La Route du Vin

Cotes du Rhone Villages-Visan Domaine Guintrandy Le Deves 2007 "Vintage of a Lifetime" -Robert Parker

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 The lush hillsides of Visan in summer

"2007: Throughout the southern Rhône, 2007 is the greatest vintage I have tasted in my thirty years working in that region."

Parker's description below of his tasting of Chateauneuf du Papes lets us in on just how good all the wines in the southern Rhone are going to be. Savor every word. This is exciting. And, we can actually afford to uncork these wines every night.

"Think of 2007 as a hypothetical blend of an opulent, powerful, sumptuous year such as 1990, and a cooler drought vintage such as 2001. The cool weather and the remarkable three weeks of Mistral in September that concentrated the grapes without any spikes of high heat appears to have given the 2007s an aromatic dimension and freshness that I have rarely witnessed. Combine that with wines that are substantial, powerful, and relatively high in alcohol, with super depth of fruit! These are very aromatic wines of great concentration, freshness, laser-like focus, and amazing purity as well as depth. It is the vintage of my lifetime for this region, and I don't say that lightly. These 2007s will also be very long-lived given their extraordinary balance." - Robert Parker

Oh, and Wine Spectator gives the vintage a straight A!

We've got all of our bases covered here.

And the growers had something to say as well:

"2007 is without doubt a great quality vintage. Conditions in the vineyard are almost perfect - I haven't seen that for 17 years! Ripening was slow and gentle, producing fruity and straight-forward wines, showing great colour." -Cave des Vignerons de Rasteau

Henri Boillot 2007 White Burgundies Burgundy's greatest vineyards: One of her greatest winemakers

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The vineyards of Puligny Montrachet - The most famous whlte vineyards in France

This is a special pre-arrival offering of some of Burgundy's finest white wines. Quantities are limited to a few cases of each wine.

Here is what Robert Parker says about these extraordinary examples of Chardonnay from the Cote de Beaune's most famous appellations:

"He (Boillot) has gone from strength to strength, sparing no expense, obsessing over every detail, fashioning magnificent wines....Thanks to his superhuman efforts Domaine Jean Boillot [since renamed Domaine Henri Boillot] should now be counted among the finest producers in the Cote de Beaune for both reds and whites." -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Tasting Henri Boillot's wines are a jaw-dropping experience because you become instantly aware that the wine in your glass is at a level of sensory flooding you have not before encountered. These wines are on a very short list of the finest expressions of Chardonnay in the world.

Here is what Allen Meadows of Burghound says about the Boillot wines:

"Henri Boillot continues to make stunning wines from his négociant operations and he has arguably become the finest pure négoce specializing in white Burgundy today; yes there are other very fine négociants but the huge majority of them are really domaines hidden inside a "maison" facade that buy in fruit or must to supplement their proprietary wines. Please see the comments for Domaine Henri Boillot as Boillot notes that he treats the Maison wines exactly the same as those of the Domaine." -Allen Meadows, Burghound

Here are the first reviews from Stephen Tanzer. We have used the highest mark in his grading potential.

Henri Boillot 's extraordinary 2007 Red Burgundy - Volnay Premier Crus (only 3 cases of each)

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  Volnay and her vines in the fall

The container has just docked and there is a (very) limited supply of 2007 Henri Boillot reds among the cases. Boillot is the man who made me a Burgundy lover. He stops at nothing to make truly legendary Burgundies.

Read carefully what Steve Tanzer says of the latest Henri Boillot beauties.

"'2007 was a nice surprise for those who waited to harvest,' said Henri Boillot, who started picking his estate fruit on September 1 and has a stunning set of wines in the works. 'And yields were critical,' added Boillot, who told me that he never lets two clusters touch and tosses bunches on the ground at harvest time if he doesn't like them. He also told me he eliminated close to 30% of the fruit on his sorting table, and that the ultimate estate-wide yield here averaged just 18 hectoliters per hectare. Boillot describes the wines as thicker and more concentrated than the 2006s, with more coloring material and better acidity. In fact, he added, they have more punch than the 2005s. ."

2007 Domaine Henri Boillot Volnay Les Fremiets Rated 91-94
Bright ruby; Boillot's '07s are some of the darkest wines I saw on the Cote de Beaune. The aromas of black cherry, licorice and leather show terrific floral lift. Then compellingly sweet and sappy in the mouth, with thoroughly ripe flavors of black cherry, dark berries, flowers and minerals. Elegant and classy wine, carrying a moderate 12.8% alcohol. Finishes very long, with suave, dusty tannins that are almost invisible today.

