2006 Rhône Offer – A Bracing Concentration

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The North

The town of Ampuis and the River Rhône sandwiched between the high slopes either side

The River Rhône's uses have not been underexploited. Stand beside it and one sees not a vein, but an arterial waterway slipping the aqueous blood of Europe down to a waiting sea. The river was once a terrifying torrent, by all accounts, but now eases itself in a meandering wander between its banks, the brakes having been put on its flow by numerous power generating schemes. It has an oily look. One imagines that if one fell into it, one would disappear with the tiniest of ripples and not resurface.

The long story of its power is told in the steepness of its banks, through which it has carved, over the millennia - and no doubt with a little help from a benevolent glacier or two - a narrow nick in the granite. And on the sides of this nick, vines grow.

Vine growing first entered France near Marseilles around 600B.C. Pliny talks of the wines of Vienne - a town near Ampuis in the northern Rhône - attributing them a resinous flavour and describing them as among the finest of Gaul. The steep banks of the Rhône were first terraced by the Romans and it is the ancestors of these terraces that make the vineyards workable today.

The crazily terraced slopes of Côte-Rôtie

Four grape varieties are employed here, one for the reds - Syrah - and three for white wines: Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier.

If there is any truth in the saying that dog owners resemble their pets, then there is truth also if one postulates that wines resemble the landscape in which they're grown. For the red wines of the northern Rhône are upright and initially stern. Syrah, especially in its youth, can resemble Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a deeply coloured wine, with firm tannins. One taste and one can hear a little spicy voice calling "cellar me, cellar me".

With age, these wines become magnificent: regal and velvet of texture. They can offer up aromas and flavours of smoke and tar, black and white pepper, even black rubber, to add complexity to the black, black fruit.

The Vintage

2006 has produced a style of wines of great class and style in both the northern and southern parts of the valley. Whilst '05 threw up solid, wines, wines that will require some years in one's cellar, 2006 offers an unusual purity, freshness and focus; no bad thing, especially in the south where Grenache can sometimes gallop out-of-control towards over-ripeness. Allied to their freshness is great concentration: a combination that is something of a Holy Grail for wine makers and growers alike.

The Growers

Patrick et Christophe Bonnefond

Tasting with Christophe Bonnefond

Côte-Rôtie is the one appellation of the northern Rhône that produces wines one could describe as being beautiful. At their best, they display a purity of fruit, a complexity of aroma and great voluptuousness in the mouth. They can rank alongside the greatest reds wines in the world.

We had a superb tasting with Christophe Bonnefond. It was our first tasting of the week and, having scouted out the route to the domaine the evening before, we arrived in indecently timely fashion. Perhaps Christophe expects visitors to be late; perhaps he simply dislikes Monday mornings. In any event, it look us 10 or so minutes to warm him up with incisive questioning about his wines and how he makes them, after which he started constructing sentences from more than a single word.

I had not been here before. I will return. The wines have a precision and beauty not quickly forgotten.

"These two brothers have come of age over the last decade…" Robert Parker

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2006	Côte-Rôtie, P & C Bonnefond, Northern Rhône, France Notes: N.B. This cuvée is 80% Côte Brune, 20% Côte Blonde and sees 30% new wood.    This is black/purple, with a very narrow band at the rim. The nose here is very black, full of black cherry, pure fruit. There is a mealy hint of cereal, along with some ripe bramble and a twist of liquorice.    The palate is all about pure black cherry too and there are rich, nutty tannins in support; integrated and quite firm, starting right at the front of the palate. There are smoky wisps. Long and really fresh and vibrant wine, this. Mouthcoating and very, very long. Where do we go from here??   91-93/100 - Robert Parker	2011-2020	12x75cl	£243.00
2006	Côte-Rôtie Les Rochains, P & C Bonnefond, Northern Rhône, France Notes: N.B. The Rochains vineyard is in the Côte Brune towards the north of the appellation and near the river.   This looks very dense in the glass: a black, brooding liquid.   The nose is broader than the other wines here, seemingly plumper and full of fruit that leans more towards plum and bramble than cherry. There's that liquorice note again, as well as a sprinkle of dried spice.   The wine enters the mouth in a supple wave, cool and pure. There are black cherries here, at the front, then the plumminess takes over. This is very, very mineral and loaded with structure. Fresh and finely balanced; very, very long and full of subtle grip. Smoke at the end. Just a fabulous, noble mouthful.   "…charm, suppleness, fresh acidity, and impressive concentration…92-94/100." Robert Parker	2013-2022	12x75cl	£342.00
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Saint Cosme

This exemplary producer in Gigondas buys in fruit to extend its range. Their southern Rhône wines are listed elsewhere under the name Château Saint Cosme.

