Northern Rhone Report The 2009 Vintage web: jjbuckley.com phone: 888.85.wines (888.859.4637) email: [email protected] twitter: @jjbuckleywines 7305 edgewater drive, suite d | oakland, ca 94621 TABLE OF CONTENTS Top Wine Picks 3 Introduction 4-5 Appellations 6-12 The Grapes 13-14 Vintages 15-16 Negociants 17 Chapoutier 18 Guigal 19 Jaboulet 20 Delas 21 2009 Tasting Notes 22-36 Photographs 37 About This Report 38 2 TOP NORTHERN RHONE PICKS Favorite Wines of the Visit JJ Buckley‟s Top Picks for 2009 Northern Rhone Reds Chapoutier Ermitage “Le Meal” Clusel-Roch Cote Rotie “Les Grandes Place” Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage (Best Value) Domaine Remizieres Hermitage “Cuvée Emilie” Marc Sorrell Hermitage ”Greal” JJ Buckley‟s Top Picks for 2009 Northern Rhone Whites Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc “L‟Ermite” Delas Condrieu “Clos Boucher” Marc Sorrell Hermitage Blanc “Rocoules” 3 NORTHERN RHONE The Mystery Spot The revision of appellation boundaries A revealing indication of the differences has not been without repercussions. between the two sections can be found New vines have been planted as much in Robert Parker's writings. A long-time for ease of growing and harvesting as enthusiast and promoter of Rhone for making wines of quality. Steep hills wines, his articles about the southern and slopes have historically grown the Rhone outnumber northern Rhone texts best fruit, but it is an expensive proposi- 3 to 1. Given Parker's preference for tion to tackle, as is maintaining those plush and luxurious textures, that ratio sites once the vines take root. New vine- makes sense. But younger writers are yards on fertile soils at the foot of the short changing the northern Rhone, as slopes may be easier to farm, but they well. The Rhone Report, a website run will produce a different standard of by Jeb Dunnuck, is almost exclusively grapes than hillside plantings. At a time dominated with writing focused on Like so many worthwhile pursuits in when the market looks for clearly Chateauneuf du Pape. life, understanding the northern Rhone understood wines, those regions risk can be quite a mystery. Grapes have ruining carefully nurtured standards of been growing continuously in the hills quality that capture the essence of these surrounding the small towns of Ampuis appellations as expressed by old vine and Tain since Roman times. Centuries and hillside cuvées. later, the wines of Hermitage were so popular they commanded higher prices While Rhone wines in their entirety are than Bordeaux and were part of Thomas relatively popular today, the wines of Jefferson's cellar. It wasn‟t that much the north are inherently less understood later when wines from obscure regions and less promoted than their friends to like Condrieu and St. Peray were found the south. Today, Chateauneuf du Pape in the best salons and restaurants of and its neighbors have attracted the Paris. fancy of the American consumer. Allur- ing in their ease of pronunciation and However, troubles arose in the first half their approachability as young wines, of the 20th century as the appellations of the southern Rhone appellations have the northern Rhone were among the come to define the Rhone Valley in the first to deal with the great devastation minds of many consumers. from phylloxera as well as the horrific economic conditions that particularly affected the north after World War I. But as the region's wines regained their international markets, prices rose—for both the wine and land—and some vineyards and appellations were ex- panded to meet the increased demand. 4 NORTHERN RHONE A River Runs Through It There is a tangible difference between The differences don‟t stop at appearance grenache as the dominant grape. Any the northern and southern Rhone. For as weather conditions can vary consid- missteps that might occur in the vine- one, much more land is under vine in erably. The change in temperature can yard or cellar can be adjusted with a bit the south than the north. Accordingly, be noticed immediately as the north's more mourvedre or syrah. many more wines from the southern continental climate gives way to the Rhone appellations make their way to Mediterranean conditions that dominate Today, northern Rhone winemakers our shelves and wine lists. In addition, the south. In turn, differing weather must contend with the current malaise the style of these wines are more acces- patterns impact their respective grow- about syrah that affects many markets, sible to consumers' palates with their ing conditions. For instance, 2002 saw especially in America. The variety has plush textures, a striking contrast to the torrential downpours basically wipe out come under criticism from both critics firm and compact structures found in the vintage in Chateauneuf du Pape and sommeliers, resulting in stagnant areas like Cornas or