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By George
Heritier with photograph assistance from Kim Adams, |
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By George
Heritier with photograph assistance from Kim Adams, |
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Redneck
& Red Rhônes Archive:
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Rednecks & Red Rhônes 2009 was a little different this time
around. Oh sure, it still made for yet another day and two nights of the
most unlikely of pairings – fine wines from France’s Rhône Valley and
Nascar racing. Normally, this event coincides with the Super Bowl of
stock car racing, the Daytona 500, but this year, so many schedules did
not allow for attendance that an alternate date had to be chosen, and
what could be better that the April 26 race at Talladega? It turned out
to be perfect. The weather was summer-like, most of the usual suspects
were able to attend (although
Brown Councill
and Michael
and Adair Ross
were sorely missed) and the food, wine and camaraderie were all first
rate. Saturday Night Qualifying
We got things started on Saturday with some whites. Greg’s freshly baked
bread and a variety of cheeses provided a fine counterpoint. The cast of
characters included hosts
Greg and
Tami Ellis,
Col. Bob Cuozzi,
Boyce Brannock,
Steve
and Barbara South,
Jeff
and Dena Morris,
Kim Adams
and this taster. 1998 Nicholson River Semillon Victoria Nicholson River, 13.9% alc.: Medium straw; funky on the nose when first poured, almost urine-like. More of the same on the palate, with steely green apple, green bean underneath. Full bodied, almost oily and good acidity. Better than the description would lead one to believe, especially with air. The intense Semillon character really emerges with air; richens and ripens, and some lanolin reveals itself as well. Find this wine |
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 2005 E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane, 13.5% alc.: Medium straw;
stingy on the nose and gives little indication of the flavors to follow.
Great anise, orange peel, white pepper and honeysuckle, according to Bob
& Boyce. It shows the oak it was aged in, and while it’s not excessive,
it lends a smoky quality to the wine. Full bodied, almost opulent in
texture, and very smooth, with deceptive acidity. Really good, and has
some years of promise and development ahead of it. The oak shows more
and more with air, and Boyce comments on a note of almond as well. Find this wine2005 JL Chave Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, 13% alc.: Medium straw color, with a little lanolin on the nose and not much more when first opened. More generous on the palate, with dry white peach and lanolin; not exactly restrained, but not terribly expressive either. Probably suffers in comparison to the earlier wines more than any deficiency of its own. Good weight and balance, & nice on its own terms. Boyce comments that this is typical of white Crozes-Hermitage. Find this wine  1998 M. Chapoutier Ermitage “Le Meal,” 13% alc.: Good dark color,
with an explosive nose, but not in a good way. No consensus as to
whether it’s corked, cooked or suffering from VA, but all agree that
it’s somehow flawed. My take is cooked. Find this wine1998 Dom. Des Remizieres Hermitage Cuvee Emile, 13% alc.: Corked! Find this wine With the two flawed reds out of the way, we sat down to dinner and got on with the good stuff. The victuals consisted of D'Artagnan sausages, mushroom saffron risotto and a spring salad. 1988 E. Guigal Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde, 13% alc.: Slightly cloudy dark color, with a nice, funky old wood and black olive nose; not quite as impressive on the palate, but pretty much the same character, and Col. Bob mentions some big time lavender. Still big and well structured, this is a good wine, but not a great one. Find this wine
1998 J.L. Chave Hermitage, 13% alc.: Hold? OK! Drink now? Why wait!! Good dark color, with glorious aromatics of lavender and black fruit; soft and balanced, with a great mouth feel, and as good as it is now, it’s in no danger of fading any time soon. Find this wine
2004 E. Guigal Saint-Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice, 13% alc.: Inky
color; almost smells and tastes Californian, all green and
international. Boyce referred to it as nondescript. Find this wine
The 2 wines still left at evenings end were the 2 internationals, Guigal Saint-Joseph & Betts & Scholl. There you go, that should tell you what you need to know about this crowd. Race Day Boyce pulled the cork on a bottle of Muscadet shortly after 11 in the
morning, and we were off to the races before the green flag was ever waved! I posted periodic updates on
Facebook
and Twitter
throughout the day, and got some lively back and forth from all over the country. 1998 Araujo Napa Syrah Eisele Vineyard, 13.5% alc.: Medium dark color; a clean, rich claret-styled Syrah that doesn’t rise to the top on this occasion, but is undeniably tasty on its own terms, being neither blowsy nor particularly international in style. Find this wine
Thanks again to our hosts, Greg and Tami Ellis for a wonderful weekend!
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1998 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc Chante-Alouette, 13.5% alc.:
Slightly murky gold color; beeswax, butterscotch, mineral nose, pungent
and funky in a good way. Flavors echo with an added note of lanolin,
very dry and somewhat earthy. Full bodied, oily and enough acidity to
keep things moving along nicely. Rich and flavorful, this likes air,
opening and evolving. Perhaps a year or two past peak, but still
delivering the goods. 
1997 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne, 13% alc.: Smoky garnet
color, with an earthy, smoky black plum & berry nose, and plenty more of
the same on the palate. Still a young wine, big, intense, rich and
earthy, with many years of life left in it. We retasted this at the end
of the night and it had come around nicely, eliciting impressions of
iodine and chocolate from Mr. Brannock. 
2002 Betts & Scholl Hermitage Rouge: Clean dark color; slightly
hot and rather international in style on the not-terribly-expressive
nose. Seems to show a kiss of oak over the rich deep smoky, dusty,
somewhat sunbaked black fruit flavors. Big, rich & powerful, with many
years of development ahead of it, this was made from de-classified Chave
grapes, and had we tasted it blind, it may have been a toss-up as to
whether we would have guessed old world or new. 
2007 
2005 Loring Syrah Garys’ Vineyard, 13.8% alc.: Shows deep, dark
color and deep, dark plum and berry shaded with some subtle earth. A
little hot and a little unbalanced, but air might help to smooth it out,
and I never did get back to it. I found more to like than otherwise, and
there’s all kinds of wacky things written on the label, like: The Loch
Ness Monster, the Bigfoot Loring Syrah;” “20 cases produced for 2006
Hospice du Rhone;” “There will NEVER be another Loring Syrah.
EVER. Never, ever again.” 
2000 Alban Edna Valley Syrah Lorraine, 14.7% alc.: Deep, dark
color, with earthy flavors and aromas of black plum, blackberry and
subtle briar bramble; Steve mentions notes of cocoa and chocolate, while
Boyce adds lavender and herbs. Dryer and not as fruit forward as some of
these, and the most northern Rhone-like so far, and a joy to drink. 
2003 Carlisle Knights Valley Syrah Pelkan Ranch, 15.5% alc.:
Deep, dark color, with a deep, dark perfume; flavors and aromas of sleek
black plum and blackberry shaded with subtle violet and dark chocolate.
Rich, lovely and very expressive; in a great drinking place right now. 
2003 Saxum Paso Robles Syrah Broken Stones, 80% Syrah, 12%
Grenache, 8% Mourvedre, 15.3% alc.: Inky color, and throwing a lovely
perfume of sweet black fruit and violets; rich, extracted flavors echo
loudly, stopping just short of going over the top. Smooth, harmonious
and in a beautiful drinking window. 
2005 Dry Stack Bennett Valley Syrah Marie’s Block, 13.9% alc.:
Inky color, with a lovely nose of deep black plum and blackberry;
northern Rhone-like flavors of black plum and berry shaded with a subtle
green streak and slightly astringent on the finish. Lots of promise
here, and a wine I’d happily drink while enjoying a good Red Wings
hockey game. 