Christian Seely led a very interesting test, in which we tasted two groups of base wine: Group 1 was 2008 Merlot, and Group 2 was Cabernet Franc. The Languedoc, located in the south of France, borders the Mediterranean between the Pyrenees and the Rhone Valley. “A French insurance company owns a Chateau?” Sunday: Dinner in a Chateau.

Following a tasting of Médoc and Sauternes Grand Cru Classé wines from the 2005 and 2008 vintages there was a “9-star” dinner created by a trio of three-star chefs: Alain PASSARD (L’Arpège, Paris), Anne-Sophie PIC (Maison Pic, Valence), and Yannick ALLENO (Le Meurice, Paris). Fabulous opening dinner at Haut-Brion last night for the press.

This is a tiny town in the Northern Rhone, famous for its red wine made from Syrah and white from Viognier. Today this is the Rhone valley's continuously operating winery. liked the Cote du Ventoux Rouge 2009 (60% syrah, 30% grenache, 20% others) with its blueberry flavors, yet went wild for the white Muscat d Beaumes de Venise 2008.

Find your Mojo" at Hospices du Rhone 2011 in Paso Robles opens with "L.A. Bedrock Wines 2008 Hudson Vineyard Syrah 90% Whole Cluster Used Demi-Muid - Very black/purple, with nose of ripe spiced fruit, and rich concentrated palate of incredibly ripe fruit balanced with lively acidity. Talk about a cool seminar! When they planted 11.5

The room is full of Rhone wine fans from around the world! Christophe began by explaining the popularity of Rhone style wines - they are food friendly delicious, and increasingly many producers are organic/biodynamic. He brought two red wines, with the first being Domaine Alain Voge 2008 Cotes du Rhone Les Peyrouses.

So far the Discover Rhone festivities have been a non-stop adventure of Master Classes, tastings, fabulous lunches and dinners, and evening events and parties. It was very surprising to see the drastic difference between the 2008 and the 2009, with the 2009 being the better vintage. News discover rhoneGigondas was fabulous!

Now that I am off to Decouvertes en Vallee du Rhone next week, I was checking in with Wine & Spirits Educational Trust fellow-graduate Philip Reddaway, a former UK based adman (Mad Man?) who runs a very charming Inn called La Madelene with his wife (and chef) Jude in the Southern Rhone. You can read about it below. link]. link].

The 2008 Geyserville, translucent in the glass, exudes come-hither aromas of dark fruit, herbs, spice and cedar. It’s a wine showing signs of maturity but very much alive, really delicious and exhibiting almost Rhone-like character. All too often, Zinfandel is a highway to a quick, cheap buzz. The lay of the land.

Domain de Mourchon Seguret Loubie (Rose) 2007 Having a Cote du Rhone designation, this Loubie Rose blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah comes from 40 year old estate grown vines. Flavor: broad and fresh; the characteristic fruity aromas of the bouquet come through with complexity and end with a clean finish.

Christian Seely led a very interesting test, in which we tasted two groups of base wine: Group 1 was 2008 Merlot, and Group 2 was Cabernet Franc. The Languedoc, located in the south of France, borders the Mediterranean between the Pyrenees and the Rhone Valley. “A French insurance company owns a Chateau?&# The Control Room.

My favorite wine of the lineup was Domaine Le Garrigon , a 2008 Cotes du Rhone. tasted them both at the Wineberry fall portfolio tasting and couldn’t distinguish a difference: both were dark in the glass, with brambly southern Rhone aromatics, and even had a arcing finish. Wine in a box? Try wine in a crate.

But today, Terzian says, she started this scheme in fall 2008 to fill a niche, tapping into two key themes, environmental awareness and the economy. The wines vary; one is a 2009 from the Rhone, technically a vin de pays méditerranée. Bring your own resealable bottles, Poland Spring containers, jerrycans, whatever. Print receipt.

