Catching up a bit, I've been buying and drinking a lot of Rhone wines lately. Among them are 3 wines from the most recent 3 vintages. First up was the 2005 Guigal Cotes du Rhone. I've just recently had what was likely my last bottle of the 2003 vintage, so I was anxious to see how the 2005 would stack up. This wine exhibited a lot of the same characteristics of its older sibling, but also had a little more freshness. It was also a bit simpler, but I imagine it too will add some weight over the next year or so and continue this wine's run as one of the great values on the market.
Next up was the 2006 Perrin et Fils Vinsobres, which used to be a Cotes du Rhones-Villages, but has now become its own appellation. The Perrins produce some great wines at all price levels, and I've enjoyed some past vintages of this wine. I found the 2006 to be a nice easy drinker with some fresh fruit, but overall somewhat simple. Nothing to really complain about, but it didn't really leave a lasting impression either. With what I've come to expect from this producer, I guess I hoped for a little more.
Finally, I had my first taste of the 2007 Domaine la Garrigue Cotes du Rhone. I've had this wine several times from prior vintages, and the 2007 has been getting a lot of hype as one of the great QPR wines of the last several years (thanks to a 91 from Parker). I've got to say I was underwhelmed by this one. The wine seemed a bit hot on initial taste and took a lot of time to settle down. By the second night, it seemed to have come into balance better, but still wasn't blowing me away. I think it may need a few more months to settle down, and based on the track record from prior vintages I'm willing to give it another try. But for now, I couldn't understand what all the hype was about.
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