Relief from this heat wave is on the way and with cooler temperatures forecast for this, the last, long weekend of this glorious summer, there will be no better time to sample a few of the 2007 “Red Rhones” soon to be found on the shelves of this September 4th release. From a price point, the wines are well priced even when compared to those in the US. Several tasty ones are under the $15.00 mark. In addition, I really like the way the Vintages catalogue breaks down the region, dividing sub appellation by sub appellation and giving good information on each one. Well done to the board. I also have a tasting note on one of the best Viogniers I have tasted, one that should not be missed. Enjoy the weekend.

Wines from the Cotes du Rhone

Click Wine Labels To Enlarge

178822 CUVÉE DU COMTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2007 Les Vignerons de la Suzienne $15.95 Earthy with a touch of moss and bret (pig poo in layman’s terms). The wine opens after a few swirls to show a layer of sweet black fruit. The palate is dusty and quite surprisingly tannic as it leads to a creamy finish with a note of sweetness. find this wine

175653 RÉSERVE DES ARMOIRIES CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2007 $12.95 This balanced wine offers clean aromas of red cherry, blackcurrant and a touch of vanilla. It is medium bodied, simple, but really pleasing. find this wine

650960 PERRIN & FILS PEYRE BLANCHE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES CAIRANNE 2007 $17.95 A new world styled wine boasting black raspberry, blueberry, black fruit candy and a note of mint. The palate carries great acidity that balances the black fruit flavours perfectly. There is an underlay of mineral and black olive that shines, especially after a minute or two in the glass. The finish has a candy apple note and carries good length. find this wine

177576 CHÂTEAU SAINT MAURICE LES GRÈS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES LAUDUN 2007 $14.95 There are heaps of toasty caramel aromas backed by layers of plum and blackberry fruit, iron, coal dust and black licorice. A tasty ripe chewy palate with a creamy texture and a hint of toasted nori with just a shot of coffee on the finish. The balance is superb making this a must for the short term collector especially given the price. find this wine

175711 DOMAINE DE L’ECHEVIN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES SAINT MAURICE 2007 $16.95 A spicy wine delivering whiffs of star anise and Asian spice box supported by layers of ripe blueberry and prune aromas. The palate is loaded with gutsy plum and blackcurrant that coat the mouth entirely. The finish has fruit, mineral and pleasing memories of red aniseed ball. find this wine

175745 PROMENADE DES PRINCES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES PLAN DE DIEU 2007 $12.95 Floral aromas first appear then take second spot to mint, eucalyptus, lavender and clay. It has solid flavours of plum, blackberry, blueberry and a touch of maraschino on the somewhat short finish. Not a great wine, but great at a fall barbecue or a wander in the park, for the price of a couple of pints. find this wine

175638 GRANDES SERRES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES SIGNARGUES 2007 $14.95 Nice upfront mineral aromas with spicy black pepper, damson and thyme that lead to a palate of black and red fruit. The wine is properly balanced, well structured and finishes with a pleasing red fruit sweetness. find this wine

177667 DOMAINE ROCHE-AUDRAN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VISAN 2007 $15.95 Intense aromas of thyme and sage mingle with a streak of dark chocolate, forest floor, black raspberry and sweet spice. The palate is chewy, has a creamy texture with a hefty dose of blackberry fruit, lovely acidity and a kick of tannin on the finish. find this wine

179234 LES VIGNERONS DE VISAN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VISAN 2007 $12.95 A tasty little cooperative wine that boasts aromas of mineral, black pepper, black licorice, black fruit jello cubes and caramel. Spiciness is characterized on the palate, the raspberry and black fruit flavours are pleasing and the finish is surprisingly long with a gentle sweetness. find this wine

177634 LES HAUTS DE CASTELLAS VACQUEYRAS 2007 $18.95 Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre combine to produce a floral based nose with sweet spice, aged meat, anise and an exotic persona. There is a dusty corkboard note on palate, yet it is clearly not corked as the ripe red fruit does show well. It finishes with dark chocolate and a touch of balsa. find this wine

175729 VIGNERONS DE GIGONDAS LA FONT DES GRIÈRES GIGONDAS 2007 $21.95 A tarry and robust wine with a mineral laden nose supported by black cherry, plum and a faint boot polish. It is one tight wine on the palate, but behind the ripe chewy tannin are layers of concentrated fruit, sweet toffee and an amazingly long finish. find this wine

017400 PIERRE AMADIEU ROMANE MACHOTTE GIGONDAS 2007 $22.95 Fabulous, right from the get go. The meaty aromas of game and cured bacon are offset with Asian spice, cola, lavender, fig, morel and white pepper. Black fruit screams across the palate that has a creamy mocha texture plus a long dusty finish with a twist of nutmeg. find this wine

