Les vignerons d'estezargues cuvée des copains Cote du Rhone 2011

I have never heard of this winery and the label isn’t your normal French style as it has a huge pig on the front in bright pink. The wine is good quality and very well priced. The winery is a local cooperative that produces a lot of wines for negociants but this winery has decided to keep the better wines separate and handle them with care into the bottle without much interference.

 

Les vignerons d'estezargues cuvée des copains Cote du Rhone 2011

 

This light bodied 100% Grenache based wine shows lovely regional and varietal flavour in an earthy sort of manner. The flow of the wine is the thing that stands out as each flavour doesn’t seemed forced or contrived, rather it feel natural and easy. What the wine really needs is a bit of a beating as it opens up massively over the course of the night to finally produce lovely red berry notes mixed with musk sticks, river pebbles and dried earth. The mid-palate is pulsing with acidity and a joyous flavour which makes me think you can just crack into them now. At this price who really cares how long you keep them.

 

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $16

Rated: 89

 

Drink: Now – 2018

Importer: Eurocentric Wine

Domaine des Espiers Cote du Rhone 2011

This tiny little family run winery spans 23 acres in Gigondas, Sablet and Cotes du Rhone. This wine comes from a 4 hectare plot of land in the Cote du Rhone region. This wine is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah

 

Domaine des Espiers Cote du Rhone 2011

 

I like the dirty nature of the wine that has been produced by Philippe Cartoux. He has woven a number of elements including plenty of savoury flavours in the form of liquorice stick, cranberries, lemon balm, mixed dried herbs and fresh sage. The medium boded weight works well with the flavours and the easy going tannins. It isn’t a keeper but really for a village wine it is very good.

 

Alcohol: 14%

Price: $23

Rated: 89

Drink: Now – 2016

Importer: Eurocentric Wines

 

 

 

Domaine Faury Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah 2011

This northern Rhone wine is grown on schist and is primarily fermented in older oak. All this new age approach with wild ferments and temperature controlled ferments at lower temperatures to let the wine full develop. This wine is the vin de pays which means it is for immediate enjoyment. Generally the wines from this estate are classically style with wonderful structure underneath.

Domaine Faury Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah 2011

If you want a bit of graphite in your wine grab a bottle of this. It is like being smacked over the head with a large wand of graphite. Then you would be cuddled by your grandma. It is soft and refined in a medium bodied style with red berry flavours coming through. When I say red berry flavours they are fruit flavours but in the savoury end of the spectrum. I would get these out now as the flavours are open and inviting with none of that oakiness mouldering the joy.

Alcohol: 12%

Price: $28
Rated: 89
Drink: Now – 2017
Importer: Eurocentric Wine

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone 2009

More people need to drink these sort of wines as they are so easy to like in a medium bodied and food friendly manner.  You could get home from work and crack one, consuming the whole bottle without even thinking or you could take your time with a nice Baron of Lamb sprinkled with garden herbs.  

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone 2009

If Mataro drove an F1 car it would be Sebastian Vettel as it dominates this wine. It does this in a inviting and alluring manner with plenty of red-fruits and tannic grip to match.  It is the sort of wine that creeps up on you with every sip which adds to the overall pleasure of the vinous experience.   Over the course of the event the team is joined by spring flowers and autumn leaves rolled in warm clay and spice. All of these lovely flavours combine effortlessly with the structure to complete the package. This is the sort of wine I will drink in the short to medium term while I wait for the big guns to rest in my cellar.

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: ?
Rated: 88+
Drink: Now - 2017
Importer: Negociants