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2006	Côte-Rôtie, Saint Cosme, Northern Rhône, France Notes: This displays a very fine nose; a liqueur of red and black fruits, along with classy floral notes. This is medium weight, but then it's not designed to blow your socks off. It has coolness and elegance in spades and the requisite structure to help it last. There are fine, ripe tannins and the desirable freshness of the vintage. It ends in a juicy-fresh, incisive manner. Beautiful wine.   "…fabulous flavor intensity and penetration…92-94/100." Robert Parker	2012-2020	6x75cl	£165.00
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The dizzy slopes of Cornas

Domaine Alain Voge

Voge is something of a legend in Cornas and we were looking forward to tasting at the domaine. We started to become concerned when a ring on the bell produced a single cellar worker. He deigned to make a 'phone call to see if he could raise anyone to show us the wines. Eventually Mrs V arrived. Her husband was away having dialysis; could we come back later? Frankly, no. Our schedule was too tight. It was then or never. We promised to rein ourselves in and not ask any technical questions about the wines (this seemed to be Madame's biggest worry) and Madame started opening samples.

Our hastily assembled tasting at Voge

We kicked off with the whites and what whites they are! Only St Péray is made in this colour: three cuvées of rising quality, ending with a wine called Fleur de Crussol, which is fabulous. If I had had a rush of blood to the head I might even have tried to secure some for the offer. I'd need a rush of blood to the head, as I cannot imagine selling any without employing either threats of violence or blackmail. Shame.

The reds are stone-cold classics. Prime vineyard sites and old vines give the perfect ingredients for the production of some of the finest wines of the appellation.

"Consistently one of the top estates in Cornas…" Robert Parker

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2006	Cornas Vieilles Vignes, Alain Voge, Northern Rhône, France Notes: Dense ruby colour with a pink rim. Tasted after the Cornas Les Chailles in the cellar, this was immediately richer and broader and less sauvages. The aromas are creamy/dense and of pure black bramble and plum, including some of those tangy plum skins that split with a crack under one's teeth.   This offers a creamy/tangy palate of plums, along with a hint of those skins again and comes complete with big mineral expression. There are medium tannins completely submerged beneath the fruit. A hint of dark chocolate and sour cherries. A ripe structure here. This is very long and very nicely fresh. Fine equilibrium. Lovely, lovely wine.	2013-2022	12x75cl	£300.00
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Domaine Eric and Joel Durand

A back street in Châteaubourg, home to the Durand’s domaine

Leave Cornas and head back towards Tain l'Hermitage and one can pass through a hamlet called Châteaubourg without even realising it. We did and had to turn back.

We were met here by Eric Durand, a young, grey-haired man with an easy manner and plenty to say. Now, I was brought (dragged? hauled??) up to believe that I should pay attention when someone's talking to me. However, Eric makes this very difficult. He talked non-stop in rapid French for well over an hour and one has, eventually, to stop trying to follow this diatribe and concentrate on the wine in one's glass so that one can write tasting notes.

Tasting with the garrulous Eric Durand

There is a series of extraordinary wines made here, not least a mind-blowing St Joseph called Lauterets. We offered it before on our 2003 vintage offering and I am looking forward to trying mine in the near future. The string of Cornas wines are benchmarks, but sadly, one cannot include too many Cornas on a single offer.

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2006	St Joseph Lauterets, E & J Durand, Northern Rhône, France Notes: This is opaque, with a very narrow band at the rim.   Ripe, black, pure plum fruit here. There are aromas of smoke and liquorice and a hint of chestnuts: something you would expect from a wine from further south, as it is often a tell-tale aroma of Mourvèdre. This is a little animal; a touch floral: already complex!   This is creamy-pure, but fresh. The fruit is all about bramble and plum and in support it offers rich, fine, full tannins. Great minerality here, with grip that starts half way through the palate. Concentrated; cool; controlled. Very, very fine for St J. Hang it. This is simply very fine full stop.	2012-2020	12x75cl	£156.00
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Domaine des Remizières

The always pleasurable experience of tasting at the Domaine des Remizières, this time with Emilie

Take note! This is a source of very high quality wines, some of which offer tremendous value. Those that do not offer tremendous value are among the finest of the appellations that they represent. Take your pick!