177618 14 DOMAINE DU HAUT DES TERRES BLANCHES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2007 $36.95 Abounding with such goodies as Moroccan spice, treacle, plum and cherry, floral notes, game and clove. There is plum and dark fruits on the palate that blend nicely with a stream of creamy chocolate to create a super textured wine that is balanced and really tasty right now. It will also age well and Mr. Parker spoke highly of this wine and awarded it ninety one points. An accolade that is actually imprinted on the label no less! find this wine

983650 15 DOMAINE DU VIEUX LAZARET CHÂTEAUNEUFDU- PAPE 2007 $32.95 Spicy and peppery at first then aromas of blackberry, currant, raspberry and mineral shine through. Structurally sound, the palate is alive with mineral, blueberry and raspberry flavours, some chewy tannins and lively acidity. find this wine

005975 16 PERRIN & FILS LES SINARDS CHÂTEAUNEUFDU- PAPE 2007 375 mL $19.95 Super ripe, to the point of being raisin like, blueberry and blackcurrant flavours on the fruit laden palate with a trace of mint on the finish. A new world styled wine that lacks complexity and for me, is just a touch too ripe. find this wine

101105 DELAS DOMAINE DES GRANDS CHEMINS CROZES-HERMITAGE 2007 $27.95 A dark and inky wine blooming with floral notes, coal dust, dates, black cherry, plum and ground pepper. It is not a powerful wine on the palate, but it is impeccably balanced carrying a long pure fruit and mineral laden finish. Not to be missed. find this wine

CANADA

175604 CEDARCREEK ESTATE CABERNET/MERLOT 2007 Okanagan Valley $23.95 Plumy and fleshy, this west coast wine has notes of thyme, red candy, red bell pepper and chocolate. Plenty of red fruit on the palate, it is crisp, clean and quite tasty. find this wine

186536 SANDHILL SMALL LOTS ONE 2007 Okanagan Valley , Phantom Creek Vineyard $34.95 A powerhouse of a wine that delivers aromas of mineral, dark chocolate, black fruit, raspberry and Asian spice. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Syrah starts out with a creamy dusty texture until the density and concentration of the fruit lets itself be known. Balance is spot on and the finish has a wonderful blackcurrant creamy note. find this wine

126862 SANDHILL SMALL LOTS VIOGNIER 2009 Okanagan Valley, Osprey Ridge Vineyard $24.95 Simply amazing, cooked peach, mineral, clay, dried banana, baked apple, honey and guava are hedonistic. The palate is ripe, juicy, fruit laden and superbly balanced. No need to say more. find this wine

186254 MALIVOIRE GUILTY MEN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009 Niagara Peninsula $19.95 Really appealing aromas, good varietal character showing notes of lime zest, a grassy edge, a note of kiwi and lively acidity. Medium bodied, good fruit with a nice little kick of acidity on the finish. find this wine

148817 REIF ESTATE SILVER MERITAGE 2007 Niagara River $24.95 This blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc has a waxy note with aromas of buttered popcorn, lime leaf and fresh cut flowers. It is lush, has nice flavours of honey, tangerine and peach. find this wine

112177 ROSEWOOD ESTATES PINOT NOIR 2008 Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula $20.00 Wisps of green tea, cherry rhubarb and cedar lead to a palate of red berries and plum. Finish disappears quickly. find this wine

USA

035014 BIG YELLOW CAB CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 Mendocino County $17.95 Lots of jammy black fruit, a note of mineral and slate and plenty of toasty oak. The fruit is hard on the palate, the tannins are dusty, but a layer of blackcurrant comes into play on the finish. find this wine

SOUTH AFRICA

068742 LONG MOUNTAIN RESERVE PINOTAGE 2008 Western Cape $14.95 Subtle sweet dark fruit, a hit of mocha, plum skin and treacle are apparent. A nice plumy palate has good acidity and a dusty finish. find this wine

674523 RUSTENBERG BRAMPTON SHIRAZ 2007 Coastal Region $15.95 Pig poo, coffee grounds, chocolate and iron dominate the nose, but fortunately there are some blackberry and blueberry notes found on the palate. A dusty finish with a touch of a tannic bite. find this wine

Cheers CZ

Related posts:

1. Alan Kerr’s May 1st, 2010, Vintage’s Release – Tasting Notes
2. Alan Kerr’s May 15th, 2010, Vintage’s Release – Tasting Notes
3. Alan Kerr’s May 29th, 2010, Vintage’s Release – Tasting Notes
4. Alan Kerr’s January 23rd, 2010, Vintage’s Release – Tasting Notes
5. Alan Kerr’s June 12th, 2010, Vintage’s Release – Tasting Notes

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