2005 Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone-Villages Terre d'Argile

Don't be intimidated by the very long name of this wine, as it is really something special. I've actually written about this wine before, and once again have consistent notes to report.

The 2005 Domaine de la Janasse Terre d'Argile Cotes du Rhone-Villages is a blend of the three main grapes of the Rhone - Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, in fairly equal proportions. Once again, as I drank it I noted that you really can taste each of these varietals when you drink the wine. There are the cherry flavors and earthiness of the Grenache initially, then the darker fruit from the Syrah, and all thoughout there's the brooding structure from the Mourvedre. This is really one of my favorite wines right now, and though it's a bit pricier than a lot of Cotes du Rhone-Villages (about $24), this wine is worth it. I can't wait to see what the 2006 and 2007 vintages are like, though I'm also looking forward to seeing how this vintage ages over the next several years.

2006 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba

I've written about this wine before, and since it had been about 6 months since the last taste of it, I figured the time had come again to try another bottle. I absolutely raved about it last time, so how would it stand up?

I am pleased to report that the 2006 Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba is still as good as I noted last September. This is just an absolutely stunning wine for the price, with great fruit and complexity you would not expect from an $18 wine. I have just 1 bottle remaining, and the one store where I have bought it most recently is now sold out of the 2006. If you can find it, I highly recommend this wine as it is really just a tremendous example of the quality that can be found for a very fair price.

2005 Brig'aldara Valpolicella

I used to be able to find this wine fairly regularly in the Atlanta area, but not so much anymore, which is quite disappointing. One of my favorite QPR's from the Veneto is the Brig'aldara Valpolicella. I don't think I have had anything from this producer since our tastings at last year's Vinitaly, and certainly had not had the 2005 Valpolicella here anywhere.

I am happy to say this vintage lived up to my expectations, as it was a pleasant easy-drinking red that was light on its feet but with just enough complexity to allow you to really savor it. I am very disappointed it doesn't seem to be as widely available in this area now, because for about $12 it is definitely a winner.

2006 Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viogner

My favorite Rhone producer Chapoutier expanded in Australia several years ago with their US importer Tony Terlato, and I had tried this wine once in an earlier vintage. I found it to be quite enjoyable then, and very similar to my favorite Aussie, the D'Arenberg Laughing Magpie. However, the 2006 Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viogner was somewhat disappointing. The wine did not offer anything reminiscent of the Cote Roties the blend is styled after, and instead definitely came off more like some of the over-extracted Aussie fruit bombs that have come out.

On the second night the wine seemed to have settled a bit. The heat wasn't as noticeable, and the wine had definitely mellowed. However, it still was not at the level of the Magpie, to say nothing of having the more elegant profile of a Northern Rhone. It may have been enough to convince me to try another bottle and give it a little time, but we'll see.

2003 Guigal Cotes du Rhone

Another one of my standby wines most every vintage is the Guigal Cotes du Rhone from one of the most famous producers in the region. The 2003 was a phenomenal vintage, and after many great bottles, this may be the last one I have from that year as the 2005 has now appeared on some local shelves (no idea what happened to 2004).

As in prior tastings, this wine continued to show its worth. A darker, richer Cotes du Rhone that definitely has more Syrah than many blends, it has really been a favorite over the past couple of years. I definitely recommend it for the price, and look forward to trying out the 2005 vintage soon.

2006 Argiolas Costera

I had just recently tried a bottle of the 2006 Argiolas Costera and was a bit underwhelmed for a wine I've enjoyed in previous vintages, so I wanted to give it another try. This time, the wine was much more like what I have come to expect from this producer. It didn't quite match the high quality of the 2005, but it was still quite enjoyable. Drunk over three nights, the Costera, which is made from the Cannonau grape, offered great pleasure throughout.

Perhaps the wine just needed a little time to settle down, or maybe the last bottle had some slight heat damage. This time, there was plenty of fruit, and a lightness that kept it from seeming overdone. I'm glad to see that Argiolas is still on track, because this is typically a very good wine for the price.

2001 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf du Pape

Last weekend I cooked a cassoulet, so of course it meant I needed a Chateauneuf to accompany it. My choice was the 2001 Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf du Pape, a good and relatively inexpensive wine from my favorite appellation.

I am pleased to say this wine was really hitting its stride. With a few years of bottle age, it had really come into its own and was showing off pretty quick. There was the dark cherry fruit that is so typical of Grenache, as well as the great garrigue of a typical Chateauneuf du Pape (perhaps assisted by the blend that includes Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault). All this from a wine that I think was about $24 on release. It reminds me that even though prices from this region have really soared over the last few years, there are still some great relative values. If you can find a wine of this quality that can also age gracefully for several years like this, it is well worth it.