We have offered the wines of the Desmeures family a couple of times in the past. Indeed, we offered the 2005s. For those that bought the 2005 Crozes-Hermitage Rouge Cuvée Christophe, I can tell you that Robert Parker's latest edition of The Wine Advocate lists it with 91+ points next to its name: not bad for a wine for which we charged £129 in bond the dozen.

Emilie, Philippe Desmeures's daughter (for whom a red and white cuvée of Hermitage are named) took us through the range, as Philippe was out and about. The wines are very pure, very expressive and clear-voiced.

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2006	Crozes-Hermitage Rouge Cuvée Christophe, Domaine des Remizières, Northern Rhône, France Notes: N.B. This sees 70-75% new wood.   The nose is very spicy: peppery, with aromas of dark chocolate and creamy bramble and plum. There's a welcome hint of violets.   The red Christophe is structured right from the front and offers delicious small plum fruit. There are minerals and flavours of charred meat, along with some dried fruit. It is, in fact, very mineral and very long and gains in intensity. There's lovely grip at the finish. Nutty, rich tannins. As ever, this is making a much louder bang than the calibre would suggest!   "…it is certainly going to be an outstanding wine. 90-93/100." Robert Parker	2011-2020	12x75cl	£144.00
2006	Crozes-Hermitage Blanc Cuvée Christophe, Domaine des Remizières, Northern Rhône, France Notes: N.B. This is 85% Marsanne, 15% Roussanne and sees 40% new wood.   There are notes of the wood on the nose: rather more-ish aromas of hot buttered toast. Under these, one can find delicious smelling peach fruit and hints of other fruits dried.   Across the tongue, this is creamy-rich with peach, apricot fruit flavours and spice from the wood. Then it suddenly firms up considerably. There are big "square" minerals right into the long finish. There's such density that the freshness only shows up right at the end. This'll be unashamedly pleasurable when mature.   "It…can compete with many wines selling for five to ten times the price. 92/100." Robert Parker	2011-2018	12x75cl	£144.00
2006	Hermitage Rouge Cuvée Emilie, Domaine des Remizières, Northern Rhône, France Notes: N.B. This sees 100% new wood.   A rich nose here and very black, of small plums. There are notes of chocolate, some of which is milk, plus classic syrah black pepper and a real savoury note.   A very rich, creamy, brambly entry, followed by highly mineral notes. This bristles with intent and vigour. The fresh medium acidity is utterly hidden beneath the fruit. Lots of black plum flavours. Huge fruit concentration here, but with purpose and definition. Very long and elemental, with very fine rich tannins. A delicious aftertaste lets you know that there are great things to come.   "The 2006 Hermitage Cuvée Emilie is an outstanding wine…" Robert Parker	2016-2030	12x75cl	£360.00
2006	Hermitage Blanc Cuvée Emilie, Domaine des Remizières, Northern Rhône, France Notes: N.B. This is 97% Marsanne.   Instantly more complex, the nose here is floral and gives up almond and pear aromas and, perhaps fancifully, scents of dried yellow cherries.   The palate is creamy and a fluid wave of pear-juice fruit. Dried fruits appear again and then mineral tumble after. Almonds. The medium acidity is submerged under the fruit. This is altogether long and a touch backward, with a solid finish. Touch of fennel. Very, very long and delicious. It's telling when one's tasting companion instantly requests that one saves a case for him!   93/100 - Robert Parker	2011-2020	12x75cl	£345.00
2006	Hermitage Rouge Autrement, Domaine des Remizières, Northern Rhône, France Notes: A very rich nose here, very broad, with aromas of dried fruit including fig. It is smoky, full of plump bramble and plum, as well as milk chocolate and cereal notes.   This is very cool and ripe. The fruit is all fresh plums, the profile parallel. There's excellent composition here. It's very, very mineral and full of largely integrated, very rich, firm tannin. This is a highly structured wine; very complete. Highly impressive stuff. There's fresh grip at the back giving lift to what is a behemoth on a tight leash of structure. Parker liked it too. He gave it 94-96/100 and stated: "…this will be one of the top Hermitages of the vintage."	2015-2030	6x75cl	£375.00
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