WTN: A few from Southern France

[Jenise]

2010 Chateau Mourgres des Gres 'Fleur' Eglantine', Costieres du Nimes: My first 2010 of the season, and it's delightful. Pale pink (I've decided that, as a rule, I tend to like the paler, less extracted roses), bright, flavorful yet dry, and perfectly balanced. $12 locally--I'll buy more.

2007 Arnoux Vieux Clocher, Vacqueyras: Thick and rustic in the way Vacq is known for but due to the vintage, 15-20% richer and riper than neccessary or ideal for most of us. Didn't taste the alcohol so much as a prune-y underpinning in the black fruit and a desire for more structure. Fortunately, I 'only' have one more bottle--will drink it sooner than later. This is not a candidate for holding.

2008 Mordoree Cotes du Rhone: This, on the other hand, is a deft and elegant example of how great a simple Cotes du Rhone can be. Stunning red fruit with good concentration, well-modulated acidity and tannins. Drinks beautifully now. Am SO glad I invested in a case.

Interesting TNs, Jenise. I note that you prefer the 08 CDR from Mordorée to the 07 Vacqueyras. I'm sure I would too, although 07 is by far the more fashionable year due to its richness. When they are successful, I find 08s far more to my taste for their delightful aromas, greater freshness and lesser fat and as you so aptly say for "elegance".

2010 Chateau Mourgres des Gres 'Fleur' Eglantine', Costieres du Nimes: My first 2010 of the season, and it's delightful. Pale pink (I've decided that, as a rule, I tend to like the paler, less extracted roses), bright, flavorful yet dry, and perfectly balanced. $12 locally--I'll buy more.

The Capitelles des Mourgues from this producer is an atomic bomb of taste. It lists from around $20 here, though I've gotten it cheaper on sale, and it's conservatively worth two-three times that. It's 83% Syrah (w/Carignan and Grenache) so it's like a backwards Cotes du Rhone I'd guess. Robust yet refined.

Sound like great bocce wines.

We get the Les Galets Rouge ($20) and Terre d'Argence red ($26) here.

[Jenise]

Interesting TNs, Jenise. I note that you prefer the 08 CDR from Mordorée to the 07 Vacqueyras. I'm sure I would too, although 07 is by far the more fashionable year due to its richness. When they are successful, I find 08s far more to my taste for their delightful aromas, greater freshness and lesser fat and as you so aptly say for "elegance".

The same is true here re fashion, as you no doubt guess to the esteemable Mr. Parker's championing of the 07 vintage. But even fans of the 07 vintage might have understood my reservations about the Arnoux as there was a distant flavor on the horizon not unlike oxidation. I guess I mentioned pruney--implying the possibility not yet realized. But yes re 08; and for the same reasons 06 and 04 before it.

[Jenise]

2010 Chateau Mourgres des Gres 'Fleur' Eglantine', Costieres du Nimes: My first 2010 of the season, and it's delightful. Pale pink (I've decided that, as a rule, I tend to like the paler, less extracted roses), bright, flavorful yet dry, and perfectly balanced. $12 locally--I'll buy more.

The Capitelles des Mourgues from this producer is an atomic bomb of taste. It lists from around $20 here, though I've gotten it cheaper on sale, and it's conservatively worth two-three times that. It's 83% Syrah (w/Carignan and Grenache) so it's like a backwards Cotes du Rhone I'd guess. Robust yet refined.

Thanks for that description: I'm going to contact the distributor and see what else they have.

Bill, the wines you mention are also from this producer?

Bill, the wines you mention are also from this producer?

Yes, but you won't find them on the BCLDB site unless you spell the name correctly - 'Mourgues', not the 'Mourgres' in your version.

[Jenise]

Bill, the wines you mention are also from this producer?

Yes, but you won't find them on the BCLDB site unless you spell the name correctly - 'Mourgues', not the 'Mourgres' in your version.

Oops, thanks for the correction. The bottle had already gone to recycling, so I was reporting from memory and had no prior experience with these wines.

Say, HB.