The latest issue of the Wine Editorial is in the mail and I realize that it contains not a single reference to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a wine that has a reputation, a good one, and actually lives up to it most of the time. How it got that reputation, along with Pouilly-Fuisse and Pomard, is a mystery. The mystique, exists even among people who know and care next to nothing about wine. Even among fans of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are those who are unaware of where it comes from, what grapes it is a made of, or even what the name means. But so what - wine should be enjoyed, not admired.
The name, meaning the, “New Home of the Pope” goes back to 1309 when the Gascon Pope, Clement V, set-up house in Avignon. Chateauneuf, as it is frequently referred to, is today one of many Southern Rhone appellations, but it was the prototype of the entire appellation contrôlé system, based on geographic delimitation, with regulations enforced to ensure the quality of all wines bearing the appellation. Geographically, Chateauneuf is confined to a “bump” in the flood plain of the Rhone, some five miles by five miles and perhaps 300 feet high. Although as many as ten varietals are allowed, Grenache predominates, along with Mourevedre and Syrah. The wines are generally robust, rich, full-flavored and spicy. Traditional wine-making ferments the grapes with the stems, giving the wine more tannic structure and complexity, while the modern trend is to de-stem, producing wines that are softer and more accessible. I personally prefer traditional wines but regardless, modern or traditional, they are thoroughly enjoyable and invariably long-lived. I have rarely been disappointed by old Chateauneufs, and even old Cotes-du-Rhone, going back to the ‘60s.
Like so many Chateauneufs and Cotes-du-Rhone, the wines of Domaine Bois du Boursan reflect the passion of the owner wine-growers Jean and Jean-Paul Versino.Boursan. I recently attended a vertical tasting of their wines spanning more than ten vintages. The wines, both young and old, were impressive. We have Domaine Bois du Boursan ‘99, $29.99/26.99 and Domaine Bois du Boursan ‘00 , Cuvee Felix, $79.99/71.99 The ‘99 is lovely - quite approachable now with promise for the future, but good as it is, it pales in comparison to the Cuvee Felix which is deeper and broader with layers of dark fruit and tannin - hard to resist, even now. If push comes to shove, I have a home for all of it.
Over the past 20 years Chateau Beaucastel has become the star of Chateauneuf thanks to terrific wine-making. Unfortunately, with rising reputation comes rising prices. Of the several vintages we have, I would, at this time, recommend the ‘95 Chateau Beaucastel at $69.00/62.10.
More affordable, and in my preferred traditional style, Domaine de Galet, ‘97 “Tradition”, $23.99/21.59, is a terrific value. The word “Galet’ refers to the round pebbles stones which cover much of the Chateauneuf vineyards. These stones, retain the sun’s heat during the day, reflect it back on the vines in the evening and thereby, supposedly, hasten ripening of the grapes.
Beaurenard ‘98, $26.99/24.29 and Cuvee du Vatican ‘01, $28.99/26.09, are a pair of wines that will repay their relatively modest cost with immeasurable pleasure. I have particularly enjoyed the Beaurenard.
All of these wine go well with any substantial food be it pizza or braised veal shanks.
Those of you who frequent the Madison Wine Shop know that my Californian offerings have dwindled over the last ten years - attribute that to soaring prices and sagging quality. Now, thanks to a glut of wine world-wide, Californian prices are coming down, and, no thanks to a weak dollar, imported wines prices are heading up.
The last Chateau Ste Jean wine I bought was the ‘91Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cepage - a great wine which we sold for $26.99. The current ‘00 vintage sells for about $80! I have no interest. But the ‘02 Chateau Ste. Jean Cabernet, California Appellation, at $16.99 grabbed my attention. Complex fruit and lovely oak pops up at various places between my lips and the back of my throat, balanced by lovely firm tannins. I like it and so will you.
Another surprise, Beckmen Vineyards ‘01 Estate Cabernet, $24.99/22.49, is from the Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barabara. Its glorious bouquet literally jumps out of the glass, and it sings a beautiful aria on my palate. It has everything I expect from a California Cab. Great Cab fruit - complex and spicy with ample tannin and just enough oak in a long finish. Excellent value.
The Beckmen brothers, Tom and Steve, bought the Houtz winery (I had never heard of it) in Los Olivos and its Santa Inez Valley vineyard in 1994. In 1996 they purchased land on Purisma Mountain where they are growing Rhone varietals. I have not tasted any of their wines from that vineyard - they are expensive.
I was lured to Podere Poggio Salette ‘00 Il Carbonaione, a Tuscan Sangiovese, by a great write-up from a distributor, prompting me to ignore my cardinal rule - do not buy without tasting. But this is a very limited wine and I was not going to be able to taste without buying a bottle, which I did. Upon opening, I found a dark wine with the lovely bouquet of sweet oak, big, but not overpowering tannins but not much fruit. After some hours it shed some of the oak and some of the tannin, but did not gain any fruit. Perhaps it needs more time I thought. But two days later I concluded that there was no one at home - win some, lose some.
On the other hand, Chateau La Roque ‘01 Pic Saint Loup, $14.99/13.49, an old favorite from Languedoc, is a winner. Mainly, if not entirely, Syrah with an earthy nose and meaty, smoky flavors in the mouth.
Rick LewisVisit madisonwineshop.com | Questions or comments? Email info@madisonwineshop.com
