Pierre Andre 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Tasted in Montpellier Jan. 2020: dark black/red color, very aromatic with red currant, strawberry, spice, earth; palate is round, dense, good acidity, deep black cherry, red currant, plum, earth, minerals; very  long and well-structured but a bit softer than the 2016, great finish. Delicious now or cellar 15 to 20 years. DL   "Full, dark red. The bouquet is promising, well varied already, with a beef stock, loganberry, deep black fruit presence. There is a shimmer of dusty heat from it. The palate is rich and rolling right from the start, engages very well with a flourishing length and spiced notes in the sparky, full finish. Lots of life blood here, a nourishing wine with genuine typicity, good vigour and cut. Not much more praise can be added. This lights my fuse, sure thing." DrinkRhone Oct 2018

Pierre Andre 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

We consider Domaine Pierre André to be one of the greatest estates in Châteuneuf-du-Pape. Organic since 1980 (one of the first in the AOC) and Biodynamic since 1992. The red is 90% Grenache with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscadin and Picpoul. Some parcels are over 140 years old, with the average vine age around 70  years. The 2018 shows a deep black/garnet color and aromas of ripe morello cherry, blackberry and blueberry liqueur with hints of violet, orange zest, garrigue and stone. The palate is dense but bright and balanced, supple and sapid with cherry, red currant, black plum and licorice with velvety tannins and a beautiful palate-coating finish of bright red fruits, earth and chalky acids. This is a gorgeous wine, perhaps without the power and and structure of 2016 but with deep, vibrant fruit that will give great pleasure over the next 20 years. Please decant or open a few hours in advance if drinking now. David Lillie

Pierre Andre 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Magnum

We consider Domaine Pierre André to be one of the greatest estates in Châteuneuf-du-Pape. Organic since 1980 (one of the first in the AOC) and Biodynamic since 1992. The red is 90% Grenache with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscadin and Picpoul. Some parcels are over 140 years old, with the average vine age around 70  years. The 2018 shows a deep black/garnet color and aromas of ripe morello cherry, blackberry and blueberry liqueur with hints of violet, orange zest, garrigue and stone. The palate is dense but bright and balanced, supple and sapid with cherry, red currant, black plum and licorice with velvety tannins and a beautiful palate-coating finish of bright red fruits, earth and chalky acids. This is a gorgeous wine, perhaps without the power and and structure of 2016 but with deep, vibrant fruit that will give great pleasure over the next 20 years.  David Lillie

Pierre Andre 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

The 2019 Pierre André Blanc is an extraordinary Châteauneuf-du-Pape from an extraordinary estate - organic since 1980 (one of the first in the AOC) and Biodynamic since 1992.  The blend is now approximately 50-60% Bourboulenc and 40-50% old-vine Clairette (planted in the 1920s) grown on sandy soils in the lieu-dits of "Saint-Georges," "Etang" and "les Bédines," giving a wine that accentuates the beautiful minerality brought by the terroir and the superb farming. The wine shows a pale gold/bronze color. The aromas are muted upon opening but expand over a few hours with ripe pear, roast almond, anise, lemon verbena and stone; the palate is  very dense and sapid but framed in firm stony acidity, with dried pear and apricot, citrus, anise, earth and stone flavors with an intense, long finish of white fruit liqueur and minerals. On day two, the vibrant mineral flavors are even more present with elegant white fruits and terrific length. Serve with full-flavored fish dishes, bouillabaisse, white meats, goat cheeses. Decant if drinking now, this will be an elegant and complex mature wine, best perhaps 2026 - 2040+. Highly reccommended!  David Lillie

Pierre Andre 2019 Vin de France Clin D'Oeil

 We've been anxiously awaiting the Pierre André "Clin D'Oeil," the much admired "second wine" of this wonderful Chateauneuf-du-Pape estate. It's at the same time serious and fun, it's the Wink of a Eye, it's a superb wine of terroir that's also easy drinking and the perfect accompaniment to a casual meal. Dark red/garnet color with a bright rim, bright  aromas of ripe black cherry, red currant, black plum, spice and earth.  The palate is beautifully structured with firm, very earthy, chalky acidity underlying elegant, subtle, cherry, ripe strawberry and red currant fruit. It's a dense and sapid Rhone red that's light on it's feet and a great food wine, especially for any grilled foods this summer. (From a parcel in Vin de France east of Courthezon  of 75 year-old Grenache and Cinsault; a parcel of CDR Grenache just outside Chateauneuf, and from light-colored very old vine Grenache, "les rouges," within Chateauneuf) Highly recommended!  David Lillie

