WTN: Two recent CdRs

[Mark Lipton]

With a late dinner of broiled lamb loin medallions, grilled ratatouille and Caprese salad, I opened a recent purchase:

2006 Dom. "La Garrigue" Cotes du Rhone Cuvée Romaine
nose: dark cherry fruit, stones, meaty
palate: medium body, getting fuller as it sat opened, dusty tannins, good acidity, meaty

This wine, imported by Eric Solomon and a declassified Vacqueyras, has received a lot of praise on the wine Internet. After finding it for sale locally for $13.99 a bottle, I decided to open one. Very fine CdR that clearly shows its Vacqueyras roots, it could easily hold its own with wines costing 2-3 times as much.

With a light dinner of gazpacho and sandwiches, we opened:

2007 Dom. d'Andézon Cotes du Rhone Vielles Vignes
nose: brambly dark fruit, minerals
palate: medium body, firm acidic backbone, brightly fruity

This wine, produced by the Caves Cooperative of Estézargues and imported by Eric Solomon, is atypical for a CdR in its flavor profile. Instead of the usual dark cherry profile for Grenache-dominated wines, this one had a much darker fruit element, but also higher acidity and lighter body, indiciative of the high percentage of Syrah in its encepagement. And have I yet mentioned how much I love the '07 vintage in France (and Germany and Austria...)?

Mark Lipton

[Ian Sutton]

Mark
I don't know if you spotted David B's note on the 2007 of the La Garrigue? (Title "Cote du Rhone soda")
regards
Ian

[David M. Bueker]

I'm glad you had better luck with the 2006.

[Mark Lipton]

I'm glad you had better luck with the 2006.

Me, too. We'll see about the '07 if it ever shows up in my market. I'm not likely to cast a wide net for a wine that sells for under $15, especially after your cautionary note.

Mark Lipton