See Our collected works – a guide.
This collection of tasting notes on Rhône wines currently in circulation illustrates sharply how different are the wines from the two halves of the Rhône Valley. The less successful wines from the northern and southern Rhône tend respectively to be either too thin or too evolved – although Brettanomyces can affect any Rhône wine, it would seem.
Wines are listed in declining score order, which should make it relatively easy to pick out the bargains.
WHITE
95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne. Caramel, ginger, stone fruit, cream...
Juicy, ripe, nutty. Very slack acidity – it could really use a...
Lovely stone fruit and some hay character, quite light-bodied...
Fresh, nutty, a little bit of applemint or menthol – possibly...
Minty, peachy, with quite a bit of exotic spicing – really quite...
Loads of soapy, apricot fruit, cream and peach slices. Great...
RED
Rich, fragrant and quite brett-heavy on the nose. Pure black...
Fragrant, lifted character with a little volatility – reminds me...
55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre. Honest, meaty Grenache...
Not sure I approve of this name – nor the price at €42 from the...
Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Sweet and simple on the nose...
Mainly Grenache with some Syrah, all at least 50 years old. Two...
Black, leathery, open and expressive, if a bit chewy and pinched...
Blackberry, white pepper, sweet spices. Gentle, rounded, fresh.
Good purity and pepperiness. Fragrant, long persistence. Ticks...
Slinky, smooth, aromatic and open-knit. Supple tannins, moderate...
Quite interesting, very aromatic in a rustic way – earthy...
Proper black peppery spice and a lovely leathery complexity...
Lots of Viognier perfume – almost reminds me of those chillable...
Very light and rather ordinary on the nose. Sweet but not at all...
Mid smudgy red. A little light and rank on the nose. Some...
Dark ruby. Sumptuous nose with some evolution. Really rather...
Layered dark ruby. Smudgy and interesting but a bit sweet and...
Mid ruby. Very evolved. Dry finish. Quite tart. Correct but not...
Scented, liquorish and vital. Just a hint of black pepper but...
Evolved ruby. Sweet with a hint of Band-Aid – not a good sign...
Gamey spearmint on the nose. Lots of dramatic leather and...
Very dark crimson. Sweet, dramatic and winning. A bit flashy...
Mid crimson. Very dry. Solid and correct but too drying to be...
Dark crimson. Intense ripe but dry Syrah. Quite flashy and...
Mid ruby with some brown. Very evolved nose indeed – not...
Transparent blackish ruby. Light, rather animal nose. Very...
Blackish ruby. Scented and rather clarety. Lively – some Syrah...
Blackish crimson. A bit gamey, porty and overripe. Lacks...
Mid ruby. Light sweet treacly nose with very attractive...
Livid crimson. Attractively mellow nose. Round and spicy but not...
Very dark crimson. On the way to oxidation. Too much for me...