Willm Riesling 2008 $35.98 Le Mourre de L'Isle Cotes du Rhone (cheap) I'm hoping for the best. I was dragging my feet because I've been hating everything and was confused. had one terrific bottle of 3 Celliers Chateauneuf du Pape @ $44 but the second one stunk. The first one was exciting. could not believe it REAL kosher wines.

The tasting room is located in an 1850s farmhouse and the wine is the Cline Cellars Cashmere 2008. Cline Cellars is a national sponsor of the event and contributes $25,000 from the proceeds of 2008 Cashmere sales. Winemaker Notes: We initially created this blend as an auction lot for the Hospice du Rhone held in Paso Robles each year.

And it’s especially important to keep the staff wine savvy, now that they were honored with the 2007 & 2008 Wine Enthusiast Award of Distinction and 2008 & 2009 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Awaiting the Tasting. “Now this Volnay would go perfectly with salmon!&# Brad Haskel. mrs Barnes. London Lennie’s.

Winemakers Notes: Syrah has found an ideal home in the Finger Lakes , where our climate mimics France's Rhone Valley, where the grape produces some of the finest wines in the world. Syrah has always been one to those wines I could take or leave it. Almost all that I had ever tasted were the Shiraz from Australia. From that day on I was a fan.

2008 is lower in alcohol, fresh and, is now amongst my favorite white of California. Someone who was associated with Rhone blends Yesterday over lunch at Cafe Rouge with Steve Edmunds (Edmunds St. John) yesterday, (we shared butter beans fritto. David Bowler, bring it in to New York City, please! Shocking. classic combo. In America?

In the spring of 2008 I learned that the winemaking prodigy behind Pax Wine Cellars, monsieur Pax Mahle, was leaving the eponymously named venture and striking out on his own, once again. Rumor had it that disagreements with co-owner(?) and world renowned collector Joe Donelan led to the (what may be termed in retrospect) inevitable split.

The 2008 Monte Bello will (probably) be made from just cabernet sauvignon and merlot for the first time in twenty-five years. From barrel, we also tasted the 2008 Geyserville Tightly wound, young, but still elegant, with spice and cedar and tight red fruits. These Rhone wines need time to evolve. There is no short answer.

But I'll have made a sincere effort to create something new and strange and different, which may be the best you can hope for in the New World." --Randall Grahm, April 2009 It's also why I ponied up $95 last night to go to a Bonny Doon wine tasting at City Winery and meet "the original Rhone deranger" himself. Neither was a "wow" wine.

From his base in Santa Cruz, he rose to fame (and a good bit of fortune) by following the path of grape varieties traditionally from the Rhone and Italy–with a dose of Zinfandel. But his biggest experiment is with his 2008 wine called Le Cigare Volant, a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah. But Grahm has had a change of heart.

Bloomberg details what he brought the the register: “a Cote du Rhone [sic] La Tache from 1991 and several bottles from the Bordeaux region, including a Lafite Rochschild bottled [sic] in 1947 and a Chateau Latour from 1976.&# Yes, even though the economy is down, some people are not out! Yes, Ace of Spades , so 2006! Paper or plastic?

This California red is influenced by the style of the Southern Rhone valley with a blend of 46% Syrah, 23% Mourvedre, 17% Grenache and 14% Cinsault. On the nose, an intense flashback to cherry flavored Jolly Ranchers, morphing into roasted marshmallows on a campfire, and hints of smoked meats, leather and petrol.

» Bloomberg La Tache Blooper and a Sad Article on Sparklers/ a rant December 26, 2008 Looks like some lucky (or desperate) consumer from Beijiing just cooked a lot of pasta at CDGs over-priced wine department. 1991 Cote de Rhone La Tache? 1991 Cote de Rhone La Tache? The Aeroporte person threatened to confiscate my camera.

including, A 1991 Cote de Rhone La Tache? I just bought an $11 bourgeuil from Chambers Street and I can't wait to see if it's going to make my day. On another note,looks like some one from Beijing just spent a lot of pasta at CDG's over-priced wine department. Aeroports de Paris Says Passenger Spends Record on French Wine

So my relatives were the latest involuntary recruits in my effort to find the best box wines of 2008. I’ve poured this wine, introduced for the first time in 2008 , many times to groups this year, often blind and from a decanter, and it has been almost universally praised. Cotes du Rhone (about $40; find this wine ).

