This past weekend our wine club met for a Winter meeting. The theme being Rhone varietals, which provided some interesting drinking. The food went quite well with the wine. We had an assortment of cheeses and bread, the brie went especially well with the Roussanne, duck confit, lamb chops and pasta in a pancetta cream sauce. The heavier dishes went really well with the fuller bodied Rhone varietals.
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2009 Chapelle-St-Arnoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 90 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This first wine threw me for a little bit because I initially thought it might have been older than it was. Got a lot of raspberry, bacon fat, smoke, pepper and a lot of earth. To me it screamed Syrah or at least a blend with predominantly Syrah. I could not find an exact blend on line but what I did find said it was predominantly Grenache and Syrah in the blend. This had flavors of cherry, raspberry, leather, smoke and earth. Ended with a decent finish. Enjoyed the smokiness.
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2008 Anne Pichon Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Blanc 91 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse
Interesting wine, especially given its age. Got some beeswax, flowers, mineral and stone on the nose. More beeswax, slate peach and a flintiness on the palate. Very nice acidity. Went very well with the brie cheese. Tasted very fresh for a 2008. I really didn’t think it was that old when tasting it blind.
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2005 Famille Perrin / Perrin & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This had a very pleasant nose of plum, violets and cherry. Had a little age on it in the color but thought this was probably younger than the previous Chateauneuf we had. Got some nice flavors of plum, blackberry, cherry and ended with an iron note on the long finish. It was amazing how different the two Chateauneuf’s were. I thought this might have been more Grenache based and turns out I was right. Unfortunately missed the country. Really enjoyed this wine.
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2007 Carlisle Syrah Papa’s Block 94 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
This wine was probably the heaviest of the night. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, bacon fat, violets and other flowers came from the glass. Very interesting nose and actually resembled a SQN I had back in the Fall, although it was not quite at that level. Got some nice cherry, plum, iron, blackberry and mineral. You could tell this had a higher alcohol content but was not out of balance at all. Ended with a very long finish on this impressive wine from Carlisle. This won Wine of the Night.
All in all, a very pleasurable meeting.