Hermitage. Finally, while the wines of the north were sal- sales. That is quite unfortunate, as syrah the prices for wines from the northern vaged due to considerably less rainfall is a noble grape that clearly expresses Rhone are not as affordable as the ones and the drainage benefits that come the soils and growing conditions of its commanded by their southern neigh- from hillside plantings. The cooler tem- specific terroir. bors. peratures of the north can also benefit Clearly the wines of the northern Rhone wines by providing grapes with the will benefit from both their diversity Part of what separates the north from natural acidity that brings elegance and and potential. The differences among the south can be attributed to geogra- finesse to what could be overripe wine appellations, indeed, the differences phy. Driving through vineyards along expressions. the northern reaches of the Rhone River, among climats within an appellation, are hills rise steeply to the east and west as When it comes to the final product, the often clear to see and understand. The you wind your way south through the fortunes of the northern Rhone are de- unique attributes and styles found small appellations. These are expensive pendent on the success of the syrah among appellations and lieu-dits should vineyards to maintain! As you leave the grape itself. Though some appellations be highlighted and celebrated. It is the southernmost region of St. Peray, the allow white grapes to be blended at the diversity of styles that will make syrah narrow valley begins to broaden into time of fermentation, the trend in the exciting again as each expression finds the soft, rolling hills and plains of the northern Rhone is for wines to increas- its audience and market. In that respect, southern Rhone where farming is easier ingly be based on 100% syrah. The the future for the wines of the northern and less costly. southern Rhone, however, works with Rhone looks bright. 5 APPELLATIONS of the NORTHERN RHONE Cote Rotie Cote Rotie has its own fame and pres- expect certain sites to gain a greater tige yet has long labored in the shadow reputation for growing quality fruit as of the wines from Hermitage. Both of each vineyard‟s specific qualities are these regions share a common thread: better understood in the coming years. steep hillsides from which vines and As the northernmost appellation in the pickers cling for dear life, winemaking northern Rhone, the wines from Cote that goes back to ancient Roman times Rotie typically have more finesse and and a history of both commercial suc- fragrance compared to the robust and cess and difficulty. But what set Her- structured wines from Hermitage. The mitage apart was its proximity to the fruit here is high-toned, floral and pure- town of Tain, which acted as the home ly expressed with tannins subsumed by to the region‟s negociants—the financial the concentrated fruit. In addition, the lifeblood of the northern Rhone. Not tannins are more finely grained and only did this allow Hermitage wines to fewer in quantity. Much of this is due to get more money than Cote Rotie over the slightly cooler temperatures found the centuries, but as Rhone wines lost in Cote Rotie than in the south. their commercial allure, Cote Rotie suf- fered the most. Despite negociants such Viognier is allowed to be grown in Cote as Chapoutier and Jaboulet owning sig- Rotie but only for blending with syrah. nificant acreage in Cote Rotie, it was not Map of the Northern Rhone Valley AOC regulations permit up to 20% until the 1980s that the efforts of the viognier to be added only at the time of Guigal family brought international crushing. Wineries rarely use the full recognition to the wines of Cote Rotie. amount as the influence of the viognier Today, the Guigals vinify over a third of can be quite pronounced at levels above the grapes grown in the appellation. 10%, so the practice is to add only 5% viognier to the blend, if any. The vineyards of the appellation are comprised of a number of climats that Unlike its more famous neighbor to the have subtle yet significant differences. south, the area under vine in Cote Rotie The most famous of these sites are the has expanded considerably as the for- vineyards of Cote Blonde and Cote tunes of the appellation have grown. In Brune, which for many years formed the the last 40 years, the acreage in Cote historical foundation for Cote Rotie Rotie has tripled to some 700 acres as wines. Later, sites such as La Landonne demand for Rhone wines expanded, and La Turque gained notoriety when with the 1990s seeing most of the new their fruit was bottled individually by plantings. Growth has flattened out but Guigal. it will become imperative to know each wine's fruit sources as grapes from older Today, with an upsurge in bottlings vines will see increased demand and from small growers and new vineyards prices.