously, the Domaine de Font-Sane Ventoux is not Côtes du Rhône, but is included here because it was among the samples given to us, and in fact, it’s become our current house red during the winter months.

2007 Cave de Rasteau Ortas Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau Tradition, 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 14.5% alc., $14.00: Clean dark color, with earthy chocolate and cherry on the nose that follows through in the rich flavors with a smooth creamy texture. Full bodied, with good depth and structure, and while “purists” might not care for its “international” character, I don’t mind it at all. Find this wine

Imported by AHD Vintners, Ltd., Warren, MI

2006 Domaine de Font-Sane Côtes du Ventoux, 13.5% alc., $12.49: Clean dark color; earthy briary black fruit and cocoa doesn’t exactly jump out of the glass, but the flavors do echo and expand nicely with a dusty, almost claret-like character. Medium full to full bodied and well mannered, but by no means wimpy, with ample structure for up to 5 years of development, if not more. The briary character really sets the tone in this satisfying and enjoyable red Rhône. Find this wine

Imported by AHD Vintners, Ltd., Warren, MI

2006 Domaine des Pasquiers Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu, 14% alc., $17.49: Good clean dark color; earthy, rich and fairly ripe in a good way, offering black plum, currant and berry, shaded with earth and iron. Medium full to full bodied, with good depth and structure. Solid and serviceable. Find this wine

Imported by AHD Vintners, Ltd., Warren, MI

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

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© George Heritier January, 2009