2007 Domaine Henri Boillot Volnay Les Chevrets Rated 91-94
Bright medium red-ruby. Less floral and more black on the nose than the Fremiets, but with superb vibrancy to the aromas of dark berries, licorice and minerals. This is slower to express itself but boasts terrific inner-palate tension and lift, with a mineral component giving it great penetration. The almost weightless finish features noble tannins and captivating mineral perfume. This will need seven or eight years of cellaring upon release. Conveys the concentration of tiny berries.

omaine Vigneau-Chevreau Cuvée Silex Vouvray 2007: Biodynamique! Pure! Perfect!

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  The pristine Vouvray cellars - The wine will get your
tail wagging too

I just opened my window and instead of a knife of cold air, a warm and gentle breeze wafted in. Spring is here and I'm thinking about Vouvray.

When Decanter magazine asked Master of Wine Beverly Blanning what her "Desert Island Wine" would be, she said, (yes, you guessed it) Vouvray.

"I love Vouvray's blend of substance and refreshment."

That just may say it all. Vouvray is serious, but flirty as well and will captivate your senses.

In fact, whenever I mention Vouvray, I get the same response. "Oh, Vouvray? I love Vouvray."

Of course, there are a lot of reasons for this, not the least being that Vouvray is the ideal white for many people because it is not steely, steely Dry with a big D, but rather dry with a small d. It is made from 100% Chenin Blanc.

When you have a glass of Vigneau-Chevreau cuvée Silex, lemons and minerals will burst from the glass. The flavors are pure. The grapes are hand-harvested and carefully sorted to ensure that only the ripe, healthy grapes make it into the bottle.

When Bob and I went hunting in the Loire for a great Vouvray, we did our homework. Here is what La Revue du Vin de France said about Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau:

"This estate, which is biodynamique (organic) is distributed over several types of soil which permits assemblages of wine which play right into the hands of the Chenin Blanc grape with its velvety acidity so typical of a good Vouvray. Vigneau Chevreau makes wine with lots of textural finesse and generous minerality..."

Couly Dutheil Rene Couly Chinon Rosé: The wine of summer, made by a master winemaker -- Here now!

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 Winemaker Arnaud Couly with his father Jacques
in their Chinon vineyards (photo: Darrault)

This Rosé with its nervy charm and Cabernet Franc essence will completely win you over. You will be passing up your favorite summer white for it, I promise. And, you do know that pouring a Rosé these days makes you exceedingly cool, or hot, depending upon your generation.

Domaine Couly Dutheil, famous for their Loire reds (Clos de l'Echo, Baronnie Madeleine, and Diligence), are making one of France's most refreshing and best Rosés I've ever put in my glass - and I've tasted a lot of them.

Couly Dutheil winemaker Arnaud Couly's Rosé brings summer to my lips. You can taste the hint of red berries (Rosé should never just taste like pink white wine. It is made, afterall, from red wine grapes.) and there is that zing of fresh, perfect acidity in your mouth.

The Rene Couly Rosé comes from one of the most beautiful wine villages in all of France: Chinon. I've been drinking Chinon for twenty-five years. I cannot taste a Chinon without a vivid picture of the village popping into my mind.

For a quarter of a mile in each direction along the Vienne River are charming stone houses built right into the hillside. The land rises steeply from the bank and on its highest part sits a chateau, noble though in ruins, and of course backed by vineyards in all directions.

Marc Sorrel Hermitage 2004 - The Respected Boutique Producer Who Makes One of the Greatest Hermitages

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 The Hermitage Hillside Vineyards - Sorrel is just to the left
on the steepest slope

"The top cuvee of red Hermitage, the 2004 Hermitage Le Greal (a blend of grapes from the estate's Greffieux and Meal vineyards) achieved 14% natural alcohol. A pure, well-textured, elegant effort with hints of Pinot Noir-like finesse and sensuality, this medium-bodied 2004 is a noteworthy success in this irregular vintage. Consume it over the next decade." -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

The only way I was able to elbow my way into an allocation of this wine was by providing Marc with 6 bottles from the 1984 vintage, the year his father died and he took over the vineyard. He had run through all of his and I had shown some fortuitous restraint. He was desperate to fill-out his cellar with this symbolic and nostalgic year and suddenly a relationship was born which has lasted until this day.

Hermitage is situated south of Lyon on a dramatic stone-walled terraced hillside of granite, where the Rhone River makes a circular sweep in its trip to the Mediterranean. The great steep hillside vineyards have a broad southern exposure and are heated by the River and the rocky soil that stores the summer heat late into the day.