The areas to consider are the Cote Du Rhone, The Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence and Southwest France. Ah, the Holidays. New York is full of festivities and gatherings and friends and family. Everyone is shopping for someone (and a little for themselves…don’t lie…you know who you are) braving the crowds and the cold to find that perfect gift.

The 2006 has aromas somewhat akin to Marsanne or other Rhone whites, with a hint of peach, white flowers, quince, minerals, slight alcohol and minerals. The other day I had a great Zierfandler. How often can you say that? The wine has a beautiful, arching minerality on the palate and is completely dry. It paired perfectly with parsnip soup.

FYI, my last bottles were drunk in the Rhone at George the Greek in 2004, pick up THE BOOK Which brings me to other night when I was barside at Balthazar comforting a friend. I'm sure THEY ask you, THEY are surely asking me: what have you been drinking that is exciting. Then I get an email from a friend about that 1947 Louis Martini.

home : wine recommendations : wine girl for hire : bio : articles : contact « And For that Pudding-Like Texture | Main | LVMH--the machine » Looking for that Magical Mood Altering Taste December 14, 2008 Im sure THEY ask you, THEY are surely asking me: what have you been drinking that is exciting. JEALOUSY! JEALOUSY! Dull, short.

» California Dreaming: the debriefing December 03, 2008 Now that the wine blogging for the Times is put to bed, I am admitting to some withdrawal. Theres another Rhone in those craggy hills waiting to explode or if we dont get blown up by senselessness or trampled by illiterate looking for their Hi-Def TV at Wal-Mart. Acme bread.

I don't know if this happens everywhere, but at every party or picnic I attend, there is always some body watching their calorie intake and monitoring each and every bite of food they consume. always have to laugh at those who always order two cheeseburgers, a large order of fries and a "Diet" coke. Probably not.

If you want to see sweet and dry in action, try tasting these two Leitz wines or a Northern Rhone syrah against a ripe, sweet version of the same grape from somewhere in the New World (but not all are ripe and sweet Sweet wines generally start at about 45 grams of residual sugar (RS). What’s the opposite of sweet? need water!&#

Chapoutier "Belleruche" Cotes-du-Rhone * Tasted last at the City Winery. Mexico is a difficult place to find a good bottle of wine. Those were a Seavey cabernet and a Hansell chardonnay I purchased at Scotto's Wine Cellar nearby before we left. I've listed what we tasted, below, in no particular order. drink beer.  2004 Mouton Cadet Bordeaux.

I recently participated in the Wine & Spirits Northern Rhône tasting panel. Blind tasting 12 flights totaling 39 wines, 13 producers, and lots of discussion with a panel of articulate and experienced people. For me it was like taking an intro course in college - you learn what it is that you want to learn more about. Where was Dard et Ribo???

Yves makes highly regarded red and white wines from the Northern Rhone appellations of Condrieu, Cote Rotie, Saint Joseph, Cornas, and Saint Peray. He paused from his pouring to answer three quick questions: What’s your favorite Northern Rhone appellation that’s not Hermitage? How was the 2008 vintage for you?

Clairette de Bellegarde 2006 apricot, white flower and an edge of a finish Costieres de-Nimes Rouge Marginal 2007 True syrah for the northern rhone syrah nut, except its from further south and has that southern richness. But here you go--here is the listing of LOVE Laurent Barth 2006s Love the pinot noir and the pinot gris. FINALLY! And now.we

Deep color, almost opaque. Tightly wound nose of wild flowers and wood. This is a very good, wintery bistro wine from an outstanding vintage. According to fellow blogger Dave Treiger , this Lirac was, "Made from 45% Grenache , 45% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre." Dave liked its, "deep ruby color with initial aromas of black pepper and ripe plum."

