Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

It’s high time we get around to the Exquisite and Requisite Carpe Vinum Newsletter and Tasting Announcement of the Day That is Today For the Day That Is Tomorrow! Tomorrow we’re doing the fantastic wines of the French Rhone! This is one of my favorite wine regions and the wines they produce are some of the most approachable and affordable in the world. There is a relatively large number of approved grapes in the region, all things considered, but it’s best known in the South for its spicy Grenaches and in the North for the peppery and fruity Syrahs.

All truth be told, the Rhone had suffered a few setbacks over the past few years. The 2001 vintage was superb, but followed by the wicked storms of 2002 that ruined much of the crop and severely hindered the quality of the rest. Then there was 2003, which I initially thought would be spectacular due to the extraordinary heat. More heat, I thought, would mean riper fruit, a longer growing season and higher sugar levels, blah blah blah. This isn’t quite what happened, and most of the wines seemed overripe and, as a friend put it, burnt. So for me 2003 was a bit of a disappointment, even after the disastrous 2002 vintage. This isn’t to say they were all bad. I’ve had that similar “burnt” flavor on wines from all around the world in 2003. I think it’s whether or not the growers got their fruit in before the overripeness happened.

Enter the 2004 wines of the Rhone, seen more as a classic vintage like the 2001 vintage. All that I’ve had so far have been delicious. Of course, many of my regular favorites wines from the region had gotten big scores from those “magazine professionals” and, as a direct result, completely sell out. It makes me sad. But also marks me as a visionary considering I served them first, right? (The “I was into that band before they were big” syndrome.) So here’s the selection of the next wonderful Rhone wines to sell out. I’m really excited about that Sang de Cailloux Vacqueyras. It’s often championed as the best wine in the Vacqueyras region. Oh, and I chose all wines from the 2004 so we could get a better idea of the vintage as a whole.

So Friday, December 8th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Rhone!!!
Domaine Georges Vernay 2004 VdP Syrah de Collines Rhodaniennes
Chateau Trignon 2004 “Bois des Dames” Cotes du Rhone
Domaine de la Janasse 2004 VdP Terre de Bussiere
Saint Cosme 2004 “Deux Albion” Cotes du Rhone
Paul Autard 2004 Cotes du Rhone Rouge

More Rhone!!!
Domaine de Sang de Cailloux 2004 Vacqueyras
Domaine Brusset 2004 “Grand Montmirail” Gigondas

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.
Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Holiday Sparklers!