The Southern Rhone produces some of the best value wines of all France. Home to the famous Chateauneuf du Pape, it also contains many up and coming villages such as Cairanne and Lirac.
Tasting notes: It is a generous Châteauneuf-du-Pape in every sense of the word : a wine of great quality, yet within everyone’s means. Its universal character makes it a math for a wide range of dishes. Its convivial nature would have charmed even the Popes.
The succulent, Provencal 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Olivets possesses loads of black cherry fruit, spice, and garrigue, a roasted meatiness, and firmer tannins than in 2007. 90pts (RP)
Tasting notes: Dense ruby, with liquorice, sweet cherry and lavender notes. This is a truly full-bodied, admirably concentrated wine with an excellently balanced finish.
Tasting notes: "An absolutely exquisite, profound effort is the densely purple-colored 2007 Gigondas Les Hautes Garrigues Cuvee Prestige. The incredible aromatic expression of lead pencil shavings intermixed with blueberry and blackberry as well as ripe raspberries, crushed rock, and floral undertones is to die for. In the mouth, the wine is exceptionally full-bodied, fresh and vibrant, yet possesses awesome concentration, a multi-layered mouthfeel, and a finish that goes on for 45+ seconds. This is an incredible effort from Yves Gras that should drink well for at least 20 years. 97+ Points Robert Parker"
Tasting notes: "The 2003 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape turned out as well as I could have hoped and is certainly an outstanding wine, deep ruby/purple with a tight but promising nose of black fruits, loamy, earthy notes intermixed with pepper, smoke, licorice, and dried herbs. The wine is somewhat closed in the mouth (but it had been bottled 30 days prior to my visit), has full bodied, moderately high, slightly rustic tannins, but big-impact flavors with plenty of texture, density, and purity. Give this wine 3-5 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 20 years." 92+ pts Robert Parker
Tasting notes: "The opaque ruby/purple-colored 2000 offers a profoundly sweet perfume of melted licorice, blackberries, and black cherries backed up by loads of glycerin, full body, and moderately high but sweet, well-integrated tannin. There is a seamlessness to the 2000 that makes it not only accessible early, but absolutely delicious already, and thus atypical for Beaucastel. The 1985 behaved in this manner when young, but the 2000 possesses much more stuffing and power. A brilliant Beaucastel! Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. It is a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance other permitted varietals." 95pts Robert Parker
