By Rick Riozza
At this time of the year, I’d like to express my appreciation for all the sympathy you readers have shown for all my work and effort to taste through a whole bunch of wine just to keep you current on what’s good—and even great—and what is available at a good and reasonable price.
Of course there are times when the task is an absolute blessing, as when I received samples from world class wineries of their latest releases—and their wines are the bomb! So it is indeed my pleasure to present some excellent reds for the holiday table and meals.
Red vino lovers unite! You have nothing to lose but insipid wine. For you enthusiasts of red Rhone wine, like the Syrahs, Côtes du Rhônes, and the stately Châteauneuf-Du-Pape wines, well E. Guigal needs no introduction as you’re quite familiar already that when this producer releases a particular wine, it consistently sets the standard and raises the bar when it comes to brilliance.
The following three wines are crowd pleasers for both the connoisseurs—who love celebrating and validating their wine passions—and the new wine kids on the block who find an education and joy experiencing all that wine can provide.
Further, to help seal the deal on these wines, I personally guarantee that if you open a bottle and are not completely satisfied, please email me immediately and I will come by (or meet you at a reasonable destination) and I will finish the entire bottle for you—no questions asked!
Vintage matters in the south of France’s Rhône Valley. Quoting from Tim Akin, Master of Wine, “if 2011 Rhône was a Beatle, it would be George. The two stellar years of 2009 and 2010 would be Paul and John; 2011 takes a good third place. Though far from a write-off, 2008 was a bit of a Ringo.”
Okay—we can run with that. George Harrison, forever the “darkhorse” shared many brilliant moments of art for us. So too the 2011, where right in the middle of summer, the weather got chilly, bringing lighter style wines. In the case of Syrah—the red grape of the northern Rhône, this was a welcomed treat from the
rock star vintages of ’09 and ‘10, where the wines were powerful and especially full-bodied. Same in the south, where the predominant red of the south Rhône is Grenache, which is very much in the blends of the Côtes du Rhône and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
And now, please consider these delightful and delicious quaffs:
2011 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône, around $17
With so many high-end and costly wines of the south Rhône, the Côtes du Rhônes are a great buy to enjoy the wonderful flavors of this area: blackberries, black currents, black pepper, cherries, earth, licorice, smoke, meat, raspberries and strawberries.
This Guigal is deep ruby with smoky cherry and blueberry aromas and a touch of cracked pepper. Master winemakers, they added a good dose of Syrah bringing some sappy black and blue fruit flavors sharpened by a spicy nuance. A sexy floral note comes up on a gently tannic finish that lingers. One of the tastiest Côtes on the market.
2011 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage, around $22
This is the “darkhouse” vintage wine, that even though we said it was a “lighter-than-usual” year, is still big, brawny and firm with its stony black fruit; this is the wine profile that would pass muster for California diehards—getting their big fruit fix with additional complexities only found in the Syrah of the Rhône. Its black pepper spice gives lift to the plummy fruit, and there’s minerality contributing a bloody, iodine-tinged savor. Delicious with meaty foods and holiday stews.
For those of you who know this area, you’re familiar with the world famous Hermitage. This is also north Rhône Syrah, but it’s limited to just over 300 acres of vines on the renowned Hermitage hill. Needless to state, this wine is uber-Syrah—the most valued and expensive vino in the world. Its scent and flavor is almost overwhelming, it can age forever, and is like a stellar vintage port without the added brandy. Stunning stuff at stunning prices. In its shadow, is the Crozes-Hermitage that gets you towards that experience, but much easier on the wallet.
Lastly, we cover the famous Chateauneuf-Du-Pape; which translates to “New Castle of the Pope”, the place near Avignon where the pope back in the day, left all the political mess of Rome behind, and moved the Papacy to the south of France.
Obviously a vinophile, the pope planted 13 of the best varietals of the area. And time stands still for us now! It’s a wine every enthusiast must have once in their lifetime, or then again, maybe once a month.
The E.Guigal CDP 2010, around $32, maintains a traditional effort that stays pure and lively, with fine tannins emerging on the finish. Rich, textured and medium to full-bodied, with ample black cherry, blackberries, pepper, plums, olive tapenade, coffee, earth, game, herbs, and subtle meatiness. Enjoy the wine for now for the holidays and the season, and looking ahead, it can be cellared for over a decade.
Christmas Cheers to All!
Rick is the valley’s “somm-about-town” and continues to entertain and conduct at various wine events, tastings and restaurants. He can be contacted at winespectrum@aol.com
