We’re always happy to taste new offerings from the Perrin family of Château Beaucastel fame, as they rarely fail to satisfy. We weren’t at all disappointed with the six we tried most recently, and here’s the full Rhône-down.

2010 La Vieille Ferme Luberon Blanc, 13% alc.: Perhaps the most appealing La Vieille Ferme Blanc bottling we’ve yet tasted, showing clean, medium color and offering pretty white peach, lanolin and mineral flavors and aromas. Full bodied, with good cut and length, this pairs well with a variety of chicken and seafood dishes. Find this wine

2010 Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Réserve Blanc, 13.5% alc.: Clean, medium color, with mineral-driven white tree fruit character; deceptively soft and a bit fat, but with enough acids to work nicely with pounded, pan-fried chicken breast. Full bodied, with good length; rich and satisfying, as it opens with air and warms in the glass. A blend of Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne. Temperature-controlled fermentation in tanks; aged in stainless-steel tanks. Find this wine

2009 Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Réserve Rouge, 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvédre, 13.5% alc.: Clean, dark color; full bodied, with good structure and length. Rich, ripe red and black plum and berry, with an added note of black cherry and subtle earth underneath. Not sure I’d call this international in style, but it’s certainly not rustic, either. Almost reminds me of some Spanish reds we’ve had, and however one wants to pigeon-hole it, it’s tasty and enjoyable. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stain less-steel tanks of 150 hectolitres; aged mainly in tanks, with 25% in casks, for 12 months. Fined with egg whites. Find this wine

2009 Perrin & Fils Cairanne Peyre Blanche, 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvédre, 14% alc.: Deep, dark color; big, earthy, ripe and exuberant, with plum, berry and cherry flavors and aromas. Full bodied and well structured, with good length. Big thumbs up from both Kim and this taster; drink now with air or five years down the road. Fermented and aged in concrete tanks and barrels (20%); fined with egg whites. Find this wine

2009 Perrin & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards Blanc, Grenache Blanc 70%, Clairette 30%, 13% alc.: Pale golden color, with white tree fruit, some subtle honey (but not sweet), mineral, a note of oak that’s not as intrusive as the ’08 version and an almost steely quality. Full bodied, with good cut and intensity, this is a good white Châteauneuf, more to my liking than the previous vintage, if it still shows more oak than I care for. Three-to-five years in the cellar may resolve my reservation in that regard. 50% in new oak barrels and the rest in 1 year barrels. Find this wine

2007 Perrin & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards, 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre, 14% alc.: Clean, dark color, with a pleasant, if not terribly expressive, plum, berry and cherry nose that follows through on the palate with earthy bass notes, showing restraint, rather than power. Full bodied, well-structured and well mannered, this one is for the near term, and should drink well over the next five years or so. Find this wine

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

Related posts:

1. New Wines from the Perrin Family
2. All in the Family – Tasting the “other” varieties at Family Winemakers 2009
3. 2006 Celani Family Vineyards Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
4. Touring California Wine Country – Rosati Family Wines with a little Ridge Jimsomare on the side

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