WTN: Plan De Dieu Cotes Du Rhone Villages 2007

Domaine Le Grand Retour

Dark purple in the glass.

Spicy, tangy with roasted notes on the nose.

Spicy, red licorice, black cherry, raspberry, bitter chocolate, medium weight, smooth and silky in the mouth, good acidity, with some alcohol roughness and a sharp edge at the end.

Mouthwatering, tang, drying with some raspberry fruit on the finish.

A decent wine, at a decent price, but, once again, the heavy alcohol (14.5 per cent) intruded.

Purchased at $11.95 (Canadian).

[David M. Bueker]

The '07s are indeed ripe. I generally like to hold a few bottles of Cotes du Rhone, but the high alcohol could be a concern in that regard.

Plan de Dieu is a low-lying, particularly warm area of the Rhône. If you find those alcohol levels in 2007 to be intrusive, you might try higher-elevation villages, such as Visan or Massif d'Uchaux.

Plan de Dieu is a low-lying, particularly warm area of the Rhône. If you find those alcohol levels in 2007 to be intrusive, you might try higher-elevation villages, such as Visan or Massif d'Uchaux.

Thanks, Joe.

When I was there recently a couple of grower/winemakers had mildly dismissive remarks about the Plan de Dieu, along the lines of what you just said. Also, that there didn't seem to be an insistence on quality---as a rule.

Are there any Plan de Dieu producers you are particularly impressed with...not just 2007...but overall?

(PS: Thanks again for the heads up on the other thing. Appreciate it. H)

Plan de Dieu is a low-lying, particularly warm area of the Rhône. If you find those alcohol levels in 2007 to be intrusive, you might try higher-elevation villages, such as Visan or Massif d'Uchaux.

Thanks for the advice Joe.

I did a quick search and the LCBO in Ontario offers this wine for $13.95: Domaine De La Bastide Visan Côtes Du Rhône Villages 2007. Think I will give it a try.

Are there any Plan de Dieu producers you are particularly impressed with...not just 2007...but overall?

Hoke,

I've not seen a lot of wines labeled Plan de Dieu—perhaps because of the reputation you cite. I have recent notes on a 2007 négoce bottling from Ferraton (overripe) and a 2007 I liked a lot from Dom. René Bessac (commercialized by Ravoire et Fils). That one was marked by superripe fruit but also had some complexity and a lush mouthfeel w/o being OTT.

One producer I like is situated in Plan de Dieu but doesn't use it on their wines: Dom. des Aphillanthes (Travaillon)

Tangentially, a bit of a discovery for me last trip were the wines coming from some of the producers in Ste-Cécile-les-Vignes: Dom Les Grands Bois and Dom. de la Presidente.

Aha, Domaine de la Presidente!!!

Some years ago we spent a week in a gite in the Ventoux (glorious time was had). Turned out the owner of the gite had a part ownership in Presidente, so she took me there, introed me to the GSM, and we did an extensive tasting. Couple of things I absolutely loved---I specifically remember a bottling called Les Partides that I was quite impressed with.

At the time they had a couple of small importers, east coast and west coast/L.A. Hope they expanded US distribution since then.

Actually, there are some very good Plan de Dieus. Because of where the vineyards are, a lot of the winemakers use higher proportions of mourvedre, which evens off the wine. I don't know which ones get imported here but both Bastide St. Vincent and Espigouette make very good ones.

The two CdRs from Mourre de Tendre also come largely from Plan de Dieu vineyards, though they are not so marked. Their V V CdR is one of the best CdRs around, ranking, to my mind, with Beaucastel's Coudelet and Charvin's CdR.

Actually, there are some very good Plan de Dieus. Because of where the vineyards are, a lot of the winemakers use higher proportions of mourvedre, which evens off the wine. I don't know which ones get imported here but both Bastide St. Vincent and Espigouette make very good ones.

The two CdRs from Mourre de Tendre also come largely from Plan de Dieu vineyards, though they are not so marked. Their V V CdR is one of the best CdRs around, ranking, to my mind, with Beaucastel's Coudelet and Charvin's CdR.

Thanks, Jonathan. I'll be on the lookout for those.

Aha, Domaine de la Presidente!!!

I have several cases of '05 Domaine de la Presidente one of which is their Carignane which is wonderful. Beltway fine wines in Northeast Baltimore County, Maryland has tons of Presidente.

Drew

[James Roscoe]

The Total Wine Empire, of which Beltway Wines is an outpost, carries all the Presidenté wines. I get them at Corridor in Laurel, MD. for a prettty decent price. Is Hoke and Jonathan advising us to look for a particular line? I am not up on all the nomenclature.

