Andre Brunel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Les Cailloux 2005 The nose sports smoke and a healthy but appropriate dose of brett for this wine, accentuating a meatiness. The earthiness repeats in the mouth with an explosion of red fruits. The structure provides the frame around these flavors and a chance to improve over the next decade. I just [...]

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Domaine des Bernardins, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2006
A complex mix of fresh peaches, flowers and alcohol, in check for the style. The RS is on the low side so it would be better to look to fresh fruit as a pairing partner rather than a sweet baked dessert. 100% Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. Mis par [...]

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Monticello, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District, Estate Grown, Syrah 2005 Lush and graced by black fruits and a bit of black pepper. P&B in Napa 14.5% $ at the winery Monticello
Trinafour, Mendocino County, Niemi Vineyard, Carignane 2006 There’s ample acidity to give this wine some tang and the tannins are ripe and refined. Sourced from [...]

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Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Vielles Vignes Cuvee Unique 2005
This is a solid wine, balanced in medium weight with ripe fruits and structure. The ripeness is such that there are liquer-like black fruits. The alcohol is showing a bit in this chewy wine. Sourced from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, this wine is a blend of 90% [...]

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Domaine des Bernardins Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2005
Quite complex with apparent alcohol. 100% Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. Mis par Cave Castaud in Beaumes-de-Venise 15% $12.99 (375ml) at Bottle Barn

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Perrin & Fils Cotes du Rhone Villages 2004
Gamey with earthy notes and a fair amount of tannin. This wine is 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache. Mis in Orange 13% $9.69 at Bottle Barn

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Chateau La Canorgue Cotes du Luberon 2006
Unfortunately this wine is showing its alcohol quite overtly. The grapes for this wine are Clairette, Roussanne, Marsanne and Bourboulenc. La Canorgue farms its 30 hectares biodynamically. Mis au chateau par Jean-Pierre et N. Margan, prop. et recolt. a Bonnieux 14.5% $13.69 at Bottle Barn
Domaine de Grangeneuve Coteaux-du-Tricastin Les [...]

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Domaine de la Mordoree Tavel La Dame Rousse 2006
Smells of strawberry and bisquits.  There’s a broad mouthfeel with fruit to taste and added weight compared to other roses - very nice. The grapes behind this pink wine are 60% Grenache, 10-20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 5-10% Clairette and 5% Bourboulenc. The domaine has 40 hectares [...]

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Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas 2003
This has been a consistent performer at a more affordable price than the well-made Brunier wines from CDP. The last bottle tasted earlier in 2007 was good again, but the tannic astringency at that time seemed out of balance with the density of flavour. Tonight we try it again [...]

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Domaine Richaud Cairanne Cotes du Rhone Villages 2005
When I visited with Marcel Richaud a few years ago, his red wines were concentrated and demonstrated the value in this appellation. Bottles tasted here at home from the 2003 vintage were sometimes spot on and other times problematic. Now with the 2005 we experience lots of sulfur [...]

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This flight features 3 Syrah from both sides of the Atlantic.
Domaine des Entrefaux Crozes-Hermitage 2005
Black pepper and structure in a good value Northern Rhone Syrah. Charles & Francois Tardy a Chanos-Curson 12.5% $14.49 at Bottle Barn
Lewis Cellars Sonoma County Ethan’s Syrah 2005
Smells of wweetness derived from the grapes and the oak - a dry wine [...]

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The red wines from the Southern Rhone follow a recipe that emphasizes Grenache. The wines of this flight highlight this underdog grape.
Unti Dry Creek Valley Grenache 2005
Pretty funky at first opening but after an hour, the smell improved to show the Grenache fruit. This wine is framed by a moderate level of tannin. [...]

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Verget du Sud Vin de Pays du Vaucluse Roussanne 2006 Jean-Marie Guffens’ impressive work with the grapes of Burgundy continues with grapes sourced further south, in this case from the Vaucluse, a department on the east side of the river Rhone which encompasses the great town of Avignon. In April ‘08 a bottle was off [...]

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The barrel tasting at this year’s Wine Song struck a Rhône theme.  Mendocino vintners sampled their latest bottlings and barrel samples from recent vintages.  How they manage to juggle the concurrent harvest and pouring at this event amazes me. 
Wines to pay attention to:
Philo Ridge Mendocino Viognier 2006
This wine has the classic Viognier smell of peaches [...]

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