Well-priced Hearty Wines from Southern France
Of note, the 2019 Tessellae Carignan Vieilles Vignes showed very smooth and friendly.
January 18, 2023
Well-priced Hearty Wines from Southern France
Of note, the 2019 Tessellae Carignan Vieilles Vignes showed very smooth and friendly. It was by far the most purchased—the Lafage Bastide. Syrah and Rhone aficionados loved the character and the purity of the Clusel-Roch Syrah, but it was very tight and closed at the tasting. Two days later, it opened beautifully and was delightful, meaning it has good aging potential.
One white: Chateau Remejeanne makes a fresh and savory white from Clairette, Marsanne, and Roussanne. Its fruit and acids are nicely balanced. As evocative as honeysuckle, for which the Cuvee is named, The wine is still hearty and full.
Domaine Lafage is a very well-regarded property in Roussillon. Their Tessellae is a pure Carignan grape. The current offering balances the grape's tangy acid spice with rounded fruit. It will nicely partner lighter herbal meats. Their Bastide Rouge Miraflore is a different animal entirely. A blend of old vine Syrah and Grenache, it is hearty, rich, and full and emphasizes dark fruit with lots of body.
Brusset is a Chateauneuf du Pape estate but also owns property in Cairanne just to the north. Their Les Travers shows the same wonderful articulation as their more expensive wines. It is poised and light on its feet and peppers the palette with delicate fine tannins counterbalanced with generous fruit.
Rasteau is also Chateauneuf du Pape's near neighbor. Soumade's Prestige Cuvee comes from 50-year-old Grenache vines with spice and depth added by dollops of Mourvedre and Syrah. It is a robust wine, given strength and intensity by generous tannins.
Clusel-Roch is sought after for its organic, biodynamic Cote Roties. They also have a tiny plot of Serine, Syrah's finest clone, in a non-appellation area outside Saint Joseph. From there comes this Syrah that is far better than its simple 'French wine' label. Lean, racy, and refined; it is as good an example of pure Old-World Syrah as we have come across at the price. Very limited in quantity.
White
2021 Remejeanne Cotes du Rhone Les Chevrefeuilles; Aroma: lean, light clean, bright, fresh, clean; Mouth: fleshy rounded clean, a nice herbal quality, good richness, clean, light finish; Very Good Plus $21; Case, $17.99
Red
2019 Tessellae Carignan Vieilles Vignes; Color: vary dark black; Aroma: lifted, very bright and clean, fresh; Mouth: reserved nicely balanced, rather full, fat, earthy Carignan spice with roundness; Very Good Plus $21; Case, $17.99
2020 Brusset Cairanne Les Travers; Color: medium dark black; Aroma: bright and intense, lightly herbal, lifted and light, rather elegant; Mouth: smooth, clean, bright fine acid, nicely articulated, refined acid; Very Good - Excellent $21; Case, $17.99
2019 Lafage Bastide Rouge Miraflore; Color: very dark; Aroma: spicy deep black cherry plum, herbal, bright fresh; Mouth: fleshy full, fat, smooth textured, nice spice and vary ripe forward fruit, good fruit depth; Very Good Plus $18.99; Case, $15.99
2019 Domaine la Soumade Rasteau Cuvee Prestige; Organic, Biodynamic Aroma: heady, very dark, very dense full, vibrant, deep currant spice, earthy, nice intensity; Very Good Plus $26.99; Case, $22.99
2020 Clusel-Roch VDF Syrah Serine; Aroma: Heady, very intense, very dense, heady and mineral spicy, full, rich fruit; Mouth: Clean, tightly with fleshy fruit, firmly structured, generous fruit, long tight finish, a pure expression of Old World Syrah; Very Good - Excellent $32; Case, $27.99 limited
Or make your own, mix any twelve or more at their case prices
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- Len Rothenberg
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