2012 DOMAINE RICHAUD CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROUGE - PRODUCER, PRODUCER, PRODUCER

In France, as anywhere, producer is key. Appellation is only a guarantee of origin, not of quality. In the enormous Côtes du Rhône AOC, this assertion is particularly true. From dilute and thoroughly uninspiring wines to would-be Chateauneuf-du-Pape such as Château de Beaucastel’s Coudoulet de Beaucastel, it is a region of immense scale and range in quality.

There is also the question of cépage. Many of the larger negociant bottlings (including those of Guigal and Delas) are Syrah dominant. They are quite different beasts to the many Grenache-heavy Côtes du Rhônes. This particular imbiber admits to being rather impartial to Grenache, a sometimes derided variety that can veer toward confectionary flavours if not handled correctly.

This particular Côtes du Rhône, from Cairanne-based Domaine Richaud showcases the appellation in the best possible light. By all accounts, the domaine references the great Chateauneuf-du-Pape estate Château Rayas as its benchmark. Those familiar Rayas will know that is recognised for producing 100% Grenache wines of great finesse, elegance and aromatic complexity.

This particular wine doesn’t quite ascend to those heights, but it is a superior Côtes du Rhône. It maintains a lovely balance of sweet up-front fruit, floral aromatics, spice and a hint of the wild. While not enormously complex, there is sufficient depth and structure to suggest that it should hold and indeed develop in bottle for a further 2-3 years.

2012 CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROUGE ‘TERRE D’AIGLES’
Producer: Domaine Richaud
Variety: Grenache et al (Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvedre, Counoise)
Vintage: 2012
Region: Southern Rhône, France
ABV: 15%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: 10.00 Euros
Date tasted: 10 September 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red. Open nose of cherry confiture/kirsch, raspberry, floral notes, meaty/gamey, fennel and thyme. Quite a pretty nose. Sweet fruited up-front, very soft tannins, quite luxurious. Does not show its 15% ABV! Savoury mid-palate leading to a spice-laden finish. Superior glugging Côtes du Rhône – little to complain about!
Score: 16/20

2009 MERLIN MOULIN-A-VENT 'LA ROCHELLE' - CLOSED FOR BUSINESS

Olivier Merlin is one of a number of highly respected producers from other regions to have commenced operations in Beaujolais in the past decade or so. Regarded as one of the leading lights of the Maconnais, Merlin crafts wines from two of the leading crus in Beaujolais, Fleurie and Moulin-a-Vent.

This particular wine is produced on the granitic outcrops of Moulin-a-Vent. From the excellent 2009 vintage in Beaujolais, it displays typical damson and dark cherry fruit underpinned by stony minerality. At present, the wine desperately needs air, and seems a little bit ‘locked down’. There is quality here, but it would seem that the wine is in a slightly obdurate mood, needing another 2-3 years to open up.

2009 MOULIN-A-VENT ‘LA ROCHELLE’
Producer: Olivier Merlin
Variety: Gamay
Vintage: 2009
Region: Beaujolais, France
ABV: 13%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: 17.00 Euros
Date tasted: 9 September 2013

Tasting Note:
Bright damson red. Slightly closed nose; damson, violet, dark cherry. Medium bodied, savoury and dry. Perhaps going through a slightly closed phase? Mineral/stony edge. Although not open for business at the moment, there is quality on show here. Sour cherry acidity carries the finish.
Score: 15.5++/20

2011 DOMAINE DU MORTIER ST JOSEPH 'SOULANE' - PEPPER!

St Joseph and Crozes Hermitage stand out as the two ‘go to’ appellations for those seeking value in the northern Rhône. While the wines of St Joseph tend to be earlier maturing than those of Cornas, Côte Rotie and Hermitage, the best examples capture the peppery essence of northern Rhône Syrah.

Such is the case with the 2011 St Joseph ‘Soulane’ from Domaine du Mortier. The wine delivers cherry/raspberry coulis overlaid by a gentle layer of cracked black pepper, floral lift lending aromatic complexity. Two years on from vintage, it’s a touch on the young side, and desperately needs food, preferably steak au poivre, venison or pigeon.

2011 ST JOSEPH ‘SOULANE’
Producer: Domaine du Mortier
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2011
Region: Northern Rhône, France
ABV: 13%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: 18.00 Euros
Date tasted: 8 September 2013

Tasting Note:
Inky raspberry red. Inviting nose of cherry/raspberry coulis, cracked black pepper, lilac and violets. Medium bodied, elegant, sweet fruited up-front quickly moves to savoury on the mid-palate. Liquorice, quite meaty. Noticeable peppery spice on the finish. Essence of northern Rhône Syrah.
Score: 16/20

2009 LAPALU BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES - GENRE DEFYING

We tend to associate Beaujolais Villages with light, inoffensive, brightly fruited wines. That definition might hold true for most examples, but it certainly doesn’t for the wines of Jean-Claude Lapalu. His 2009 Beaujolais-Villages ‘Le Rang du Merle’ transcends the appellation and, in turn, one’s expectations.

14.5% ABV for a Beaujolais Villages puts this wine very much in the super-heavyweight division. Yet, this is not a clumsy or overdone wine in any sense. The bouquet is at one arresting and complex; an inviting array of floral, game and summer fruits. On the palate, the wine is rich and exuberant, yet never flirts with excess. The alcohol, while high, is barely perceptible, addS a touch of glycerol and weight in the mouth, but nothing more.

Wines like this provide ample evidence that Beaujolais is a region undergoing a slow and positive revival. It is by no means cheap for a Beaujolais Villages – around 15 Euro from one of Lyon’s finest wine retailers – but nor should it be cheap as it is an outstanding example of its type.

Many draw a link between the wines of Beaujolais and its northern neighbour, Burgundy. However, as with many quality Beaujolais, this is a wine that shares more in common with the Syrah-based wines of the Rhône Valley south of Lyon. In time, perhaps we will be happy to appreciate the wines of Beaujolais as fine wines in their own right, not for their ‘Burgundian’ or ‘Rhône-like’ nature.

2009 BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES ‘LE RANG DU MERLE’
Producer: Jean-Claude Lapalu
Variety: Gamay
Vintage: 2009
Region: Beaujolais, France
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: 15.00 Euros
Date tasted: 7 September 2013

Tasting Note:
Medium cherry red. Thick legs. Open, rich and brooding nose – profound even – animal fur, game, liqueur cherry, damson, floral notes (lilac). Rich, powerful and mouthfilling. NOT for those seeking typicity at this level, but extremely impressive for its power, richness and overall balance. Although it is a ‘big’ wine, it displays balance and harmony. Quite a remarkable wine that redefines Beaujolais Villages.
Score: 17++/20