Fresh and pure with beautiful fruit and floral aromas, and great texture - voluptuous without that viscosity that find distracting in white Rhone wines. So after the hard and wonderful work of the Terry Theise Portfolio tasting, we rushed over to the east side for Louis/Dressner tasting. The Italian wines - I didn't taste 'em. And under $25.

Audrey, reading Wine Spectator in Lake Tahoe, Spring 2008) So it was with glee and trepidation that I ordered one ticket for the California Wine Experience at the Marriot in NYC - but mostly glee. Cayuse garners big scores from the major wine writers for being a "full throttle" Northern Rhone look alike, but it didn't blow me away at all.

Cru Des Cotes Du Rhone. This blend from France is made from 45% Grenache , 45% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre , it has a deep ruby color with initial aromas of black pepper and ripe plum. It's big on the palate combining a fragrant spice with a nice barnyard kick and a fairly high alcohol content of 14.5%. At $14.99

So I went with a Grenache based Rhone wine. again went with a Rhone wine, this time thinking Châteauneuf-du-Pape. He called it as a Northern Rhone wine, but he thought it might be Chave. Here are five red wines. They could be anything from anywhere in the world. Would you like to taste and try to identify them.blind?

From the Paso Robles region of California where owner and Winemaker Stephan Asseo makes this Rhone blend of 40% Mourvedre , 30% Granache and 30% Syrah comes this ruby red from 100% estate grown fruit aged in French oak for 14 months. With a subtle nose comes forth spice, red fruits and a slight slate or chalk aroma. Unfined and infiltered.

Jenny & François' tasting is something that I have come to look forward to. They do everything right - they send their email advertising the tasting well in advance, they create a good physical space in which to taste, and they order the wines thoughtfully and encourage tasting in that order. And then there is Binner. ll take it.

This is not a post about wines that are chaste. This has nothing to do with the new Republican Vice Presidential nominee. This is a post about "purity," a common wine descriptor that I've been thinking about lately. often see "purity" in tasting notes as a way of describing wine. What does it mean to say that a wine has "great purity?" You decide.

Deetrane says that '97 was an off year in the northern Rhone. Do you realize that in New York City in just over a week from now, about 400,000 kids, literally, are going to write short essays with almost the exact same title as this post? Another summer comes to an end. love summer in New York City. 2004 Château Pontet-Canet , $41. 2005 A.

After debating which table, I looked approvingly at the Sablet, a Rhone Village Im partial to, in the middle of one and sat accordingly. After debating which table, I looked approvingly at the Sablet, a Rhone Village Im partial to, in the middle of one and sat accordingly. on the street? Its really not so hard. Fall in love. Why not?

A refreshing pink wine with strawberry and bright acidity on the long finish. Good value. I'm beginning to think Guigal can do no wrong. How good must the high-end wines be

This was excellent: Dark ruby color; fresh herbs and mild black pepper on the nose; sweet warm blood, smoke and pepper on the finish.

Coeur D'Alene Cellars focuses mostly on the Rhone varietals Syrah and Viognier along with Cabernet Franc and the of course the usual suspects Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Often wines forms The United States seem unapproachable in price. They look enticing and compel us to splurge. Idaho? Yes, Idaho. It gives me everything I need.

» Pigstock: Parts One, Two and Three July 28, 2008 PIGSTOCK: PART ONE How does a woman, who has carved out a persona for herself as a diehard New Yorker who gets hives west of the Hudson, survive eleven days in the land of sun and heat and Californian wine and people who actually say hello to you--strangers (!) on the street? Why not?

And it was a 90+ degree day in NYC and I still just wanted a bright red Rhone. How excited was I to open this wine? Um, well, I raced home from the wine store and had the bottle opener in my hand before I even said hello to my children, if that tells you anything. guess that's why I think of it as a Chateauneuf-du-Pape craze I have been on.

