A tasting with Lou: Sandlands, Sanguis, Soumade and more

Lou and I gathered quite a while ago to drink some randomly selected wines.  A new wine for me is the NV Phillippe Tessier, Phil’en Bulle.  It is a little sweet for me so perhaps better with dessert.  Of particular note is the white wine 2017 Linne Calodo, Contrarian, Paso Robles.  I should also note the very young 2016 Domaine la Soumade, Cuvee Prestige, Rasteau which, with several years of age, will become a very good wine.  2017 Sandlands Vineyards, Red Table Wine, Contra Costa County is a young wine for drinking now.  A solid bottle of 1989 Raymond Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, Napa Valley delivered surprise and pleasure.  A pair of Sanguis offered a fun comparison even if they should have been drunk up a few years ago. The 2011 Sanguis, 11-A, John Bastiano is very clean, chalky, and full of verve.  For a brief bit, I preferred the luxury of the 2011 Sanguis, 11-B, Bienacido but it sadly cracked up after a short period.

NV Phillippe Tessier, Phil’en Bulle, Loire
A Zev Rovine Selection imported by Fruit of the Vine. Alcohol 12.5%. A slightly hazy, light straw yellow. Very fine and strong bubbles carry the ripe, sweetish start. Some yeast the short finish.  **(*) Now.

2017 Linne Calodo, Contrarian, Paso Robles
This is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Picpoul Blanc, and 20% Viognier. Alcohol 13.7%. Refreshing with good acidity white nuts and expansive flavor. A core of tropical fruit remains but the gum, coating texture adds presence. Notes of pastilles in the finish. **** Now – 2022.

2011 Sanguis, 11-A, John Bastiano, Santa Rita  Hills
Alcohol 14%. A very light color with a green tinge. A little toast on the nose eventually blows off. Tart with some berry toast. Clean with chalk and yellow fruit. Plenty of verve. ** Now.

2011 Sanguis, 11-B, Bien Nacido, Santa Maria Valley
Alcohol 14.8%. A touch more fruit and weight, oily in the middle with a steely finish. Racy with good balance, it has some toast flavors. With air it begins to crack up revealing acidity and heat.  *** at best but Past Prime.

2017 Sandlands Vineyards, Red Table Wine, Contra Costa County
A blend of Carignan and Mataro. Alcohol 12.9% Grapey with cranberry flavor and chalky tannins. Tart with crunchy acidity this sports an interesting mineral, fruit blend.  *** Now – 2022.

2016 Domaine la Soumade, Cuvee Prestige, Rasteau
Imported by MacArthur Liquors. Alcohol 14.5%. A grapey, young color and tight, grapey nose. Tight in the mouth but there is a lovely vein of fruit through the linear structure. Beautiful fat from the ripeness, it is powerful, building flavor. ***(*) 2024-2034.

1989 Raymond Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, Napa Valley
Mature with Eucalyptus. Some firmness in the mouth but the Cab flavor comes out. In fresh shape this is a tasty wine with focused, ripe fruit, some dry wood notes, and structure in the end. *** Now.

Another Lovely 2017 Pasquiers, CdRV Plan de Dieu

MacArthur Beverages continues to import large quantities of wine from Domaine des Pasquiers.  That is good for me as I continue to drink bottle after bottle of 2017 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu.  The poor soils of Plan de Dieu make for concentrated wines strong in personality.  This particular wine is desirous because it can be drunk in its youthful, tannic age or cellared a few more years for additional complexity.

2017 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu – $15 at MacArthur Beverages
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  This is a blend of mostly Grenache with Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvedre.  Alcohol 14%.  Grapey aromas of Kirsch and strawberry.  This is a young, smooth, grapey wine with a black fruited middle.  A good saline touch and very mineral streak add personality.  With air it picks up a little fat and some baking spices.  Cool in nature, there is supportive structure which slowly builds in the mouth.  A strong value which is distinct in flavor.  Drink now or over the next several years.  *** Now – 2024.

A trio of 2016 from Domaine des Pasquiers

Rhone wines often form the backbone of our weekly drinking for which I will soon adopt the three selections featured in this post.  These wines are imported by Phil Bernstein which explains why you may find such good natured wines at such a reasonable cost.  New to the Pasquiers lineup in Washington, DC, is the 2016 Domaine des Pasquiers, VdP de Vaucluse.   Right now it is a youthful wine, with juicy acidity, and will make for great mid-week drinking over the next few years.  A real wine for only $11.  The 2016 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu proves why I love Plan de Dieu.  There is a lot of personality here.  Of complete surprise is the quality of the 2016 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Sablet.  It is deep and luxurious.  I find it hard to believe that it is priced the same as the Plan de Dieu.  I recommend you try all three wines which you may find at MacArthur Beverages.