Charvin 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The 2018 Charvin is a lovely Chateauneuf  with a bright ruby robe. The effusive nose offer a pretty melange of red berry and plum fruit. In the mouth the wine is pretty and vibrant on the attack boasting a lovely array of perfectly ripe red fruit flavors that fans out across the palate with a savory, earthy core lurking beneath lending lift and character on the long lingering finish. Despite the warmth of the 2018 vintage, there's no sense of heat or torrefaction. On  day two the structure comes to the fore displaying fine acididty and ripe tannins with an even more mineral profile emerging. This is an absolutely delicious Châteauneuf-du-Pape that can be enjoyed immensely now, though best to hold about 5-7 years then drink until 2035 - 2040. Lovely with lamb  shanks and flageolets with tapenade, though I'd love to pair this with a ripe, earthy, creamy cheese. John McIlwain

Charvin 2018 Côtes-du-Rhone Le Poutet Arrives

(Our last delivery sold-out immediately - it's back!) The Laurent Charvin "Le Poutet"  is made from average 50 year-old vines (some are 90 years-old!) of 80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Syrah and Carignan in vineyards that abut Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Maucoil in the northwest and Campovin and Boislauzon in the northeast. The soils are sandy clay/limestone with galets stones. The grapes undergo a 15 to 20-day whole bunch fermentation with daily pumping-overs, the wine then spends 18 months in concrete vat and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The resulting wine is equal to many Châteauneuf-du-Pape, offering complex aromas of garrigue and spicy red fruits with the structure to evolve and drink well over ten to fifteen years. The 2018, tasted with Laurent Charvin in January, 2020, was  quite remarkable with gorgeous floral aromas of strawberry and blackberry and vibrant, supple black fruits on the palate with round juicy tannins - delicious already but with enough brightness and structure to provide beautiful drinking over the next ten years. This is truly "gouleyant" and should be purchased by the case - at $22.99 per bottle it's a great value!  David Lillie

Richaud 2020 Côtes du Rhone Primeur

Why does Beaujolais get to have all the fun with Nouveau? The folks at Domaine Richaud are getting in on the action, with this Cotes du Rhone "Primeur," their first offering from the 2020 vintage. If anything, it may be more of a hit than a Beaujolais for some, as the freshness and zip team up with Rhone flavors of darker and more earthy fruit, as opposed to the distinct Raspberry notes of carbonic-maceration Gamay. A perfect wine for the moment. Lighthearted but with enough warmth to get us through to Spring.  -EL

Richaud 2019 Côtes du Rhone Terre de Galets

(Marcel Richaud has been making "natural wine" for over 40 years, since taking over from his father in the 1970s. Organic farming, low yields, hand-harvesting for perfect fruit and fermentations with wild yeasts with little or no sulfur.) From Carignan, Syrah, Grenache, Counoise and Mourvedre on gravel, sandy galet stone covered soils, semi destemmed, 8-10 day vinification - the Carignan in semi carbonic maceration,  traditional fermentation for the rest, aged in concrete vats 6-12 months, unfined, unfiltered. The Terre de Galets shows lovely aromas of ripe red currant, black cherry and black raspberry with spice and violets. Very supple, dense palate with black plum, ripe cherry liqueur, citrus and black pepper with smooth tannins and firm acidity. Very long with ripe fruits, bitter chocolate and citrusy acids lingering in the finish. Lovely wine - serve cool with grilled meats, chicken, fulll-flavored cheeses

Richaud 2017 Cairanne Cuvée Sans Soufre

 The Richaud 2017 Cairanne is a gorgeous wine made from Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre,  and this cuvée is made and bottled entirely without SO2. The color is inky black/red with lush aromas of black cherry, blackberry, prune and floral notes with  earth, licorice and dark chocolate. The palate shows lush, bright fruit - a beautiful and intense melange of black and red berries, round and deep, lifted by cool acidity and mineral flavors with fabulous length and purity of fruit.  Bravo to Marcel Richaud! Serve this lovely wine a bit cool with just about anything! Cellaring for ten years would be interesting as well... David Lillie