With French Rhones having taken center stage alongside its Bordeaux and Burgundy brethren, we’re fortunate in Tucson to have a nice supply of the varietals from entry level to the collectible.  From the intense and highly floral Viognier to the stellar Marsanne/Roussanne blends with their haunting green tea, almond and peach pit scents, the whites, at their best, are unmatched.  Meanwhile, the Syrah based wines of Northern Rhone are the standard against which all others are compared while the South lays claim to the renown Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  With the exception of the 2002 vintage (floods at harvest), the last decade has witnessed an unprecedented surge in quality, the ’05, 07 and now the ’09 vintage at the top of their game.  You can learn more about the famed Northern Rhone terroirs such as Cote Rotie, Hermitage and Cornas and vintners such as E. Guigal in our Video segment.  And stay tuned for our upcoming videos and articles on M. Chapoutier, Chateau Beaucastel and Chateau Beaurenard.

Pastiche (www.pasticheme.com):

Saint Cosme Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2003: