November marks the annual trip to the Rhône; this year to taste the 2007 vintages before they are bottled and shipped next year. David Round MW was joined by Jason Busby and Steve Garwood.
Arriving late into Lyon we headed directly to the Comfort Inn hotel on a barren retail park on the outskirts of Valence. Not the most wholesome start to our trip (indeed, it was mooted that “Discomfort Inn” might be a more fitting name.)
The following morning, fortified with croissants and coffee, we headed directly to François Villard's estate on the steep slopes of the northern Rhône. The 2007 whites were showing superbly with classic Viognier nose and wonderful freshness. The 06 reds were also impressive but in need of longer ageing to fully express themselves.
A quick zip down to Pierre Gaillard's estate to taste the 07 reds from barrel revealed a very promising vintage. The St Josephs and Côte Rôties showed a captivating mix of brooding black fruit with a savoury, leathery finish. We were also lucky enough to taste a few barrel samples of his daughter's varietal Vin de Pays wines. Clearly there's a vinous talent streak running through the Gaillard household!
Without further ado we headed to Domaine du Colombier to meet the winemaker, Davide. A quick, but thorough, tasting also showed 2007 to be a vintage that contains well balanced whites with well-defined fruit and good acidity and freshness. The reds are also blessed with good structure and are surprising approachable considering their youth. Very much a “classic” vintage with good capacity for ageing - it seems the Rhône's blessed string of top vintages continues apace!
Our last stop was at Domaine de la Mordorée in Tavel. Our first southern Rhône wines so far reveal themselves to be well-balanced and quite fruit-driven in style. It seems many of the estates we have visited seem to be talking enthusiastically about organic and biodynamic viticulture. Domaine de la Mordorée now uses horses instead of tractors and there seems to be a real buzz about the positive effects they are noticing from this management regime. It would be interesting to see whether this could be sustained if their rally of excellent vintages ever ends!
Arriving at our hotel in the picturesque city of Avignon we were overjoyed to see that the quaint, family-run hotel resembled none of the horrors of the Discomfort Inn. Heading out to eat it was clear that the local cuisine of gamey meats and ripe cheeses works perfectly with the gutsy wines of the region. Santé!
Up with the larks we travelled straight to Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the iconic vineyards of Clos du Caillou. Bruno Gaspar proudly showed the latest wines including the perennial favourites, Bouquet des Garrigues and the resplendent Châteauneuf-du-Papes. The Bouquet des Garrigues shone and the Châteauneufs showed an unbelievable level of complexity for their age. A justifiably proud winemaker!
The Mistral winds that blow from the northwest are invaluable to winemakers as they dry the grapes and can prevent rot, something Monsieur Gaspar was keen to point out. However, to those used to the mild, drizzly blusters of the UK, the Mistral is a glacial and formidable force that can make the short dash from the cuverie to the car seem like an epic trek across Siberia. Worth packing the earmuffs!
Next on the hit-list was Domaine de Cristia with the talented, young winemaker Baptiste Grangeon and his effervescent sister, Dominique. The wines are very modern in style with plump, juicy fruit, generous flavours and are the worthy recipients of much lauded praise from many wine critics. We were treated to a long 3-course lunch while the 2005 vintage of their awesome Châteauneuf-du-Pape Renaissance flowed liberally. It beggars belief how any work actually gets done in these parts, but we were grateful for their kind hospitality.
Following a strong coffee we got back on the road and, somewhat tardily, arrived at Domaine Grand Veneur for our final winery tour of the day with the charming Christophe Jaume. The 07s are classic Châteuneuf-du-Pape – dark, brambly fruit with complex smoky, gamey nuances. The white Châteauneuf also showed itself to be a bit of hidden gem with complex peach melba, citrus and mineral layers and a creamy hazelnut finish.