Couly Dutheil Rene Couly Chinon Rosé

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 Winemaker Arnaud Couly with his father Jacques in their Chinon vineyards (photo: Darrault)

This Rosé with its nervy charm and Cabernet Franc essence will completely win you over. You will be passing up your favorite summer white for it, I promise. And, you do know that pouring a Rosé these days makes you exceedingly cool, or hot, depending upon your generation.

Domaine Couly Dutheil, famous for their Loire reds (Clos de l'Echo, Baronnie Madeleine, and Diligence), are making one of France's most refreshing and best Rosés I've ever put in my glass - and I've tasted a lot of them.

Couly Dutheil winemaker Arnaud Couly's Rosé brings summer to my lips. You can taste the hint of red berries (Rosé should never just taste like pink white wine. It is made, afterall, from red wine grapes.) and there is that zing of fresh, perfect acidity in your mouth.

The Rene Couly Rosé comes from one of the most beautiful wine villages in all of France: Chinon. I've been drinking Chinon for twenty-five years. I cannot taste a Chinon without a vivid picture of the village popping into my mind.

For a quarter of a mile in each direction along the Vienne River are charming stone houses built right into the hillside. The land rises steeply from the bank and on its highest part sits a chateau, noble though in ruins, and of course backed by vineyards in all directions.

All up and down the river are France's signature plane trees, stumpy and squat from rigorous pruning in the winter and bursting with shade-giving leaves in the summer. There is an open-air market once a week. You can sip your noir double in the morning and watch the trafficking of ripe peaches and aromatic melons and cheeses and feel a few million miles away from anything flashy and artificial and second-rate.

Marc Sorrel Hermitage 2004

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The Hermitage Hillside Vineyards - Sorrel is just to the left on the steepest slope.

"The top cuvee of red Hermitage, the 2004 Hermitage Le Greal (a blend of grapes from the estate's Greffieux and Meal vineyards) achieved 14% natural alcohol. A pure, well-textured, elegant effort with hints of Pinot Noir-like finesse and sensuality, this medium-bodied 2004 is a noteworthy success in this irregular vintage. Consume it over the next decade." -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

The only way I was able to elbow my way into an allocation of this wine was by providing Marc with 6 bottles from the 1984 vintage, the year his father died and he took over the vineyard. He had run through all of his and I had shown some fortuitous restraint. He was desperate to fill-out his cellar with this symbolic and nostalgic year and suddenly a relationship was born which has lasted until this day.

Hermitage is situated south of Lyon on a dramatic stone-walled terraced hillside of granite, where the Rhone River makes a circular sweep in its trip to the Mediterranean. The great steep hillside vineyards have a broad southern exposure and are heated by the River and the rocky soil that stores the summer heat late into the day.

"For pure richness, allied to complexity and elegance, Hermitage remains unequaled." - Robert Parker

Domaine de Mourchon 2006 Cotes du Rhone Villages-Seguret Tradition

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 Walter in his hilltop vineyards at Domaine de Mourchon

That's so true for the Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret from Domaine de Mourchon, arguably the most popular of all of my Cotes du Rhone Villages wines (and for good reason).

"This is the best estate today in Seguret, and they continue to take the quality of their Cotes du Rhone to an exciting level. Of course, Grenache is the base for these wines. They are gorgeously made, pure, rich, beautifully textured, savory, and everything a wine in Provençe should be. All of this can be attributed to Englishman Walter McKinlay, who purchased 40+ acres in 1998. It is amazing how quickly he has become a superstar in Seguret. The aging process here is relatively simple, with the wines kept in both concrete vats and oak casks. There is 100% destemming." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

"De Mourchon is amongst the most interesting 5% of wine made today." - Jancis Robinson

Every year Parker bestows the big grades on the de Mourchon Rhones. The wines came to his attention several years ago and he can't get enough of them. The 2006, which was a splendid vintage in the Rhone, is no exception.

Not too long ago, I remember sinking into a chair on Walter and Ronnie McKinlay's terrace, taking in the Rhône surroundings and finally closing my jaw, which had been hanging open. The vines were slightly below us in soldierly rows, stretching into the distance on gently rounded hills. The vines seemed far away and, at the same time, all-enveloping. There were rows upon rows and hills upon hills, all frosted in a sagey hue.

Walter and Roni McKinlay have owned Domaine de Mourchon since 1998 when Walter, a Scotsman, sold his computer business and decided he wanted to own a vineyard. Sometimes, he pulls a long face and leans in conspiratorially to share that owning a vineyard was perhaps more work than he had initially had in mind, but how can I really ache for him when he has made such a stunning success out of it all?