Ciao, p paige on July 1, 2008 08:07 AM Straw man alert. SFJoe on July 1, 2008 02:17 PM Sorry if I was obscure. SFJoe on July 1, 2008 03:01 PM Wow. Hank on July 1, 2008 04:13 PM Hank, Its quite conceivable in principle to use chemicals and be "sustainable." Joe SFJoe on July 1, 2008 04:19 PM Oh she is BORING isnt she!!

Daniel mentioned the comparable latitude between the Walla Walla Valley and France's famous Rhone Valley, contributing as she puts it " roughly the same quantity and quality of sunlight ". Finally, I have heard many people compare the Mediterranean climate of Israel to that of the Southern Rhone Valley.

but produced with half of the grapes from the Northern Rhone (for the spicy kick and fresh acidity) and half from Languedoc (for the jammy, ripe fruitiness). France. This is 100% Shiraz from Chamarré. The scales tip slightly on the side of the south, with a more intense, fruity roundness opposed to a subtle typical spicy Shiraz profile.

Another new French wine from the Chamarré brand is this white which is made from 100% Viognier grapes, half from the northern Rhone and half from the Languedoc appellation. The grapes from the northern Rhone come from the AOC Condrieu where Viognier may have originated. It is aged 6 months in oak.

What sets Rhone apart from the other winemaking regions of France? think Rhone is not different from other great French terroirs. Why has the poularity of the wines of The Rhone increased in comparison to Bordeaux ? In the Rhone, the climate is set to produce ripe grapes nearly every year. at least.

Domaine Catherine le Goeuil Cotes du Rhone Village Cairanne "Cuvee Lea Felsch" 2005 - This wine didn't do it for me. The flood plains recede in Iowa, Al Gore endorses Obama, and I finally have a chance to note some of the wines we've been swirling around here. It's been a crazy week, sort of. Listed in no particular order. and peaches. Where?

I sampled this French white wine from the Alsace region at the Alsace & Rhone Wine Expo last week, poured by the importer, Michael Corso, and producer Pascal Schiele. Straw colored, this is a 100% Pinot Gris with a bit of honey on the nose, bright fresh flavors of citrus fruits, a slight minerality, pear, lemon and a crisp dry finish

I sampled this French red wine at the Alsace & Rhone Wine Expo this week, poured by the vintner, Luc Baudet. Deep purple rose in color, It is a blend of 60% Syrah , 20% Grenache , 10% Mourvedre and 10% Carignan and is designed to go well with food, especially duck or lamb. Enjoyed this one very much

From Rhone, France comes this blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah produced by Marianne & Marc Fues, whom I met at the Alsace & Rhone Valley Wine Expo earlier this week in NYC. Marc told me the oak the wine is aged in (for 12 months) comes from many different regions, giving it an interesting character.

This is very close to being the ideal table wine. The 2005, while less aromatic and less accessible than the spectacular 2004, is denser, darker, and more robust. Floral and spice notes on the nose. It has dark berries, good ground pepper spice, and some loam, with refreshing balance and graphite on the finish.

I don't know why I haven't gotten around to writing about this wine, but. Obviously, this wasn't a stunner. We actually drank this shortly before we opened the Duvel from Belgium. It had some interesting prune and varied purple fruit notes, but it came off flat.

(Rhone red table wine) Saturated purple color. Musk and pepper on the nose. Tart raspberry and red currant on the approach. very enjoyable table wine and even, solo, served as an apertif. In addution to the Cornas, it seems that Clape is making good to excellent wines at a number of different price points.

Not surprisingly, the 2005 Banneret is just as gorgeous as the 2004. Successive and integrated layers of sour cherry cola, red currants, quince, ripe oranges, and pinewood, with a mellow peppermint note riding the wood. Underneath it all there's some raw meat, and as the wine opens up - chocolate and mild, whole pepper notes. breath-taker

Domaine Lafond   Roc-Epine , from  Lirac , a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne and 20% Viognier. White gold in color, with a rather straightforward nose of honeysuckle and citrus, and good/bright acidity. This was a very refreshing, fun summer wine, but probably best served with food. For more on Lirac, check out Les Vignerons de l'A.O.C.

