The Tasting Panel magazine

January / February 2018

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52  /  the tasting panel  / january/february 2018 The Inside Scoop from Inter Rhône Each region in France has a different hierarchy and system of classifying its vineyards. In the Rhône Valley, it's simple: The Côtes du Rhône appellation is the largest and covers 171 villages in the north and south (but mostly in the southern Rhône). Next up the ladder is the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation, which covers 95 villages—20 of which may adhere their specific name to the label. It's an elastic system where a village can be promoted or even declassified. This tier offers great value because it's an indicator of the pathway to the next level up, which also happens to be the highest classification at the top of the ladder: a Cru of the Côtes du Rhône. There are eight Crus in the Northern Rhône and ten Crus in the Southern Rhône Valley. For instance, SPEED TASTING Côtes du Rhône Villages, Les Dauphins, 2015 Les Dauphins is a cooperative of winemakers specializing in Côtes du Rhône. This group not only concentrates on the "CdR" appellation, but many of the more exclusive appellations in the region's upper hierarchy as well. With more than 1,000 acres of Certified Organic vineyards, the cooperative is among the leading organic producers in the Rhône Valley, though it also produces many non-organic wines. Côtes du Rhône Villages is a step up from the baseline Côtes du Rhône, which is restricted to a group of 95 specified communes in the Southern Rhône Valley and carries the added requirements of a minimum alcohol level (12.5% ABV for reds). Additionally, any red blend carrying the appellation name must contain at least 40% Grenache and at least 25% Syrah and/or Mourvèdre; other variet- ies, meanwhile, can only make up 5% of a blend. In practice, this means Côtes du Rhône Village wines tend to have a more acute focus on the vibrant red fruit of Grenache and a specific terroir. Throughout the Rhône Valley, 2015 is one of the most acclaimed vintages in recent decades. Many vintners were particularly impressed with the depth of color and intensity of flavor in the wines, as well as the firm but well-balanced tannins; these wines will largely be long- lived, yet they're still quite accessible in their youth. This is clearly to the benefit of Côtes du Rhône Villages—a wine intended for relatively early consumption. The Panel Says: "Medium concentration color with red ruby to the edge. Aromas of red and black cherry; slightly floral with violets and roses. Dry with medium-body, medium acidity, and medium-plus finish." —Osvaldo Gomez, Sommelier, La Petite Maison "Very perfume-y nose with lots of herbal quality and great ripe fruit. Savory and round with smooth tannin." —Timothy J. Bubar, Lead Sommelier, Faena Group Côtes du Rhône, Vidal-Fleury, 2013 Unlike the Northern Rhône, where the only permitted red grape is Syrah, growers in the Southern Rhône have an astonishing array of grapes to choose from. This large appellation is the source of some of the greatest wine values in France today—mostly Grenache with additional dimension primarily from Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. A respected estate and négociant like Vidal- Fleury has the capability to pick and choose wines from throughout the appellation's roughly 79,000 acres (32,000 hectares) as of 2016; as a result, it can craft wines of great nuance at a very reasonable price. Vidal-Fleury has been an acclaimed producer since the 1780s (Thomas Jefferson, who visited the domaine in 1787, was a fan) and over the centuries has built up not only its own vineyard holdings, but strong contacts with independent growers as well to assure its "entry-level" Côtes du Rhône is a wine of great depth and purity of fruit. This Côtes du Rhône from Vidal-Fleury is a blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Carignan. Tasting Notes: "Nice spice nose with aromatics jumping out of the glass. Fresh-cut rosemary and thyme combined with dark black cherries and a touch of crushed rock. Well-balanced." —Brian Grandison, Sommelier, Hakkasan "Blackberry, blueberry, and coffee. Prune-y with white pepper and a hint of smoke. No fruit evidence on the mouthfeel." —Diego Rech, Sommelier, Villa Azu "Ripe black fruit on the nose with ruby red color and medium-plus tannin." —Carol López-Bethel, Swirl Wine Consulting

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