By: AJ McClellan
Yesterday’s tasting focused on white Rhone varietals; I love Rhone wines for the simple fact that they are great with food. Rhone wines have a natural weight to the palate and richness that makes it delicious with food, especially an oily fish or light white meat…. After the tasting a few Burgs came out, as well as a great older Rhone.
2010 Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas – This bottle was at the bottom of the barrel as far as this tasting goes. The nose was showing some white flowers and slate with a hint of white fruit. The palate was a little flabby and not overly complex.
2007 La Nerthe Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc – A giant step up from the Tablas Creek. The La Nerthe was showing the great floral notes that I love from CDP with white summer flowers, honeysuckle, and tangerine blossoms. The palate was big bodied with tropical fruit and a long finish.
2008 Quill Viognier – This was my favorite of the tasting. The nose was showing Fruity Pebbles cereal and daffodils with a backing of white peach and pear. The palate had a great waxiness to it with a thick viscosity and a lingering finish of white fruits and fresh flowers.
2009 Alain Jaume Vieux Terron Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc – This was a close second for the Rhone whites. The nose was beautiful with a floral complexity and light tropical notes. On the palate the wine was a little lighter than the other CDP Blanc but with a finesse that is hard to achieve in a white Rhone.
2009 Davis Bynum Russian River Pinot Noir – This was a very pleasant Pinot Noir, the nose was soft and fresh with red cherries and cranberries. The palate was elegant and light on its feet with charming red fruits and a moderate finish.
1995 La Nerthe Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Cadettes – A great bottle of wine with big earthy notes up front. The nose showed camel hide, black plum, forest floor, and big tobacco. The palate was soft and earthy with leather, sandalwood, and hint of pepper.
20006 Cedar Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon – A great everyday drinking Cabernet, the nose shows dark fruit with a hint of tobacco and cedar. The palate was very approachable with soft tannins and soft ripe fruit.
2008 Thibault Liger Belair Aloxe Corton 1er la Toppe au Vert – Thibault Liger Belair is quickly becoming a favorite producer of mine. I cannot get enough of these wines, in my opinion this is exactly how Burgundy should be constructed. The nose was bright with Bing cherry with a subtle earth and minerality on the back end. The palate was soft and rich with velvety tannins and a bright acidity that will lend this to wines ability to age for at least another decade.
2005 Bouchard Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus – This was a very nice bottle of wine but I think that it needs some more time in the bottle to calm down a little. It was slightly hot on the nose but with a very nice mid-palate that makes me think that with another 5 years or so, this bottle will be singing!