Purple. Standard pepper, raspberry and currant. Light and restrained. A work horse wine under $20 and all good here

One of the most interesting wines I've tasted recently was this Domaine du Banneret Chateauneuf du Pape 2004 A deep purple, nearly opaque. Old oak on the nose, huge, gorgeous liquid blackberry on top with chocolate, mint, and mellow cola. For more information, check out the estate's website at: [link] l Or visit: [link

Here's what Robert Parker Jr. had to say, "The 2005 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape, this estate's strongest vintage since 1998, has put on serious weight since last year. Purchasers of this beauty will need patience. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025." Reported score: 92-95, depending on which retailer you ask. This was actually a great wine.

The D'Estezargues Cotes du Rhone is a lovely wine. On Monday I posted a list of wines that cost $14 or less , about $15 including NYS tax. These wines come recommended by buyers at some of my favorite stores in Brooklyn and Manhattan. drank a few of these wines with dinner in recent weeks, and I'll share a few thoughts with you.

2006 D'Estezargues Cotes du Rhone Les Grandes Vignes, $13, Jenny & Francois Selections (100% Cinsault!). For several months now the Euro is comfortably in the 1.5 range. Yup, it costs over $1.50 to buy one Euro. This isn't going to change tomorrow or next month - we're going to live with this for a while I bet. We are in a recession.

Moving to the Rhone valley in France I tried some wines from Eric Texier. Domaine de la Janasse has several wines I was hoping to try but having skipped this table early on I was only able to taste the 2007 Janasse Cotes du Rhone Blanc. Eric Texier of The Rhone had some reds in addition to the whites I mentioned earlier.

Plum color. This is very good. mesh of dried fruits, freeze dried strawberries, raspberry leaf, and mellow crushed black pepper. It's more expresive with dinner and not so much of a stand alone do it yourself kind of playa

work really hard to find wines that I can afford."  2008 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc. tom on April 23, 2008 05:58 PM You are going to be rich and famous! Big Joe on April 23, 2008 08:36 PM YIKES. Lets have a pichet of Rhone in Sablet sometime. cheers Andrew Andrew Martin on April 24, 2008 04:58 AM Bravo!

In my effort to better understand the reds from the 2005 vintage in France and the wines from the Rhône Valley in general, I recently tasted Guigal's 2005 Cotes du Rhône * and Tardieu -Laurent's 2005 Vacqueyras */** and Chateauneuf du Pape **. The acidity was a little strong. the red fruits dominated by spice. This, too, was a deep plum purple.

Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone 2005 * Plum color. Dom du Colombier 2004 Chinon * This is dark and medium-full bodied. Uber dry with raspberry and bay leaf. Low acidity, and a decent chalky finish. I'm a sucker for good Chinon so this was very pleasing and almost deserves two stars. Spicy nose with red flowers.

This is blood ruby. Blackberry and cherry cola and chambourd. Lightly flinty with soft tannins, finishes a little hollow to be a total blockbuster. It took forever to open up but when it finally did - wow - finally got a sense of the depths here - steak blood and oranges - orange beef with a light mandarin spice. An excellent wine

I'm a big fan of Voge's Cornas but Im used to drinking these wines relatively young. This 1998, which I picked up at Heights Chateau along with a funked Rayas, was the oldest of his wines I've tried, so at first I was a little worried. But my first impression after popping the cork of this wine was full and nicely complex. Deep plum color.

Whatever the reason, if I had to choose right now I would select this wine as the value red of 2008. I was very much impressed with the Jenny & Francois portfolio , so much so that I decided to buy a few and taste them at home with dinner. I'm happy to tell you that these wines are even better with a meal than they were at the tasting.

link] visited April 2, 2008 I have been eagerly wanting to taste this Chateau's wine for years. Rayas is one of those names that I hear whispered reverently at tastings, and never having tried it myself, I assumed it would be otherworldly. Which, perhaps, in a different vintage, it is. So I'm putting this 1997 behind me.

