Domaine d'Andézon
Gilles Robin
La Vieille Ferme
Pesquié
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Domaine d'Andézon 2001 Côtes du Rhône
The nose reminds me of black cherry hard candy.
On the palate there is a myriad of ripe, juicy black fruits, licorice, and violets.
The acidity offers great balance.
This bottle of wine tastes like it is from the Northern Rhône with its elegant syrah base,
but is really from the Southern, warmer regions of the Rhône Valley.
The finish is lingering as the black fruits sing a final note.
Those of us looking for exceptional wine at great prices always look to the Rhône Valley.
This bottle shines as a perfect example of that particular quality and value.
Retail price $10. Tasted September 25, 2003.
An exceptional red earning two out of three  .
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Crozes Hermitage Gilles Robin 2000 Cuvée Léone
This is one interesting bottle of wine for the price.
There are delicate floral and earthy notes on the nose.
The palate is spicy with abundant clove, leather, and black pepper.
The fruit is ripe and its quality adds depth and a kind of sultry broodiness.
Plum and cassis exist on the mid-palate, while savory acidity and silky tannins compliment the fruit seamlessly.
This tasty bottle of red is named for the winemaker, Gilles Robin's son, Léone.
Retail price $18. Tasted September 25, 2003.
An artful expression earning three out of a possible three  .
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Château Pesquié Les Terrasses 2000 Côtes du Ventoux
is a tasty little Rhône blend created by importer Eric Sullivan of European Cellars.
The 2000 Pesquié is light in body, ripe with flavors of wild cherries and on the palate, with
a touch of dried lavender and anise on the mid-palate.
The wine finishes with a tingle of white pepper and smooth tannins.
Retail price $10. Tasted September 10, 2003. A great Rhône earning two .
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La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux Rouge 2001
is one of the best inexpensive wines I've tasted.
Made by the Perrin Brothers from Chateau de Beaucastel.
This grenache, syrah, cinsault blend has all the elements of a good wine.
The fruit is clean, with good acid structure.
The grenache is smooth, the syrah gives it some zip, and the cinsault follows up with some
bright fruit flavors.
There is a hint of raspberry, bitter chocolate and earth on the palate.
It won't be the best bottle of wine you'll ever drink, but it is very enjoyable for
your everyday consumption.
This Côtes du Rhone is as good as many wines from the same region costing much more.
Retail price $7. Tasted September 2, 2003. Earning one  .
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La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux Blanc 2001
I loved the elegance and complexity of this wine.
The quality was very surprising.
This blend of grenache blanc, ugni blanc, and roussane creates a wine that would be
worth of any light meal and any dinner guests, no matter the level of sophistication.
While the Rouge was very clean and straightforward, the Blanc is interesting and complex.
I found this bottle to have a frangrant nose, tropical fruit on the palate and a long, pleasing finish.
In fact, as I drank this wine, I picked the bottle up numberous times, thinking that I'd missed some
secret on the label that explained why its lovely mouth-feel, exotic floral hints, refreshing acid structure,
and lingering creamy finish was so darned inexpensive!
Retail price $7. Tasted July 23, 2003. Shining brightly with one .
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