Red Wings and A Few from Up North... 1999 Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage, $18, 13% alc.: An inky purple garnet with a big plum, chocolate nose showing undertones of rhubarb, bell pepper and garrigue, and do I detect some subtle toasty oak in this? Typically wild on the palate for a young Graillot, this has good acidity, and while it doesn't seem terribly tannic, it IS tight and needs some time, as the rhubarb and bell pepper seems to dominate the flavors right now, and it finishes with some astringency. Kim mentioned a note of charcoal. It does open some after three hours of air, and the garrigue comes more to the fore, but give this at least a couple of years to come around.
Alain Graillot Wines Imported by Europvin U.S.A., Oakland, CA 1998 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert, $23.99, 13% alc.: This latest vintage of one of our perennial house favorites is as you would expect, a typical dark garnet with fairly typical flavors and aromas of dusty plum shaded with notes of black cherry, leather, iodine and a shovel full of earth thrown in for good measure. The considerable acidity actually overshadows the tannins and gives it a bit of a byte, and it’s still pretty tight, even after two hours in a decanter. The finish is somewhat astringent, as is so often the case with young Syrah, and indeed, this needs a minimum of five years in the cellar to show what it has. Deep and dark, this is a solid effort, although nothing indicates and exceptional one at this point. UPDATE - 1996 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert, $18.99, 13% alc.: It’s been two years since last we tasted this wine, and it’s still an inky dark garnet; aromas of earthy plum, berry, smoke and a little leather don’t exactly jump out of the glass, but do open up to gain some gamy garrigue, licorice and a hint of mint. Very dry and a bit astringent on the palate, the flavors echo and expand, with decent acidity, a few years worth of tannins and a tarry finish, but like the last taste, this is missing something on the mid-palate. It continues to open with air, revealing a better wine than we found before, and it should improve with further bottle age. All in all, a pleasant wine, but not one of the better Thalaberts. 1999 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage "Les Jalets®," $10.49. 12.5% alc.: We got this slightly cloudy inky garnet for a pretty good price for what’s in the bottle, thanks to Costco. It exhibits a muted nose of plum and berry, with just a hint of garrigue. Fairly dense on the palate, with a few years worth of tannins, good acidity and a youthful astringency that caused Kim to comment, "tart and sour," the earthy flavors echo and pick it up nicely. It opens considerably with a few hours of air, taking on a note of chocolate and a somewhat vegetal quality that adds to the character, rather than detracts. It finishes reasonably long, with a tarry note, and on the whole, does yeoman’s service, being solid if unspectacular. Paul Jaboulet Aine Wines Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons, Ltd., New York, NY 1998 Cuvée Côte-Diane Saint-Joseph, $17.99, 12.5% alc.: This purple dark garnet Syrah TASTES purple; it saw 25% new oak and shows flavors and aromas of plum, olive, violet, chocolate and earth with a hint of the barnyard on the nose and a somewhat astringent finish. It has good acidity and at least 3-5 years worth of tannins to resolve before it shows its best. A nice wine, and a good value for the price. ...and a Few from Down South
Imported by Vineyard Brands, Inc., Birmingham, AL
1999 Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas, $23.99, 14% alc.: I was a little surprised to find this at such a relatively low price, and sure enough, when I went back for more, the tag said $29.99 and I bought something else. Dark garnet, with a tarry plum and blackberry nose and a little aquarium overtone, the big fruit flavors echo loudly with a nice note of chocolate, and the youthful tannins can’t hide the lusciousness of it all. It has good acidity and yet a creamy smooth mouthfeel at the same time, with a nice finish, and Kim was impressed with it after pouring herself a glass right out of the bottle upon uncorking, which is rather unusual for a young Gigondas. And, rather atypically, the aquarium impression intensifies with more and more air, taking on a certain woody quality. I would have liked to have gotten a second taste of this for comparison, but it’s gotten hard to find, which I suppose is to be expected. It’s a little odd, but it’s also tasty. Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkley, CA Back
to Côtes du Rhône-down
- 4/02
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1999 Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 1999 Alain Graillot Saint-Joseph 1998 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1996 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1999 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage "Les Jalets® 1998 Cuvée Côte-Diane Saint-Joseph 1997 Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1990 M. Chapoutier La Bernardine Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1999 Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Côtes du Rhône-down 4/02 2000 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhônes Villages Séguret Vielles Vignes 2000 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhônes Villages St. Gervais Vielles Vignes des Cadinières 2000 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhônes Vaison-la-Romaine 1999 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhônes Villages Brézème Mise Tardive 1999 Louis Bernard Châteauneuf du Pape 2000 Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône 2000 Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Villages 2000 Novellum Côtes du Rhône Grandè Reserve Vieilles Vignes 1999 Domaine du Vieux Chêne Côtes du Rhône Cuvée de la Haie aux Grives 1997 Mas des Collines Côtes du Rhône
A Chat with J.C. Mathes of J et R Selections More Red Wings Red Wings & Red Rhones '02-'03
Playoff Diary '02 A Dandy Rhône and a Night at the Joe
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