The Total Wine Empire, of which Beltway Wines is an outpost, carries all the Presidenté wines. I get them at Corridor in Laurel, MD. for a prettty decent price. Is Hoke and Jonathan advising us to look for a particular line? I am not up on all the nomenclature.

I wasn't saying anything about Domaine la Presidente. I've liked the wines I've tasted, though I don't remember tasting a Plan de Dieu of theirs. I was recommending three entirely different domaines.

My notes on a pleasant (though 14% ABV) PdD from Bouche:
This high-toned blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah is typical of the powerful wines coming from France’s southern Côtes-du-Rhône. “Plan de Dieu” just recently was anointed “named village” status and elevated to the noteworthy villages allowed use of their name only on the label, and a taste will explain why. This is a showy wine that is held in check by the elegance of the Syrah and should go well with grilled meats or cheese. Food helps to work against the alcohol, though it is nicely balanced, and comes in a pretty embossed bottle. The AOC name translates as “God’s Plan” and apparently so since they have been making wines here since Roman times. French oak helps solidify the blend and firms up the effort. Should improve or hold over the next 2-5 years. Serve at cellar temp. (65°).
Appearance: Almost opaque magenta with lighter crimson rim.
Nose: Dark fruit, with cinnamon and spice.
Taste: Follows nose, with soft tannins and a nice finish.

Richard, thanks for the writeup.

Side note: the "Plan de Dieu" derives from the Knights Templar organization which set up the area after the Crusades, as part of a larger construct.

Plan de Dieu means "God's map." In the 19th century, the place was a forest with that name, hence the name. I have heard Hoke's explanation of where the name originally came from. But the Templars were all over the area. I have also heard that the woods were chock full of highwaymen, and if one wandered in there, one was taking one's life in one's hands, and so was in God's territory. I like the second explanation better, but I consider them both doubtful.

I think when it comes to anecdotal history, Jonathan, it's a case of "ya pays yer money, and ya takes yer choice."

And while I like the second version too, it smacks to me of a weak attempt at Medieval wit.

I think I prefer my version, as it is composed of what I've read from different sources, what a local grower/owner told me, and what the Inter-Rhone people put officially in their materials. All could be wrong, sure, and we could easily discover that the Plan de Dieu/Templar thing is similar to the old Shiraz coming from Persia canard.

But I'll also make sure to include your version in my storytelling from now on when I'm doing seminars on the CdRV. It's a good addition.

The InterRhone site has the same history for Cairanne, Roaix and virtually every other lieu-dit in the area. It seems unlikely that an uncultivated forest was named for their influence--as opposed to say Roaix where the Templars seemed to have been centered. As I say, I consider both these explanations of the name unlikely.

It's like Chateauneuf du Pape. People tear their hair out over whether this is Castle nine or the new Castle of the Pope, neither of which makes much sense. But it turns out, that there was a Castel Novo in the area (probably because there were older fortifications the new ones superceded)and there is some evidence that the place was called Chateauneuf for them before Clement arrived there, though the area would have taken the name "du Pape" because of his extensive territorial acquisitions there. If this is true, the actual chateau would have become a convenient ex post facto explanation of the name but not the real reason for its naming.

I'd guess that if someone did some actual archival history, he or she would turn up a better explanation for the name of the forest than either of these, but, alas, archival history is hard work and those who do it generally have bigger fish to fry than finding out the names of obscure 19th century forests.

I'd guess that if someone did some actual archival history, he or she would turn up a better explanation for the name of the forest than either of these, but, alas, archival history is hard work and those who do it generally have bigger fish to fry than finding out the names of obscure 19th century forests

We could apply for a grant for Bob Ross and Otto Nieminen to do an archival study. After all, this is of great importance!

Question, Jonathan (and Joe Cz, if he's still kibitzing this): do you have any familiarity at all with Domaine Chaume Arnaud from Vinsobres? Ever had them?

I'd guess that if someone did some actual archival history, he or she would turn up a better explanation for the name of the forest than either of these, but, alas, archival history is hard work and those who do it generally have bigger fish to fry than finding out the names of obscure 19th century forests

We could apply for a grant for Bob Ross and Otto Nieminen to do an archival study. After all, this is of great importance!

Question, Jonathan (and Joe Cz, if he's still kibitzing this): do you have any familiarity at all with Domaine Chaume Arnaud from Vinsobres? Ever had them?

I'm not aware that I've had it. Vinsobres is well north of my normal stomping grounds when I'm there (which despite its coverage of a large number of known CdR places, is amazingly geographically restricted by my natural laziness and inability to get my ass out of my front yard). And if I've had it in the US, it wasn't with sufficient attentiveness to remember.