Rhone Valley Wines

Big Rhone drinker myself, top end as well as value. This weekend drank an 06 Charvin CdR and a 06 Yann Chave Crozes Hermitage Le Rouvre. With about 15 open expensive American wines on the table Sat night, the Yann Chave was still by far my wine of the night. A very fine Crozes.


~Vitis

[gvarsity]

Originally Posted by Vitis

Big Rhone drinker myself, top end as well as value. This weekend drank an 06 Charvin CdR and a 06 Yann Chave Crozes Hermitage Le Rouvre. With about 15 open expensive American wines on the table Sat night, the Yann Chave was still by far my wine of the night. A very fine Crozes.


~Vitis

Croze Hermitage is probably my favorite Rhone style. Well Hermitage ain't bad either but usually a little rich for my wallet. I had a fantastic CH about a decade ago Domaine des Entrefaux 1997 That one year they caught lightning in a bottle the best cost per value bottle I have ever had and one of the best wines I have ever had at just over 12$ a bottle. Went through 3-4 cases. It had nuance, it changed on every sip and had a three minute finish that was just ridiculous. Amazing bottle. Wish I would have saved a few bottles. The tragedy of vintage wines and limited release/vintage cigars when they are gone they are gone.

Yup, CH can be pretty good. Your note reminded me to check in on a few older bottlings im sitting on. I have a few each 94 95 96 Paul Jaboulet Aine, CH Domaine de Thalabert which are probably as good as they'r gonna get. Gotta love those wines burried in the back of the cellar. Fondly remembering the day of $15 Crozes

~Vitis

[aldukes]

All the major critics are big on Chateauneuf du Pape right now. Ive noticed increases on bottles from about 8 months ago.

Ive been trying to drink more Cote' Rotie and Cotes Du Rhone lately. I'm having trouble finding some decent midlevel Cornas- any suggestions?

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by aldukes

All the major critics are big on Chateauneuf du Pape right now. Ive noticed increases on bottles from about 8 months ago.

Ive been trying to drink more Cote' Rotie and Cotes Du Rhone lately. I'm having trouble finding some decent midlevel Cornas- any suggestions?

Too bad you weren't in Boston last month. The Rhone sale one store had was a giveaway. Bottles marked at $120 were going for $65.00. Late summer/early fall all Distributors sell off their excess inventory and the big B&M's have a field day selling them. There's a 50 person line to get in on the first day of their sale.

They still have a few, and ton's of 1st cru Burgundy!

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

.... and ton's of 1st cru Burgundy!

Now that's something to cheer about. We're still waiting on most of the 06' Gran Crus out here but have been pleasantly surprised on how fine the Premiers have been. With all the 05 hype (although justified IMHO) there are some finds in 06' that distributers (including me) are having a hard time moving.

Cheers brothers
~Vitis

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Vitis

Now that's something to cheer about. We're still waiting on most of the 06' Gran Crus out here but have been pleasantly surprised on how fine the Premiers have been. With all the 05 hype (although justified IMHO) there are some finds in 06' that distributers (including me) are having a hard time moving.

Cheers brothers
~Vitis

Are you a distributor? PM me if you are.