Rhône 2008 tasting notes – A-L

Brownish crimson. Simple herby fruits – not trying too hard. Very opulent and sweet. Easy stuff – and actually very like a competent Châteauneuf. It fills the mouth with fruit and spice. Neat finish, not too dry. Quite appetising. But a bit light overall. (JR)

Deep purple crimson. Very bright. Lively and fresh and tarry – very dense. Serious tight stuff with no excess of acidity and tannins set for the long term. Quite unusual in the context of 2008. (JR)

Blueish purple. Very polished nose. Sweet, with a foxglove nose – not for purists but this is a wine that a lot of effort has gone into to tame it. Wait a while and it may surprise those with a prejudice against 2008s. Just not porty. (JR)

Very dark purplish crimson. Looks very young. Aromatic, peppery, seems very Syrah but nothing underripe on the nose. Sweet and juicy and reasonably subtle though it’s pretty drying on the finish. A little tarry on the finish. (JR)

Blackish crimson. Looks quite evolved. Just a hint of rhubarb. Light and tart and rustic. Short and dry on the end. (JR)

Very dark crimson. Savoury at the same time as being juicy, sweet and appealing. Interesting top notes and real polish. Slightly animal. Fades just a little fast. Really quite light but much juicier than most Vacqueyras 2008s. They are négociants but with quite a bit of good vineyard themselves. (JR)

Brilliant crimson. Not much nose at all. A little timid on the palate. Low key. Polished but surely a little below maximum potential? (JR)

Bright crimson with a pale rim. Remarkably little nose. Sweet, easy, red cherry fruit but no real punch and very drying tannins on the finish. A little like the Juline in its lack of ambition. (JR)

Ripe and surprisingly exotic rather than raisined or pruney. Lovely fruit and oak spice and bramble flavours. Sweet oak spice and vanilla on the palate but good fruit depth under that and fine grained but present tannins. (JH)

Ripe red cherry fruit and brighter and fresher on the nose than the straight Châteauneuf. Scented and peppery. Silky and fresh on the mid palate, lightly spiced and juicy. A fine grip and harmony for good evolution. (JH)

Very ripe prune notes and a light meaty aroma. Similarly ripe on the palate but retains freshness somehow in the mouth. Smooth textured already. Rich for the vintage. (JH)

Mid crimson with a pale rim. Simple cherry-soda aromas. A bit loose on the palate. Heavy. Without being really interesting. Very chewy, drying end. (JR)

Lively crimson colour. Pretty ripe with a hint of animal. Mourvèdre? (Apparently 20% of this cuvée is made up of Mourvedre...) Sweet and full and opulent and just a tiny bit over the top. Round and full though it’s mainly upfront sweetness rather than real complex undertow. (JR)

Lively and blossomy. Quite delicate in terms of weight but well balanced if just a little anaemic. Still a bit tight on the finish. (JR)

Bright, dark crimson. Quite dramatic black cherry aromas with a fine fizz. Vigorous and not excessively counter to the vintage character. Very clean and pure with lots of fine tannin tucked in at the end. (JR)

Bright confident cherry red. Fragrant and clean and punchy though not dramatic. Very sweet and powerful and jazzy. Round and supple with great depth of flavour. (JR)

Reasonably ripe nose, and then lots of gas. Simple, fresh, fruity red for early drinking. Medium body, it fades quite fast. (JR)

Unoaked, from 40-year-old vines – 70% Grenache.
Dark, comfortable crimson. Mild and gentle and on the nose with some evolution. Thick and sweet yet with some life and the impression that this was a ripe vintage! This lacks a bit of funkiness of the appellation but it is really made to please – and should not age too fast. (JR)

Deep crimson. Sweet and fragrant red fruit. Very inviting aromas but also a little cedary and herbal, dusty. Dry and slightly chalky tannins. Elegantly textured in a lighter mode. Refined but just a little green on the finish, though it adds freshness. (JH)

Red cherry fruit, linctus-like but pure and aromatic. Dry, slightly chalky fine tannins. Not especially long but harmonious and fresh on the finish. (JH)

Slightly herbal citrus. (Very cold sample so may not be showing its full flavours and aromas.) Creamy, bright and lightish with a nutty edge. Correct and refreshing but don’t wait. (JH)

A little smoky and just a hint of almonds. Quite held back at the moment. Rich, mouthfilling and extremely oaky, almost sweet with the oak. Lovely almond and citrus intensity, warm finish. Long. Needs a little time for the oak to subside. Just enough freshness for the weight. (JH)

Mid straw/pale gold. Honey, putty and interest on the nose. Lots of acidity and spritz. Very charming and competent. Rather sprightlier than most white Châteauneuf. Quite persistent. (JR)

Very slightly meaty nose, then sweetly oaky, touch of vanilla on the palate, over fresh, lightly leafy dark fruit. Pretty light over all. (JH)

One of the deepest crimsons of the lot. Funky nose with buckwheat and vegetation, then rather severe strict medicinal aromas. Very tough tannins on the finish. Pretty dramatic and tight. (JR)

Light greenish straw. Lightly cheesy nose. Then very tight and without much flavour apparent. Very introvert. (JR)

Bright crimson. Quite light and vegy. Really quite a pale wine in every sense. Not really Cuvée Speciale material. (JR)

Really light and even a bit green. Extremely skinny. I can’t really see why this is a Cuvée Speciale. (JR)

Deep straw. Not much nose but the promise of something rather beguiling eventually and a nice texture. Wait for flavour to emerge from what is already a promising package. (JR)

Mid greyish crimson. Light, fresh nose. Lots of juicy fruit but very little structure. (JR)

Pale straw. Some honeysuckle appeal on the nose. Very tight on the finish – even a little smoky. On an international basis, this is a nicely made wine, but it doesn’t have THAT much Châteauneuf character to it. Medium finish with just a hint of quinine on the finish. (JR)

Mid brownish crimson. A slight suggestion of oxidation on this sample. Very sweet and taken to the limit with what seems like some oak in evidence.  Super sweet. And with quite a bit of alcohol. Suitable for those who like knock-out drops! Very burly. (JR)

Lightish and looks very evolved. Already ruby with some development at the rim. Evolved, lightly spicy nose. Already lots of fun here – a hint of treacle toffee plus transparency and Blackpool rock. Really satisfying though I suspect there is a heck of a lot of alcohol... Long and sinewy. Complete. But you could certainly reproach it for being too forward. And as for these papal names... (JR)

Pale straw. Sultry, bloomy nose. Definitely white Châteauneuf but a little bit rustic and tough on the end. Not long. (JR)

Mid cherry red with some lustre. Neat and fresh, super-clean fruit. Dense and thick and easy – very confident, even if not very complex. Somehow gets the appetite going. But pretty simple overall. (JR)

Dark crimson with lustrous highlights.  Tastes a little oaky on the nose. But it’s rather appetising! There is lift here. The very characteristic fruit of Gigondas has been given a rather international élevage and the result is very pleasing. Dry finish but I really like the ethereal nature of this. Not too heavy or thick. Lip smacking, and definitely Gigondas – even if rather a sophisticated version. (JR)