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Côte-Rôtie in the northern Rhone has certainly established itself as one of the most coveted spots in the world for producing high quality distinctive wines. The history goes way back including the oldest house of Vidal-Fleury from 1780. Certainly legendary Joseph Vidal-Fleury (1906-1976) deserves a lot of the early credit for showing that very good classic Côte-Rôtie was possible. Also does Etienne Guigal their winemaker until leaving in 1946 after 22 years there to start his own winery. Since the seventies his son Marcel Guigal has done a really fantastic job of raising the overall quality level of top Côte-Rôtie. A big part of that success story has been due to the key acquisition of the faltering Vidal-Fleury firm in 1985. Earlier Marcel had patiently and cleverly assembled for Guigal over 10+ years some 17 small vineyard holdings of La Landonne in the Côte Brune. The result of these coups are 4 great wines: their regular Côte-Rôtie, an iconic since 1966 La Mouline in Côte Blonde, his new consolidation of La Landonne vineyards from 1978, and the latest from 1985 La Turque in Côte Brune (from Vidal-Fleury).

Early wine publications helped as well in promoting how special Côte-Rôtie could be with John Livingstone-Learmonth (with Melvyn C. H. Master) in 1978 on The Wines Of the Rhone and revised editions including his tome The Wines of the Northern Rhone in 2005 providing outstanding background detailed information. Also Robert Parker’s first spotlight on Rhone in 1987 revised & expanded in 1997 hyped Côte-Rôtie by Guigal with many 100 point scores in those earlier days when high scores and especially perfection was much harder to come by. La Mouline from 1976, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, and 1991 plus La Landonne 1985, 1988, and 1990, & La Turque 1985, 1988, and 1990 all received 100 and many more were rated in the high nineties. This got the consumer’s attention and helped push the present prices to the stratosphere. Thankfully there are many other up and coming top Côte-Rôtie wine producers now in the market as well.

What a treat to have a dinner featuring older Côte-Rôtie treasures and actually get a chance to drink them again – rather than just admire their auction prices. This happened for your scribe at Blue Water Cafe in Vancouver on June 30, 2020 with 9 memorable bottles briefly highlighted as follows:

A few laudatory words first about the overall culinary excellence at Blue Water headed by Executive Chef Frank Pabst but also Chef de Cuisine Raimund Hauser (off his talented finalist performance on Firemasters TV) who is producing some classic yet innovative dishes that pair so well with top wines. Even the hors d’oeuvre featured an interesting soft crusted ravioli inspired by Sardinia “culurgiones” and his white fish halibut with bacon, fresh porcini and ramp pistou matched divinely with a red wine! Well done.

1. 2013 RENE ROSTAING CUVEE AMPODIUM – Purple shades showing some stems from whole bunch fermentation of nearly all syrah (less than 1 % viognier) with oak notes almost like young Hermitage in style. Needs more time.

2. 2006 E. GUIGAL LA TURQUE – Red with a paling edge having an open best textbook nose in first flight of three with enticing bacon fat, smoke, black pepper, cloves complexity at first and evolving into more medicinal as it aired. Enjoyment forwardly but no rush.

3. 2003 RENE ROSTAING LA LANDONNE – Deep dark ruby with a herbal most dramatic black currant cassis bouquet – like pure currant juice – and making a ripe syrah concentrated statement.

4. 2001 E. GUIGAL LA MOULINE – What an experience in this second flight to have all three La Las from 2001 to compare their differences – and similarities. This is only 1 hectare on a terrace of very old vines producing 5000-6000 bottles with 11% viognier so lovely, charming, and refined with floral cherry notes plus intense round supple seductive length on the palate. Is that violets? Easy to admire and respect. What a wine.

5. 2001 E. GUIGAL LA LANDONNE – Larger property with 2.1 hectares on clay-limestone soil rich in iron producing 10000-12000 bottles of 100% syrah with no viognier. Darker deeper look but still rather tight closed in at nearly 20 with a powerful structure and big meaty flavours. Opened more earthy with airing and truly impressive. Obviously the low yield quality is there but expect it will improve with more cellaring.

6. 2001 E. GUIGAL LA TURQUE – Only .95 hectares on a steep 60-70 degree slope of silico-limestone producing some 5000 bottles with 7% viognier in the blend. More towards La Landonne with a rather deep closed concentrated style again impressive but not totally singing. Logically has harmony in between the charming La Mouline and powerful La Landonne in style with silkier tannins. All three improved with airing in the glass. Recommend wait a few more years for their best. What a flight! Surprised (and delighted) that all three are still somewhat primary wow fruit and have everything there to still develop more tertiary character of earth, spice, floral, and other dimensions coming to show this terroir off to best advantage. Still hard not to enjoy them presently as well – especially La Mouline – if the opportunity arises.