2016 Domaine des Pasquiers, VdP de Vaucluse – $11
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  Alcohol 14%.  Youthful with grapey tannins which cling to the gums leaving a ripe texture.  Combined with juicy acidity this purple and blue flavors wine will develop over the next few years.  **(*) Now – 2021.

2016 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu – $15
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  Alcohol 14.5%.  Young with scrappy acidity, there are finer tannins structuring the wine for certain development.  There is, however, good tension between the acidity and the flavor.  The depth of the flavor stands up to the structure with a good mineral vein providing further satisfaction.  It has an enjoyably rugged nature right now.  *** Now – 2025.

2016 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Sablet – $15
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  Alcohol 14.5%.  Deep, grapey flavors combined with black fruit greet from the beginning.  There is a ripe, floral touch and fine, yet ripe textured density to this wine.  With air it takes on a luxurious creamy flavor and savory saltiness.  It over delivers for the price point.  ***(*) Now – 2025.

A trio of Cotes du Rhone

Cotes du Rhone upon release is fun but it  also is with a few years of age.  The 2012 Domaine Alary, L’Estevenas, Cairanne  is still bright and lively but there are pleasingly mature flavors to be enjoyed right now.  Pure, grapey, and deep-fruited the 2015 Domaine Charvin, Le Poutet, Cotes du Rhone offers a good level of intensity.   The 2015 Saint-Damien, Vieilles Vignes, Plan de Dieu is another must-try wine.  I have recommended the wines of Plan de Dieu before.  If you still haven’t tried one then grab this bottle!  The Charvin was purchased at MacArthur Beverages.  The Alary and Saint-Damien were purchased at Weygandt-Wines.

2012 Domaine Alary, L’Estevenas, Cairanne – $20
Imported by Weygandt-Metzler. This wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah.  Alcohol 14%. Black fruit on the nose. This is a bright wine of mulberry flavors which still sports grip. There is watering acidity, a mixture of grip and garrigue, and hints of structure in the end. Notes of maturity do come out but the wine is still lively at the start. *** Now – 2023.

2015 Domaine Charvin, Le Poutet, Cotes du Rhone – $20
Imported by Weygandt-Metzler. This wine is a blend of 81% Grenache, 7% Mourvedre, 7% Syrah, and 5% Carignan.  Alcohol 14%. This is a pure, grapey and deep fruited wine very much in the Charvin style. The middle is perfumed and mineral, eventually take on floral notes. There is just a touch of heat giving away the vintage. *** Now – 2023.

 

2015 Saint-Damien, Vieilles Vignes, Plan de Dieu – $17
Imported by Weygandt-Metzler. This wine is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre.  Alcohol 14.5%. Kirsch on the nose. There is a bright, clean start which soon builds midpalate depth to the red fruit. There are additional flavors of dense black fruit and minerals by the end. There are tons of flavor to which bramble and red meat add complexity. This enjoyable in this youthful, modestly structured state. *** Now – 2025.

A good value for short-term aging: 2015 Pasquiers, CdRV Sablet

The 2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Sablet  has improved in the nearly half-year since I first tasted it.  The flavors are opening up in the mouth yet there is still that ruggedness which should fade off with another year or so of age. I think that the amount of flavor and ability to age come at a low price.  This wine is available at MacArthur Beverages.

2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Sablet – $16
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  This wine is a blend of mostly Grenache with a fair dose of Syrah and some Mourvedre all from vines averaging 40 years of age.  The wine was aged for 12 months in concrete tanks.  Alcohol 14.5%.  The nose is a bit tight right now revealing red and black fruited aromas.  In the mouth are very ripe, black fruit flavors that are underpinned by minerals.  As the wine progress towards the finish it picks up blacker fruit and becomes drier.  The flavors persist in the long aftertaste.  A bit rugged at this point but this will fade with age.  *** Now – 2025.

The Generous 2015 Janasse, Terres d’ Argile, CdRV

The 2015 Domaine de la Janasse, Terres d’ Argile, Cotes du Rhone Villages exemplifies the pure pleasure to be gained from this vintage.  The flavors are generous from the very first taste.  For a fraction of a second you might think this will be a pure flavor bomb but the texture and acidity come out to carry the wine through the long, dark fruited finish.  This is a wine you can enjoy right now.  It is available at MacArthur Beverages.

2015 Domaine de la Janasse, Terres d’ Argile, Cotes du Rhone Villages – $22
This wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Carignan sourced from Courthézon which was fermented in tank then aged in 30% new oak.  Alcohol 14.5%.  There are sweet berry aromas.  In the mouth are ripe, generous flavors that soon build a powdery texture and grip as it reveals underlying acidity.  Flavors of cola spice mix with darker blue and black fruit by the end.  This fleshy wine is drinking very well right now. ***(*) Now – 2022.

