Southern Rhone Stars - TonghamTaster’s French Wine Tasting Course – week 20

The 12 month on-line course to help you learn about French wines - Top tips on how to get value when buying them - Reasonably priced up-to-date recommendations of what to buy and try in the UK - Bringing you the best of Tongham Village Hall wine tastings.

INTRODUCTION
This week we cover some of the most famous red wines in the World like Chateauneuf-du-Pape and also some less know red wines such as Lirac. On the way we will cover some rather nice rose wines from the Southern Rhone.

LOCALITY
The red and rose wines we will be covering in this blog are all from the Southern Rhone valley and are mainly centred near the towns of Avignon and Orange. This area is relatively close to the Mediterranean and thus is sunny but also windy. The soil is famous for the galets or large pebbles that soak up the heat in the day and then give off the heat during the night, thus speeding the ripening of the grapes. Avignon is famous partly due to its papal history, being the home of various popes and anti-popes during the 14th and 15th centuries. It still has the papal palace and the old bridge made famous by the song. References to both the popes and the galets appear on many of the bottles.
 
VARIETALS
The red and rose wines of the appellations we are covering this week allow many varietals – Chateauneuf-du-Pape famously allows 13 varietals. In practice most are Grenache dominated with strong percentages of Mouvedre, Syrah and Cinsault, although some estates such as the famous Chateau Beaucastel grow all 13 varietals. Grenache is a grape that does well on poor soils and in the baking sun and thus is ideal for the area; it also helps gives the wines their beautiful red colour. Although most wines are blends you will occasionally find single varietal wines – normally Grenache. I often appreciate the estates that use a strong percentage of Mouvedre which does well in good years and helps balance the fruitiness of Gremache.

THE WINES
Chateauneuf-du-Pape was the very first AOC wine in France, becoming an appellation in 1935. It is also one of the most famous wines in the World. Sadly, its quality is very variable and the bargains are rarely as good as you would hope. The best producers, however, are very good – Domaine du Vieux Telegraph for instance.
Perhaps, one of my favourite appellations in the area is Gigondas. Although, it has been an AOC only since 1971, it has become a favourite alternative to Chateauneuf-du-Pape for many including myself. It certainly tends to be better value.
Only an appellation since 1990, Vacqueyras was the second Cotes Du Rhone Village to be promoted to full AOC status after Gigondas. With both these wines you pronounce the “s” at the end of the word – this is southern France. Perhaps, slightly more rustic that the top two AOCs in the area, it nevertheless can represent good value.
Lirac is the appellation just across the River Rhone from Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Its wines tend to bit a little softer than the other three wines and can be very pleasant and good value in the good vintages. Lirac also produces a very pleasant Rose wine. However, the most famous rose wine in the area comes from Tavel which is unusual in that it is an AOC just for rose wine and they produce no reds.
Just south of this area and just north of Provence is the Cotes du Ventoux and the Cotes du Luberon. These wines tend to be lighter, fruitier and less spicy. However, they can be great everyday easy drinking good value wines, especially the Ventoux. Similar wines are produced to the north of the southern Rhone in the Coteaux du Tricastin. Again these can be good value easy drinking reds.
The southernmost appellation of the Rhone valley, and one that used to be considered part of the Languedoc, is the Costieres de Nimes. They tend to be more Carignan dominated but are reliable value wines.

THE TASTE
The red wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and its imitators vary from being full bodied spicy wines to more medium bodied fruity wines. Tannins vary from producer to producer but many can be drunk very young, particularly the cheaper ones.
The rose wines of Tavel and Lirac are wines which are dryer and have more body than most rose wines. They are definitely worth trying if you like some pink now and again.

TOP TIPS
• Look out for Gigondas as this is a good value wine from the area.
• Ventoux, Nimes and Tricastin all produce good value easy drinking reds.
• 2007 and 2009 were great vintages in the southern Rhone Valley so you are almost guaranteed a pleasant wine if you buy Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Lirac or Vacqueyras from these vintages.

HOMEWORK

For your homework this week buy and try one of this week’s Southern Rhone appellation wines which may include one of the following:
Waitrose - Domaine du Joncier Le Classique 2007 Lirac – about £11
Waitrose - Gabriel Meffre, Les Grands Cyprès 2007 Vacqueyras – about £13.
Waitrose - Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Perrin et Fils, Le Chemin des Mulets – about £19.
or if on a budget – La Vieille Ferme 2009 Côtes du Ventoux – about £7
or Waitrose - Celliers des Dauphins 2009 Coteaux du Tricastin – about £6

FOOD PAIRINGS
These wines will normally match well with roast lamb or lamb stews – why not Lancashire Hotpot. Try some of lighter wines with Sausage, mash and onions.

COMING SOON
Next week we cover the Syrah based northern Rhone red wine appellations such as Crozes Hermitages. If you missed the early weeks of this course, it is not too late to catch up. Just click on the French Wine Course link at the top of this page.