Route de Vins Tasting Friday June 15th, 2012

Route de Vins Tasting Friday June 15th, 2012 6p-8p at Le Caveau Fine Wines
"Friday, June 15th from 6- 8 pm we welcomed Frederick Corriher of Route Des Vins Imports and two of his producers from the Southern Rhone Valley of France, Gérald Lafont and Bertrand Gonnet. Route des Vins Imports are brandnew to the state and their focus is small production, family run estates from France."  Bertrand's family domaine is Domaine Font de Michelle.
 
1) 2010 Trois Amis Sauvignon Blanc - 13% alcohol - $14.99
“I think this Sauvignon Blanc might be the wine that best embodies our philosophy. It’s not as austere or serious as Sancerre and not as zingy as some of the better-made New Zealand Sauvignons, but, man, is it good and fun to drink. I love the combination of its citrus-like acidity and broad palate of exotic fruit flavors. This combo makes it what I call an ‘all-purpose wine’. It’s terrific as an aperitif, but yet it pairs marvelously with raw oysters or ceviche.One thing is for sure: folks usually need to open a second bottle after quickly downing the first.” - Frederick Corriher of RDV  Trois Amis means Three Friends.  On the label you see 3 silhouettes, the first is Guilliame (Bertrand's cousin), the second is Frederick Corriher, and the third is Bertrand Gonnet.  100% Sauvignon Blanc 

2) 2009 Trois Amis Gigondas - 14.5% alcohol - $34.99
“This Gigondas is made from vines situated on two types of soil (one with mostly limestone, one with more rolled riverbed stones) just underneath the village.  It's aged in concrete tanks to capture the purity of the Grenache and to protect its freshness.  The Grenache in this wine is super-ripe, rich, kirsh-like.  It's a big wine, for sure, but the tannins are fine and elegant.  It's a wine that will stand up to the fattier cuts of meat, but it's elegant enough to pair well with a midweek meal like a simple roast chicken from the supermarket." - Frederick Corriher of RDV  Gigondas (Zjee-gohn-dez) is a little town west of the Rhone.  95% Grenache, 5% Syrah (for freshness).  Bertrand helped make this wine with his cousin.

3) 2009 D’Arbousset Lirac Rouge - 14.5% alcohol - $28.99
“This old-vine Grenache cuvee is a real sleeper of the vintage, but it is very limited in availability. The wine is bursting with fruit, has a dark ruby/purple color and loads of complexity with its notes of incense,Christmas fruitcake, lavender, licorice and black cherry marmalade notes. It is a beauty to drink over the next 3-4 years.” 91 Points: The Wine Advocate #191 98% Grenache, 2% Syrah, Lirac is a town on the other side of the Rhone, west of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  Gerald is the vigneron (or winemaker) for this wine.
 
4) 2009 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe - 15% alcohol - $49.99
A very traditional, yet pretty style, the 2009 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a completely cemented aged blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault. Showing fresh, perfumed, and straight-up Provencal aromas of spice-laced red fruits, green peppercorn, wild herbs, and a touch funky leather and earth, this medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a seamless, elegant texture, sweet fruit, and a focused, classy finish that’s loaded with sweet, fine-grained tannin. A good mix of traditional style style aromatically, and polish and texture on the palate, this beauty should drink well for 8-10 years. 91 points: The Rhone Report, September 2011 Gerald consults at Domaine Durieu.  
 
5) 2009 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe ‘Lucile Avril’ - 15% alcohol - $59.99
The estate’s luxury cuvee, the deep ruby/plum-colored 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Lucile Avril is composed of 85% Grenache and the rest mostly Mourvedre (6%) with a touch of Syrah (4%), all aged in cement. Impressively rich and much in character with not only the vintage but its less expensive sibling, the traditional cuvee, it is a concentrated, powerful, opulent, sexy wine boasting a
huge perfume of black currants, caramelized herbs, sweet kirsch, saddle leather and spice box. This voluptuously textured, multidimensional offering displays fabulous fruit extract and a rich, long, pure finish that goes on and on. Drink this beauty now and over the next 10-12 years.Lovers of these wines need to pay more attention as prices have remained reasonable. 93 Points: The Wine Advocate
#197 " Gerald consults at Domaine Durieu.