Red Wings and 1998 Domaine de l’Enclos Côtes du Rhône, $8.99, 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 13% alc. 1999 Domaine Andre Brunel Côtes du Rhône Cuvee Sommelongue, $10.99, 13.5% alc.: Despite being from different properties, these two Robert Kacher Selections both have Les Cailloux Chateauneuf du Pape star Andre Brunel’s touch upon them. Apparently he advised in production of the l’Enclos, while the Cuvee Sommelongue is from his own holdings. Since both are available from the same local merchant, I thought it would be interesting to compare them. The Domaine de l’Enclos is a dark garnet with a tarry/barnyard/plum/ black currant/licorice/ pepper nose that follows through on the palate with a full bodied frame, two or three years worth of tannins and good acidity. Kim added impressions of black cherries and a little vanilla. There’s plenty of rich fruit here, but it either needs lots of air right now, or a good piece of grilled meat, or both. Better yet, how about those two or three years in the cellar? It seems significantly more tannic and gutsy than a couple of bottles tasted a year ago. This is well worth picking up a few more to lay down for a while, especially at this price. The dark garnet Cuvee Sommelongue shows immediate evidence of considerable oak, with effusive aromatics of vanilla/raspberry/ black cherries. These too echo and expand in the flavors, but the tannins aren’t nearly as prominent as in the l’Enclos, it’s not quite as acidic and it’s not as big in body. Rhone purists probably won’t like this with its international style and "lack of terroir," but I don’t mind it at all, and Kim likes it just fine. Now, is that to say that I prefer it to the first wine? Not at all, but I can appreciate both for their respective merits. It’s the Domaine de l’Enclos that I’ll focus on buying more of at this point, however.
1998 Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône Les Abeilles, $12.90, 12.5% alc.: Typically dark garnet, this also has a tarry note that dominates the tight plum/black berry/pepper aromas and follows through on the palate with an added stemminess. A little vacant on the mid-palate right now and all tar and stems on the finish, it has decent acidity and tannins that need time to tone down. If the ’97 is any indication, a few years in the cellar is likely to make this more harmonious, as it does open and improve with extended air. 1993 Domaine Des Girasols Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes, $15.99, 13.5% alc.: The nose on this dark garnet isn’t exactly ebullient, but it is interesting and not unpleasant, with its plum/earth/tar/hint of garrigue character. Flavors echo and expand, but there’s still some considerable tannins and acidity here as well. In fact, two bottles tasted late last winter seemed much softer, with none of the byte that this one exhibits. It did mellow down a little after a few hours, but based on this one, I wouldn’t open another for three years. Given that, I opened another bottle a few weeks later and found impressions to be closer to those of last winter. The nose showed pretty strawberry/Grenache/ herb/earth, with the herbal quality accentuated but not quite dominating the flavors. Hints of cedar/cola/saddle leather come out with air, and while there are still tannins to resolve here, this one was much more enjoyable than the previous example. A very nice CdR, and worth the money.
1998 Domaine de la Solitude Côtes du Rhône, $9.90, 12.5% alc.: This dark garnet from the Lancon family exhibits a nice plum/black currant bouquet with just a bit of heat. The tight, young flavors echo with good tannins and acidity; this needs time, but there’s good fruit and density here. Like any good Rhône, it continues to open with air, but what this needs most right now is a few years in a cellar.
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1998 Domaine de l’Enclos Côtes du Rhône, 1999 Domaine Andre Brunel Côtes du Rhône Cuvee Sommelongue 1997 Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône Les Abeilles 1998 Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône Les Abeilles 1993 Domaine Des Girasols Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes 1998 Chateau Mont-Redon Côtes du Rhône 1998 Domaine de la Solitude Côtes du Rhône Part One 1998 Paul Jaboulet Aine Paralelle "45" Côtes du Rhône 1998 Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône 1996 Domaine du Vieux Chene Côtes du Rhône Cuvee de la Haie aux Grives 1999 Domaine du Vieux Chene Côtes du Rhône Cuvee des Capucines 1998 Domaine Sainte-Anne Côtes du Rhône Villages 1998 Perrin Reserve Côtes du Rhône
Underground Index A Chat with J.C. Mathes of J et R Selections More Red Wings & Red Wings & Red
Playoff Diary '02
A Dandy Rhône and a
Night at the Joe
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1997
Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône Les Abeilles, $11.99, 12.5% alc.: This
dark garnet is made entirely from Syrah
from the northernmost reaches of the Rhône
Valley, and is a very nice wine. I get a solid whiff of tarry plum/
berry/pepper with some chocolate/cream in support; it gains notes of game
and garrigue in the flavors, with good tannins and acidity. It continues to
open as long as it's around, with more garrigue. Excellent QPR here, and it’ll
benefit from another couple of years in the cellar.
1998
Chateau Mont-Redon Côtes du Rhône, $12.99, 13.5% alc.: A ruby dark
garnet, this is a little lighter in color than one might expect, but it has
appealing aromas of slightly earthy black cherry/strawberry/mineral. The
flavors echo on a medium full to full-bodied frame, but seem to miss just a
little something on the mid-palate and finish. Not too tannic, with good
acidity, this might taste better if it cost about $3 less.
