Hi all,

Back from a very short week in the southern Rhone valley. Not at all a
wine-oriented trip, but a few comments to report. We stayed local to
our Baronnies/Ouveze base, so really any wine was from the Puymeras
area. There was a fete in Mollans with quite a few of the locals giving
tastings (and lots of swilling going on).

Mainly left with an impression that this area is moving heavily into
organic farming or "agriculture raisonnee" at the very least; only a few
of the old school bulk folks seemed to be doing the full treatment. Use
of sulfites also seems down.

Here are the ones that impressed.

We did a large tasting at Dom du Faucon Dore and had the chance to spend
time with Damien Beaumont who is the heir apparent and I think driving
force behind the philosophy. These guys are pretty crazy, with yields
below 20 hl/ha and sometimes approaching 10, all manual methods, some
very long barrel times (IIRC the longest is 38 months sur lie) but the
wines are very pure and clean, many monocepage cuvees. The alcohol
level is very high but the wines are never hot or jammy, or over
concentrated. The domaine has completed the transition to biodynamic
and been Demeter certified, not because of any anthroposophist bent but
in a further search for quality. Sulfite levels are between 15-60
depending on the cuvee. No bad wines and some very good indeed, in
particular the Authentique Grenache, 100 yr old vines with 12 hl yields,
18 months in old oak has made fine progress with a few tweaks in the
cellar. They are making a couple of wines called "200%" which have 18
months in new oak followed by 18 more in old barrels. These have gotten
relatively pricey and are not frankly to my taste, but I fear may get
them "discovered" as they are very much styled to please the new world
palate, and Damien has a mind towards marketing (unlike his parents). I
wish them all the luck, but they will need to get quantities up to make
any money. Still, the world needs dreamers!

Another dreamer we met briefly was Elodie Aubert, the young owner of
Clos des Cimes in Merindol les Oliviers. Her wines are made with no
sulfites added at all (to reds)... and although she has no certification
(doesn't believe in labels, etc) this is as close to fully organic wine
as you can get. The flagship spends 37 months in open topped barrels,
fully exposed. I've never heard of this technique, does anyone else do
it? In spite of this the wines are very clean with no sign of
oxidization. Someone to watch.

Good organic work happening at Les Usseaux, 2 very clean and well
structured CdRs (2009), we even bought a few bottles.

Domaine des Arches, an organic farm stand (farm really) we have
frequented for vegetables for years, won a silver medal for their CdR at
Orange (pretty good medal). It had good ripe grenache fruit with very
feminine structure, an excellent summer quaff. No idea if it gets sent
anywhere but worth a stop if you're in the area and like that style, on
the road between Mirabel and Nyons. (Great fruit and veg, too).

An excellent very peppery CdR from Alain Sorbier at Domaine de la
Tuyere, raised in 3 yr old oak. Sadly his traditional CdR was sold out,
but we were delighted to learn he delivers to Paris twice a year, and
will certainly be ordering that way. The "fut de chene" was a steal at
5.20 EU.

A fine tasting from Mme Sauvan of Domaine de Combebelle with a good
range of well built CdRs. They do the Caves Particuliers wine show in
the spring, so planning on talking with them again there.

Also tasted the range from Mas des Collines, a tasty if unremarkable
Gigondas, classic grenache profile. Didn't care much for the Vacqueyras.

cheers,

-E