Ciacci Piccolomini Pianrossa Brunello, 2001:
Just a beautiful wine from a great vintage. Deep berry aromas intermingle with earthy scents of tobacco and cedar. A lovely hint of spice and fine tannins make this wine a true winner. Not available in Tucson (as far I know) but can be accessed online at ~$70. This wine is made to pair with a hearty lamb dish, roasted or braised meats, roasted game birds, stewed game (boar, venison), roasted duck and steak.
Domaine de la Mordoree La Dame Rousse, Cotes du Rhone 2007:
A juicy and lovely example of the outstanding Southern Rhone 2007 vintage…..ready to enjoy now. Offers plum and currant aromas, lovely spice and toasty notes. Available in Tucson for around $20.
Paul Autard Cuvee Chateauneuf du Pape La Cote Ronde, 1998:
Always a top notch Southern Rhone producer, the ’98 reveals a magnificent wine with deep fruits, perfectly balanced spice and tannins, some earthiness and mocha scents. While the wine is 11 years in age, it still has a very long life ahead, perhaps another 10-15 years. It’s accessible online for ~$120 average. The ’07 (which I have yet to taste) is reputed to be fabulous, runs about half the price and can be located easily online.
A Clape Cornas, 2001:
This one comes courtesy of local vintner Kent Callaghan (www.callaganvineyards.com). His description is as follows:
Vinturi – integrated, complex nose – black raspberry, fig, herbs, licorice, savory earth/nut/spice. Self-contained, subtle.
Mouth-filling and round, with tannin barely noticeable at the periphery of the mouth. Very suave and sexy, especially for Cornas. Tannin builds a bit, but never becomes intrusive. You could actually enjoy this on its own. But the best bet is something simple like grilled lamb sausage. $50. 100% Syrah from the northern Rhone.
The wine will set you back by ~$100 at this point. If you’re serious about this vintner (and he is one of great ones), think about the ’05 instead. You can find it for ~$90, still could use another couple of years before you crack open a bottle and has a solid 15+ years ahead of it. Pair this baby with beefy dishes, duck an stews.
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Tags: Brunello, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes du Rhone, Northern Rhone, Southern Rhone
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