Domaine Saint Damien Vieilles Vignes, Cotes du Rhone, France

圣達米安酒莊老藤紅葡萄酒

點擊次數(shù)：2609

My favorite of the non-Gigondas efforts, the 2013 Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes has tons of strawberry, spice, licorice and dried-earth qualities in its savory, Provencal and chewy style. Made from 80% Grenache, 10% Carignan and 10% Mourvèdre from vines planted in the vast plains between Vacqueyras and Cairanne (plan de Dieu), it should drink nicely for 3-4 years.

Already in bottle, the 2012 Cotes du Rhone exhibits knockout notes of roasted herbs, ripe red and black fruits, licorice and spice to go with a medium-bodied, sweetly fruited, upfront and decidedly delicious profile. Quaffable in the best sense of the word, buy it in multiple bottle lots and enjoy it over the coming couple of years. Located on the lower, flatter portion of the appellation and one of the top estates in Gigondas, Domaine Saint-Damien is run by the talented Joel Saurel. In addition to the Gigondas cuvees, he also produces a bevy of high-quality Cotes du Rhones. While the style here doesn’t skimp on fruit, the wines are traditionally made and show beautiful southern Rhone typicity. They also represent incredible values and readers need to get on this estate’s bandwagon! Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

Even better is the 2011 Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes, a blend of 80% Grenache and the rest Mourvedre, Syrah and Carignan from 50- to 60-year-old vines planted on the famous Plan de Dieu. Dense, full-bodied and impressively rich, it exhibits kirsch, incense, licorice, bouquet garni and roasted herb characteristics. Enjoy it over the next 2-4 years. One of my favorite Gigondas estates is proprietor Joel Saurel’s Saint-Damien (now one of the appellation’s superstars). Saurel also produces several Cotes du Rhone cuvees that are nearly as good as his superb Gigondas. The 2011 Cotes du Rhones, which were bottled early to preserve their fruit, are about as good as Cotes du Rhone can be in this vintage. The 2010s are close in quality although not quite at the level of the finest vintage I have ever tasted from Saurel, his 2007s. Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

Made from 100% Grenache, the 2010 Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes, from the Plan de Dieu lieu-dit, is outstanding. Strawberry, black cherry, lavender, pepper and dusty, loamy, sandy soil aromas jump from the glass of this deep plum/purple-tinged wine. Ripe and medium to full-bodied, it is ideal for consumption over the next 3-4 years. (Not yet released) Saint-Damien produced some of the most remarkable 2007s in Gigondas. Young proprietor Joel Saurel is another client of the brilliant oenologist, Philippe Cambie. Although I did not get a chance to taste the 2009s (which were just being bottled), the 2010s are impressive. In top vintages there are three cuvees of Gigondas, all of which are powerful wines as Saurel harvests late and has low yields. Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

The 2009 Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes is 90% Grenache and the rest Mourvedre and Carignan, aged in cement tank and tipping the scales at 14.8% alcohol. The average age of the vines, from the stony soils of the Plan de Dieu, is 50 years. This is another full-bodied, superbly concentrated wine with the classic black cherry marmalade/kirsch notes intermixed with licorice, spring flowers, pepper, and a hint of garrigue. This ripe, full-bodied wine is opulent, voluptuously textured, long and rich. Both of these wines over-deliver significantly for an appellation as humble as the Cotes du Rhone, but that is the great beauty of this vast area of southern France. (Not yet released) Proprietor Joel Saurel, backed up by the inimitable Philippe Cambie as his consultant, has transformed this estate into one of the greatest in Gigondas, rivaling the two top producers, Yves Gras’ Santa Duc and Louis Barruol’s Saint Cosme. This estate made mind-boggling 2007s, and has followed that up with top-flight 2009s. The two value wines are nearly as good as their more expensive cuvees of Gigondas, which tells you just how impressive this estate is. In the top vintages, Saurel’s practice is to produce three cuvees of Gigondas. In 2009, these all tip the scales between 14.9 and 15.3% natural alcohol. They are made from very low yields of 20 to 25 hectoliters per hectare, and are aged for at least a year in old wood foudres before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. All of Saurel’s vineyards are in their second year of biodynamic farming, for those who consider that an issue. Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800