7. 1991 CHAPOUTIER LA MORDOREE – From older best vines on Brune & Blonde near the Chapoutier sign on the hill. Controversial with scores from 86 to 100. This bottle has some black olives and raspberry but seems outclassed here showing rather simpler with softer acidity and a drying finish. Prefer the 2015 or even 2012.

8. 1988 E. GUIGAL LA TURQUE – Wine of the Night! Sensational showing where all the elements have come together in a most impressive bottle. What you can expect and perhaps even more from the 2001s with some patience. Too many complex elements to list but include coffee, chocolate, ripe blackberries, bacon, beautifully seasoned black pepper and dazzling pizzazz. Thrilling.

9. 1983 PAUL JABOULET AINE LES JUMELLES – Quite light elegant and stylish. Less body and complexity but rather good. Gerard Jaboulet always proud of their 1983. Drink now.

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Question: Where does the Tramontane wind affect grape growing?

Answer: In some grape growing regions of Southern France. Tramontane is the locally named wind from the north particularly in the lower north western part of Languedoc & Roussillon. There is also there a moister warm Marin wind coming from the Mediterranean Sea in the south. The more widely known Mistral wind brings somewhat the same influences to the Rhone Valley extending to the more north eastern parts of Languedoc (and even Provence) as the Tramontane does.

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This persistent Covid-19 pandemic is resulting in the most challenging of times for close personal social interaction. As a result we are not getting together with friends over meals to discuss our shared passion for food and wine. One novel idea we have embarked on successfully over these past weeks is to plan a supper party date with a theme, invite some friends, coordinate for each to provide an appropriate food course & surprise wine and all share in the meal. The logistics get a bit tricky but we meet outside at the home of one of us at 6 pm socially distanced enough to enjoy some choice bubbles and catch-up on the current buzz. Meanwhile the host for the evening takes the individual prepared packaged food courses from everyone and the wine pre-poured into “jam jars” with identifying stickers of provider/recipient and puts these together for take-away. We all go back to our respective homes and reunite on line (we are using Zoom) around 7:15 for our wonderful social event sharing an identical dinner with wine pairings. What a lot of fun!

The theme last week was Loire with a diverse selection of so appropriate food and wine provided. Fresh mussels with vibrant excellent 2018 Muscadet Sur Lie La Tarciere from Bonnet-Huteau, tomato tart & wild mushroom soup with pure fruity charming 2018 Rose Sancerre Chavignol from Domaine Delaporte of 100% pinot noir, and chicken vol-au-vent (puff pastry ready to pop into your own oven) with treasured complex 1995 Grand Mont Bourgueil Val de Loire by Pierre-Jacques Druet. Finished up with a delightful walnut cake plus roasted apples perfectly matched with 2004 Clos De La Guiberderie Coteaux Du Layon Saint Aubin from Domaine Philippe Delesvaux. Memorable dinner party among friends.

The one before that was on a Rhone theme with Bouillabaisse, stuffed peppers with ratatouille, Tian of eggplant, roasted tomatoes, pecorino cheese & herbs, and the main of Avignonnaise Daube (Provencal lamb stew). Some interesting Rhone wines included outstanding 2010 Chave Hermitage Blanc, 2013 Hermitage La Chapelle Jaboulet, and powerful 1998 Ch. Beaucastel all poured by you from the jam jars into your favourite wine glasses to study blind and discuss. The next one scheduled early next month features California cab and chardonnay.

Try putting together one of these yourself. Worth the trouble. What other new ideas have you come up with presently to get together with friends virtually over wine and food?

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Question: I have been enjoying some pinot noirs coming from both Russian River & Sonoma Coast. Would you kindly tell me the main difference?

Answer: Boy that is tough one to give you a helpful simple answer. Both Russian River Valley (RRV) & Sonoma Coast (SC) are in Sonoma County California under the influence of foggy conditions. Both are a large AVA (American Viticultural Area) with lots of producers showing different styles. Soils are becoming a big factor with lots of alluvial types in RRV but both regions continue to seek out those special Goldridge sandy loam on a sandstone base from decomposed sea beds to terroir advantage. SC is closer to the Pacific Ocean often at higher elevation and generally is cooler, wetter & more windy – resulting in a key difference of lower night-time temperatures. Not really fair because of the wide style variations to summarize the resulting wines from the 2 AVA regions. However I will try to help you a little bit nonetheless. IMHO a simple explanation of the wines from the 2 regions might be summarized briefly as follows:

RRV tends to be riper richer deeper in colour of black cherry & cola notes with a lush velvety texture.

SC often shows more herbal varietal fruit of brighter acidity with a lively structure all with a mouth feel of silky tannin grip.  