2000 Aphillanthes, Cuvee des Galets

I recently ended a day of reading early 18^th century Dutch and English manuscripts with a bottle of mature Cotes du Rhone Villages.  Decanting off the fine sediment of the 2000 Domaine Les Aphillanthes, Cuvee des Galets, Cotes du Rhone Villages is all that is required to prepare the bottle for tasting.  It immediately offers up berry cobbler, old leather and spices.  I happen to be a big fan of berry cobbler so this wine has a flavor that I enjoy.  It would be a notch more satisfying but for the alcohol poking through in the end.

2000 Domaine Les Aphillanthes, Cuvee des Galets, Cotes du Rhone Villages
Imported by Weygandt-Metzler.  This wine is a blend of mostly Grenache with Syrah and Mourvedre which is both fermented and aged in concrete. Alcohol 14.5%.  Rounded maturing aromas are underpinned by blue fruit.  In the mouth are blue fruits and lipstick which tastes like a mature blend.  There is softness from age, old leather, cinnamon, and berry cobble with a mix of orange acidity.  It is mouth filling with a soft marshmallow density.  There is a slight distraction from some heat poking through.  ***(*) Now – 2022.

A generous 17 year old Cotes du Rhone Villages

I was down to my last bottle of 2000 Domaine Les Aphillanthes, Cuvee du Cros, Cotes du Rhone Villages so when I saw it available on WineBid I grabbed a few bottles.  This is a dark, flavorful wine drinking at its peak which means it is very satisfying.  I love how Rhone wines can be pleasurable both in youth and maturity!

2000 Domaine Les Aphillanthes, Cuvee du Cros, Cotes du Rhone Villages –
Imported by Weygandt-Metzler. This is 100% Syrah aged in demi-muids. Alcohol 14.7%.  This is a generous wine with minerally black and red fruit accented by garrigue.  It still has power in reserve at this stage.  The fruit is plentiful and deep with the structure only noticeable towards the end.  Only bits of dry wood flavor peak through so the wine presents itself as a harmonious mouthful.  **** Now – 2019.

New releases from Domaine des Pasquiers of the Rhone

Phil has imported the wines of Domaine des Pasquiers for three years now.  The trio of 2015 Rhone wines in this post represents the latest offering.  2015 is quite a vintage and all of these wines show significant flavor and stuffing.  Of the trio, my favorite is the 2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cote du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu.  It is deep, flavorful, and has grip that I like.  As with any proper Cotes du Rhone it will drink well over the next several years.  The 2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Sablet is definitely young and in need of age.  I could see it outstep the Plan de Dieu once it is mature but for a bit of raisin flavor.  Maybe everything will come together in a couple years, in that case this could be a bit of a sleeper.  The 2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Gigondas follows is the house style of modern Gigondas.  While I prefer more funk this is certainly impressive with fat notes and a very long aftertaste to boot. These wines are available at MacArthur Beverages.

2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cote du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu – $15
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  Alcohol 14.5%.  This is a very dark, grapey red color.  The familiar, deep flavor leans more towards red fruit than black and is supported by strong, very fine tannic structure and watering acidity.  With air herbs and a bit of inkinesss come out.  It is certainly very flavorful with a touch of compelling grip, lots of flavor, and a dense almost chocolate finish.  *** Now – 2022.

2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Cotes du Rhone Villages Sablet – $15
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  Alcohol 14.5%.  This wine plays it close with black fruited, powdery ripe flavor.  There is extract and just the right amount of acidity.  The very fine drying structure and wood notes indicate it needs a year or two for integration.  The one distraction are fleeting flavors of raisins.  **(*) 2018-2024.

2015 Domaine des Pasquiers, Gigondas – $25
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  Alcohol 14.5%.  This blue fruited wine is strong in flavor and strong in structure.  It is a dense, sexy with a modern personality of fat, minerals, and structure.  The aftertaste is persistent.  *** Now – 2027.

An impressive 2015 Domaine du Seminaire, CdRV Valreas

I do not think I have ever tasted a Rhone wine solely from Valreas.  The 2015 Domaine du Seminaire, Cote du Rhone Villages Valreas is a new wine in our area so of course I grabbed a bottle.  This is a traditionally made wine, fermented in concrete with no use of oak.  It is strong and forward with a grapey, floral personality.  The liveliness is attractive, causing you to return for another taste.  I imagine it might open up over the next year but it is a fun drink right now.  Go get some!  This wine is available at MacArthur Beverages.

2015 Domaine du Seminaire, Cote du Rhone Villages Valreas – $18
Imported by Martine’s wines.  This wine is a blend of mostly Grenache with Syrah that was fermented concrete.  Alcohol 14%.    The higher-toned grapey, floral nose makes way to similarly grapey, black fruit in the mouth.  The wine has quite the strength, building intensity through the middle.  This is balanced by almost lively acidity and fine texture.  Flavors of baking spices and a tangy finish add to the complexity. This is an impressive, grapey wine.  *** Now – 2022.