Author: dieseljwt

Having just read an article about how the future of Oregon wine wasn’t Pinot Noir, I found this to be an appropriate segue from Bourgogne to the Rhône. This Oregon red wine was 56% Grenache, 43% Syrah, and 1% Viogner, from two different regions. 77% of the grapes came from the Sundown Vineyard in the Rogue Valley, and the rest from the Deux Vert Vineyard in the Willamette Valley.

Francis Tannahill  wines are part of the Rex Hill family, founded in 2001 by Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill.

This wine had nice structure, with the Grenache asserting itself beyond the other varieties, as one would expect. Very light notes of spice and black pepper added complexity, and what tasted like a predominantly neutral oak treatment left soft tannins and a smooth finish.

Both of the bottles to the right of the photo were purchased in 2008, our second month-long visit to France, “avec nos amis” who are featured in the group pic. We remember 2008 particularly fondly, because that was the year we first met our dear friends, Jennifer and Barrie, who we descend upon each time we cross the pond to France.

During a somewhat spontaneous visit to Chateau de Vaugelas (see the bottle on the far right), we were invited to a wine tasting with winemaker Christian Mignard at his home in Siran, outside of Cesseras. Knowing how Americans love their nicknames, he referred to himself as “Chris”, pronounced with his French accent like “crease”.

We had a hard time finding the place, and had almost given up when Christian came out of his house and motioned us up the driveway. We had a fun barrel-tasting (see the photo in the photo above) and bought several bottles of his 2003 “Les Trois Cloches”, many of which he autographed. This was a Minervois La Liviniere, a blend of Syrah, old Grenache and Carignan, the latter from hundred-year-old vines. While the label said the wine can be put down for up to six years, this 14-year-old was a beauty, still with ruby-red color, ripe tannins, delightful Minervois earthiness, and the ever-present garrigue. We enjoyed it on New Year’s Eve, with rabbit confit, roasted brussels sprouts, and potatoes.

I just opened this beauty, and ran to my Mac – this is a great wine! Earthy and rich, with a spectacular nose, this is a Syrah for the ages. I was an Isenhower club member for years prior to my industry days, and love their wines for their variety and price point…but this one challenges those that cost more than twice as much. I also appreciate Isenhower’s approach to winemaking: sustainable practices, no capsules, recycled paper labels, and their old world style, with native yeast and whole cluster fermentation. Not to mention that Brett and Denise are super nice people.

Established in 2005 as a new Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC, Plan de Dieu must be at least 50% Grenache, blended with a minimum of 20% Mourvèdre and Syrah. These wines have a lush, concentrated nose, with notes of red fruit, and the ever-present garrigue. We met Hugues Meffre in 2014: he was instrumental in establishing this AOC, and is now co-president of Le Syndicat Intercommunal des Vignerons du Plan de Dieu.

I love great wine. But you know what I like even better? Great wine at a great price. Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be talking about frugal finds, but also about other delights to the palate, from Washington and across the world. Stay tuned…