Rhone wine tasting – 24 February 2025

[Waiters Friend]

G’day

I enjoyed a tasting of Rhone Valley wines tonight – an area I am not strong on – at Lamonts Wine Store in Cottesloe (Perth) tonight. The event was hosted by Lachlan Cuffe from Beaune & Beyond distributors, and we were able to taste in peace and comfort in the private room at the rear of the restaurant.

The wines were a mixture of red and white, and started from the Northen Rhone and progressed south. 14 wines were tasted in total, ranging in price from about $50 to $400 per bottle.

We started with three whites:

Domaine Coursodon ‘Silice’ Marsanne 2023: Lemon colour. Lemon and grapefruit on the nose, with some minerality. There’s more citrus and a little honeysuckle on the palate, with soft acidity and moderate length. The wine has undergone full malolactic fermentation. ‘Silice’ means ‘Silica’ in French, apparently.

Domaine Coursodon ‘Etincelle’ Roussanne Viognier 2022: The wine has also undergone full malolactic fermentation. Lemon approaching full yellow. Apricots, pineapple and tropical fruits on the nose. More apricot on the palate, but not especially intense. Slight oiliness, offset by cleansing acid. Refreshing and a good summer afternoon wine.

Stephane Ogier ‘Les Veilles Vignes de Jacques Vernay’ Condrieu 2019: Full yellow colour. This wine is matured in old oak foudres, and also sees full malo. From a warm vintage. Rich apricot and some spices on the full nose. Big mouthfeel, with evident oak and supportive acid. Very long finish. A surprising 15% alcohol.

Then into the reds.

Stephane Ogier ‘La Rosine’ Syrah 2021: Ruby colour. Some whole bunches in the ferment. A bright nose, with tar and red fruits. The palate has more of the fruits, with slightly grippy tannins, supporting acid and a moderately long finish.

Domaine Coursodon ‘Silice’ St Joseph Syrah 2023: Ruby colour. This wine sees only older oak. A fragrant nose, with red berries and spices. A gentle palate, with mildly grippy tannins, medium acid and moderate length.

Domaine de Tunnel St Joseph Syrah 2022: 30% whole bunches. Slightly darker than the previous red wines, with a spicy nose, and bursting with red plums and berry fruit. A little butterscotch also. The palate shows a slight stalkiness, with tar, grippy tannins, high acid and leading to a long finish.

Yann Chave Crozes Hermitage ‘Le Rouvre’ 2022: 30% new oak and 30% whole bunches. A perfumed nose, with violets, spices and red fruits. The palate also (surprisingly) offers stone fruits along with the red berries. There’s fine, grippy tannins and some stalkiness. A long finish for quite a complex wine.

Domaine Font de Courtedune Chateauneuf du Pape 2021: This wine sees no oak and is almost entirely Grenache. 100% whole bunch. There’s cherries, cola and roses on the nose, and is added to by tar on the palate. It’s juicy with modest tannins and medium length.

Domaine La Roubine Gigondas 2022: This wine also sees no oak. A perfumed nose, with cherries, cola and orange peel. The palate includes tar and roses, and shows high acid and medium length.

Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas ’Reserve’ 2022: A different wine to the previous one. About 70% Grenache. Dark plums on the nose. This is richer and deeper that previous wines, with grippy tannins, and supporting acid. Considerable length, and I especially enjoyed the palate.

Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas ‘Le Regard Loin’ 2022: Crimson colour. A fragrant nose with florals, tar and cherries. The palate has strong tar flavours, and the tannins are quite grippy. The acid keeps it fresh. Good length.

Domaine de Tunnel Cornas Syrah 2022: An almost perfume nose, with rose petal and a ferrous note. The ferrous note continues through the palate, with the fruit taking second place to the savoury notes. Tannins and acid are both noticeable and the wine shows considerable length. Needs time.

Thanks to the generosity of one of our tasters, the final two wines were a wonderful opportunity to see the younger wine alongside an older version. These were my favourite wines of the tasting:

Yann Chave Hermitage 2022: An intense and highly perfumed nose with bright red berries and blackberries, and some licorice. The polished palate shows more of the fruits, with some tar and juicy acidity. Tannins work in well and the wine has excellent length.

Yann Chave Hermitage 2009: Developed blackberries on the nose, with leather polish and licorice. There’s more secondary red and black fruits on the palate, with tar and fully integrated tannins. Juicy acidity and considerable length. A joy to drink! Thanks to Hugh for his generosity.

These tastings are always interesting and especially for the range of styles and geography that Lamonts put together. I never fail to learn from these – both from the wines on offer, and the expertise of the assembled tasters. Thanks to JJ and the crew at Lamonts, and to Lachlan from Beaune and Beyond. Needless to say, a few bottles will be following me home.

Cheers
Allan

[Wine2day]

Hi Allan,


Not a bad lineup of Rhone wines. I just opened a 2018 Pegau Laurence.

[Ian S]

Indeed a lovely broad cross-section of the Rhone

[JamieAdelaide]

Very familiar with these wines from sales in Hong Kong years ago. Loved them as quaffers.

Yann Hermitage! Blast from the past. Checked cellartracker as I know I have a wooden case of six but not on record. Drove to the the cellar and found a six pack of 2005. Very pleased again at my lapse record keeping.