Put me at a table with this dish and a bottle of Pont de Crillon 2005 Pont de Crillon Les Chais de Pont de Crillon Cote Du Rhone and I am a happy wine geek. This beautiful Syrah is one of the most subtle and integrated Rhones I have had yet. Keith also writes a blog called East Village Wine Geek. Lamb, Baby! OOOHHHH WEEEE! No pressure.

It is used in blends (often with Rhone varietals such as grenache & Syrah) to add color to red wines. (Picture of Aron Ritter - founder of KOSHER WINE SOCIETY ) I attended the "Kosher Wine Extravaganza" today in Manhattan sponsored by Gotham Wines, one of the largest retailers of kosher wine.  Merlot, Cab, Syrah - been there done that.

Yes, it was Rhone, but, well who could tell? Jules van Cruysen on March 10, 2008 10:34 PM Maybe "Uncle Ducasse says I dont have to?" SFJoe on March 11, 2008 05:01 AM "Because Ive been told that cardboard cartons are frowned upon in establishments such as these." Chris Carter on March 12, 2008 11:04 PM Post a commentSorry.

So, what about the Rhone Valley? According to Wine Specator, Robert Parker, and virtually everyone else, 2005 was an excellent vintage for the Rhone Valley, although Parker seems to prefer 2006 to 2005, and there's some question whether the North or South produced better wines across the board. Chave St. Joseph "Offerus." The J.L.

Chalky plum purple. Prune, black pepper top notes. Medium body with good depth - prune, blackberries and mellow black pepper. Very long dry finish with chalky red berries. There is simply nothing technically wrong with this wine

Tasted at Veritas with the 1999 Chateau Margaux. Garnet plum color, with fancy French perfume and spice menagerie on the nose. Sweet plum on the palate with excellent viscosity. Exuberant berry medley. Just defies explanation

» The Book Kick-Off Season January 24, 2008 Forget the Super Bowl, book season was kicked off with a wine gathering at my house to intro the aforementioned mistake-riddled galley. 2005 Dard & Ribo Crozes-Hermitage $30 CR, Rhone (It was austere and gorgeous. Joseph Rhone (and the winner is.what a showcase wine. Many thanks!

Opaque plum, medium viscosity. Prune, fresh herbs, and graphite on the nose. Black berry, black currant, and freshly ground black pepper complete this texturally equisite syrah. Totall restrained still, but spicy, loamy, and an oaky finish that goes a nice long time, buoyed by fine sweet tannin. This is a wine to find, drink, love, and dream about

The Domaine Terlato Chapoutier Shiraz Pyrenees Malakoff , A 100% Australian Shiraz (although the label makes it look more like a Cote du Rhone), is well priced here at under $30.  It can be found elsewhere online for between $33-$42.  Not cheap at $30, but seemingly a good deal where others are asking $35, $40 & even $42.

Many were wines made in the region, but were Cotes-du-Rhone. This afternoon I attended a fabulous Chateauneuf du Pape (CDP for simplicity) tasting at The Tribeca Grill in downtown Manhattan. The tasting was seemingly co-sponsored by Le Du Wines and Alain Junguenet Selections. This was not one of those HUGE industry tastings. Tough stuff.

And as such they are offering a supposed $18 bottle of Red Rhone wine for only $15 (plus shipping of course). Now $15 for a decent Rhone Red is not terrible, depending upon the quality of the wine. Well loyal readers, I have not forgotten about those of you who have asked for insight into good wine buys. DON'T LEAP HERE.

100% Syrah, it is a Vins de Pays de L'Ardeche, a country wine from the hilly region in the middle of the Rhone Valley, sort of bisecting it into Northern and Southern Rhone. I went back to Black Mountain Wine House , this time with an old buddy, and we grabbed prime seats at the bar for the evening. Turned out to be a real winner.

The two most affordable wine regions you will see in a shop are from the Rhone Valley and Languedoc-Roussillon. So the Alphabet City Wine Co. has been open for about a month now and all is well. It seems we have found the right location to offer a wine geek-selection that doesn't price people out. We hope to continue on the assist. Cheers