WTN: 2004 Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone, terrific value at ~$15

2004 Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone

Clear & bright, classic CdR medium garnet in the glass. Nice balance of earth and fruit on the nose and the palate. No one will confuse it for Chateauneuf, but more complexity on the mid-palate and finish than you'd expect from a $15 CdR. Great match with hearty and/or moderately spicy foods...for me this wine hits the sweet spot for "everyday meals when a simple Borgogne won't hold up to the food." By far the best of the five or so '04 CdR's I have tried recently.

Side note: I was underwhelmed by the '03 vintage of this label - it seemed to be struggling against the gigantic '03 fruit rather than embracing the fleshiness. My sense was that Lynch was trying for something more like a classic CdR and it just wasn't happening with the '03 fruit. The '04 is a whole different animal, this vintage seems to be a great match with what they're aiming for in this blend. So even if you tried the '03 and didn't like it, this is worth a shot.

Good to hear this wine is back on track, William. I wasn't too fond of the '03 either.

Hi Bill...hope you had a great Xmas!! Bill, was it the `02 vintage that was a washout for N Rhone??

Bill, was it the `02 vintage that was a washout for N Rhone??

Hiya Bob. Yup, had a great Christmas here. Happy New Year to you. Ya, '02 was a wet one in Rhone, north and south. It was pretty wet in Piedmont too.

Is this up to $15 now? I thought it was below $10, at which price it seemed like a fair value, if uninspired. But for $15 you can get more expressive Southern wines, even in his own shop. Or was I just in a bad mood when tasting?

[James Roscoe]

Rashaan, I notice even the most pedestrian of southern Rhones creeping up in price thanks to the Euro vs. US dollar effect. My favorite $7.00 cherry pickers have gone up to $8.00 and I wouldn't be surprised to see them up another buck in the spring. Thus a really good offering like this Kermit Lynch may be suffering the same fate, in addition to the problem of the laws of supply and demand. Haven't I seen you arguing this point on another board?

Is this up to $15 now?

It's $12 in NH stores. I can think better bottles to get, even for this price.