What do others think?

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This persistent Covid-19 pandemic has been well managed in British Columbia with restaurants allowed to re-open under stricter safety guidelines. Pleased to have attended my first return at Blue Water in Vancouver on June 16 for a delicious dinner matched with some pretty stellar top Bordeaux from the 1990 vintage. Their competent management and staff did an excellent job of putting eight of us together at one table appropriately spaced in their private Oceans room with the door to the outside open providing lots of fresh air. Nice conditions – well done! Fun to be social again in real time tasting and dining among friends. The dinner commenced with the delicate 2004 Krug vintage bubbles tagged by them as “Luminous Freshness” probably because this blend contains higher chardonnay 39% & pinot meunier 24% with lesser pinot noir 37% (2006 has 48% pinot noir). Lovely harmony with finesse forwardly drinking but somewhat atypical for Krug – watch for their release of that anxiously awaited phenomenal 2008!

The 1990 Bordeaux were celebrated on release and continue to be highly regarded while still often compared with their 1989 twin sister. Both vintages produced very large crops from hot opulent years with lower acidities. Today most of us feel that generally 1990 is more consistent and holding better at age 30 than 1989. However there are lots of great 1989s as well including those amazing 1989 Haut-Brion & La Mission Haut-Brion and Pichon Baron Wine Spectator Wine of the Year in 1992 – though their 1990 is spectacular as well. Clearly the Mouton & Pichon Lalande are richer and more complex from 1989 than in 1990. For reference your scribe featured here in this Blog on February 24, 2014 some interesting 1989 Bordeaux at 25 years of age and on February 22, 2016 compared in more detail these twin vintages of 1989 & 1990.

Ten 1990 top Bordeaux in 4 flights are memorable well paired with some brilliant food courses summarized briefly as follows:

1990 CHATEAU FIGEAC: A lovely example of this cabernet styled St. Emilion showing quite aged paling browner colour forwardly open of some attractive herbal notes improving with airing most ready to enjoy as an elegant claret.

1990 CHATEAU L’ANGELUS (as it was then known – now Angelus): Darkest dense almost black look with full rich concentrated fruit. Depth is so intense and impressive with no rush to drink at 30 still showing potential though already wonderful. What a strict selection of the best merlot & cab franc grapes most worthy of Premier Grand Cru status even before its elevation in 1996.

1990 BEAUSEJOUR DUFFAU-LAGARROSSE: Fairly dark with a paling rim. Fragrant bouquet is very stylish indeed with a long finish on an interesting enjoyment plateau this time edging a little closer to that controversial 100 point score than on my last couple visits with it. A legend.

1990 PICHON LALANDE: Light vintage because no press wine added plus the unsettling conditions with passing of May’s husband The General and the departure of the winemaker. Nonetheless this is the best bottle of the 1990 I have ever tasted. Expected the leanness but still surprised by the lasting terroir freshness there with this extended aging – quite lovely with the quail dish.

1990 CHATEAU PAPE CLEMENT: Dark look. Solid fruit but lacks in several bottles tried recently an overall charming excitement. Shows best here in this second flight but is flattered tonight by the easier company. Also better enjoyed with the food.

1990 CHATEAU LEOVILLE BARTON: Not the best bottle as unclean with some brett & TCA issues. Has those typical iodine notes too but there are excellent cassis very St. Julien classic usual bottles out there. Good luck.

1990 CHATEAU MONTROSE: Another 100 pointer that is very St. Estephe deep big powerful fruit with some of that coarser austerity still present. Impresses but not really singing yet though still believe this massive wine will be superb as old bones as it benefits with more cellar aging.

1990 CHATEAU PICHON BARON: Maybe wine of the night! Very dark and young looking. Rich full cigar-box cedar Pauillac. Enjoyed the showing of this wine with Christian Seely in a vertical at Terminal City Club Vancouver on February 28, 2014 and subsequently. Gets better on ever occasion. A treasure probably better than the celebrated also excellent 1989 “Wine of the Year”. A treat indeed.

1990 CHATEAU MARGAUX: First Growth breeding shines through in another 100 point wine. Sometimes underrated property because of this fine graceful Margaux styling but most deserving here. Really admire the violet flowers the fragrances and the pure elegance of cab sauvignon unique to this terroir. What an amazing flight of 3 beauties to enjoy served with top cuisine.

1990 CHATEAU DE FARGUES: Alexandre de Lur Saluces historic “museum” produces special low yields from late picking with a particularly powerful rich thick many flavoured Sauternes in 1990 the last of the trilogy of vintages. Fresh ripe pineapple fruit shines in both the wine and the dessert with hints of ginger, orange, caramel, and creme brulee crisp softness.

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