Don't Fear the Grape

2003 Chateau Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Price: $50.00
Varietal: 65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Counoise-Muscardin-Vaccarèsez
Region: France > Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Website: www.chateaumontredon.fr/index%20an.htm
Winemakers Notes: A powerful and intense vintage which develops charming aromas of black fruits and garrigue under a dark colour. The whole is enveloped by a taste of wood still present. A beautiful material supported by an impressive tannic structure which will require to fade during the two or three coming years.

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Episode 35 [ 22:37 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1515)

OK, so I happened to stop by the Trader Joe’s on Excelsior Blvd in St. Louis Park last Saturday, and lo and behold there was a 2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape under the label of J.L. Quinson selling for about $10. I thought, “No way,” so I checked with one of the guys in the store and he said it was awesome. So I picked up a bottle thinking, “Well, it should be a very good Côtes du Rhône.”

It is…and more.

Yes, I was turned off by its recent vintage, its still undeveloped youth. But damn! It had color, substance, body, fruit—in short, anything one would want in a good, albeit young, grenache-based wine. Far better than anything I have had from Spain in the same price range.

So it has had little or no barrel aging. But it’s excellently made and certainly reflective of what the appellation in a good vintage can offer.

Why is it so cheap? My only guess is that as well as being a very good to great vintage, 2009 also produced a surplus of juice. The J.L. Quinson label is owned by the venerable firm Pasquier DesVignes, owned by the Quinson family and located in Romanèche-Thorins, the home also of the sprawling Georges Duboeuf wine enterprise. My supposition is that Pasquier DesVignes had the juice by previous contract with growers—not uncommon in the wine business—and that cash upfront for the recent vintage was better than waiting around for the wine to age, putting it up against more well-known producers.

The upshot? A chance for us peons who prize good wine from good appellations to secure it at a too-cheap-to-believe price.

Is the wine drinkable now? You betcha. Will it be drinkable and enjoyable in 5 or 10 years? Ditto. While oak aging, which this wine lacks, adds a certain something to many wines—notably Bordeaux, Burgundy, Napa Cabernets, Italian reds and more—because of the wine’s inherent balance—not too fruity, nor too tart, nor too tannic—the oak is not so much missed.

Bottom line: If you’re near a Trader Joe’s, buy this wine. Buy a case of this wine. Lay it away in a good cellar. For $10 a bottle, you (and your progeny, if you are an old fart like me) will be more than rewarded.

One thing many wine drinkers do not do is really look at a young wines ability to transform over the course of a few days. The 2004 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet was not a good wine on day one or two but really opened up for business on day three and four. Had I drank the bottle on the in first couple of days I would have not been a buyer of the wine, but seeing the potential I will buy a few more and cellar for five plus years.

2004 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet

Region: France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Color: Medium color

Day One Review

Date Tasted: 2/19/2010
Nose: Spice, raspberries, and earth
Taste: On the palate spice, leather, spice, and some sweet fruit
Finish: Finish is really disappointing
Evaluation: I hope this improves the next day (88 pts.)

Day Two Review

Date Tasted: 2/20/2010
Nose: Tar, leather, spices, and floral
Taste: Palate shows heavy spices which throw off the wines overall balance
Finish: Medium finish
Evaluation: Really not my style. It is better then day one (88 pts.)

Day Four Review

Date Tasted: 2/22/2010
Nose: Aromas of white pepper, garrique, spices, raspberries and truffles
Taste: On the palate dirt, spices, garrique, pepper, raspberries and leather
Finish: Medium finish that is much less tannic then day one
Evaluation: The wine has really opened up and I really like the wine. I am always amazed and the transformation of good wine. (92 pts.)

Have fun experimenting with wine!

Cheers,

John Glas
Wineglas

Last week (October 1st) I attended a wine tasting I discovered on meetup.com. It was held at the Black Dog Café in downtown St. Paul and was the first in their Meetings with the Wine Trade series. Jane Greenheck from Paustis Wine Company shared her passion for French wines.

It was a rainy night that seemed to keep people home and resulted in a very small turnout (6 people). That made for a very intimate experience and discussion. Jane presented six wines, three whites and three reds.

I must admit, I haven’t drunk many French wines before. I think I’ve subconsciously avoided them in favor of lesser known wine regions. I realize now I’ve been doing myself a disservice; all of these wines were extremely drinkable (yes, even the whites).

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