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RHONE.RG
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THE WINE TASTER
By Robin Garr
The Courier-Journal, June 7, 1987
I've always found it puzzling that the fine red wines of France's Rhone
valley aren't more well known.
Oh, wine tasters in the know won't turn down a Chateauneuf-du-Pape or
perhaps an Hermitage, but as a general rule, when one contemplates the
greatest wines of France, the name of the Rhone doesn't usually spring to
mind in harness with Bordeaux and Burgundy.
I'm not sure why not. It's certainly not the fault of the wine, which at
its best is very much a match for the top wines of the more famous
regions.
Come to think of it, even the everyday wines of the Rhone just might be
a notch better than the simple table wines of Bordeaux or Burgundy.
The mainstay grape of Rhone reds is the Syrah, a variety said to be one
of the world's most ancient; an intriguing legend suggests that it was
popularized by Crusaders who brought back cuttings from Shiraz in what is now
Syria.
Like the primary red grapes of Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon) and
Burgundy (Pinot Noir), the Syrah makes a full-flavored, aromatic wine,
capable of improving with age, that mingles fruit and acid in a dynamic
balance that goes exceptionally well with food.
As a general rule, the aroma and taste of Cabernet Sauvignon evoke cedar
and pine and sometimes fresh, green vegetables; Pinot Noir is often likened
to wildflowers with an earthy overtone, and Syrah may show the pungently
floral smell of freshly ground black pepper or pleasant tarry, smoky
scents.
The Rhone vineyards in France line both sides of the river's mouth, from
Lyon southward past Avignon and Arles to the Mediterranean near
Marseilles.
This warm, sunny region is not well suited to the cool-weather grapes of
Bordeaux or Burgundy, but the Syrah thrives and produces ripely fruity wines
on its sun-baked hillsides.
For this week's column I tried two excellent, if not well-known, Rhone
wines from the respected house of Paul Jaboulet Aine: A 1980 Cornas ($9.39)
and a 1984 Hermitage designated "La Chapelle" ($8.99); a 1985 Cotes du Rhone
from Georges Duboeuf, the basic everyday Rhone wine ($4.99); and, from the
region where the Rhone borders Provence, a 1984 Cotes du Ventoux trademarked
"La Vieille Ferme" ($4.99).
All were good, and all shared the ripe fruit flavors characteristic of
the Rhone.
The Cornas and the Hermitage already showed marked subtlety beneath the
fruit; both will continue to improve with age, at least through their 10th
birthday.
The ripely refreshing Cotes du Rhone's intensely fruity flavor reminded
me as much of a Beaujolais as a Rhone.
The pleasantly peppery flavor of the Cotes du Ventoux would make it a
natural with burgers or steak and, at the under-$5 price, it could be an
excellent candidate for a "house wine" for everyday use.
(4 stars) Paul Jaboulet Aine Cornas, 1980. (Cor-nah.) This clear, dark
ruby-red wine has an pleasant smell of tar and smoke and good wine grapes.
There's an earthy sense of mushrooms and moss over tart acid in its rich,
full-bodied flavor.
(4 stars) Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage "La Chapelle," 1984. (Air-me-tahj.)
There's lots of grapey fruit and an odd aroma akin to frying bacon in this
clear, dark-reddish purple wine, with a splash of grape juice and a touch of
tannic acid in its ripe, richly fruity flavor. It's a mellower, less acidic
wine than the Cornas, but both wines hold promise of additional complexity
with age in the bottle.
(3 1/2 stars) La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux, 1984. (Coat dew Vawn-too.)
This inky-dark, reddish-purple wine has a simple but attractive aroma of ripe
fruit touched with black pepper, and there's ample fruit in its dry, acidic
taste.
(3 stars) Georges Duboeuf Cotes du Rhone, 1985. (Coat du Roan.) This light
cherry-red wine has a pleasant perfumed aroma and a soft, fruity taste with a
hint of sweetness and an almost candied quality reminiscent of Kool-Aid.
Courier-Journal Wine and Food Critic Robin Garr rates table wines
available in the Louisville area, using a one- to five-star scale determined
by quality and value. Write to him with suggestions or questions in care of
The Courier-Journal, 525 W. Broadway, Louisville, Ky. 40202, or send Easymail
to 73125,70.