TN Rhone and three rogues Solihull Fine Wine Society. March tasting by James Brown. Our most recent member and putting on his first tasting. Rhones and three rogues. Blind as usual On a cold night in Brum, OT, I am really fed up with this bloody weather, a blocking Scandinavian High and my garden looking very sad with not a single daffodil out yet. Chapoutier Chante Allouette 1992, an oxidised bottle, storage or age? Cellared by James since 98, so could be a natural rest? Pouilly Fuisse Vignes Blanches, Domaine Cordier 2002 Bright and viscous, wonderful buttery almond nose with a warm spicy entry, rich yet bone dry. "Wonderful" Great value at Majestic (UK) 18GBP, I am going to try and get some. Domaine Courbis, St Joseph les Royes 1999 Purple rim with bright inky depth, tinned tomato nose with spice and tobacco. Big entrance fruit and hard tannins, all in balancce, a real ball breaker, try again. Coudelet de Beaucastel 2001, a dull pale brick red wine, with only a dumb bland nose. Cherryade palate with spice.......suffered from following previous wine. D'Arenburg Dead Arm Shiraz, 2002 big OZ, spotted by all, opaque with extract, a suprising perfumed delicate nose with dusty bookshelves, nothing delicate on the palate, oak+++ overwhelming all else, totally unknit at present. Hermitage La Chapelle, Jaboulet 1988 Hint of brown, bright, a smoky euthymol , smoked cheese. Very firm tannins still, and good fruit and spice. Drinking well now. Pignan CDP 1990 A mature looking wine, a little dull. Organic musty nose, good entry with soft fruits and tannins, chewy, almost merlotic. Going over. Cote Rotie, Guigal, 1999 Light semimature wine with an elegant nose with overiding sweetness, soft fruit lightweight with gentle tannin and spice. A very gentle rhone. D'Arenburg Laughing Magpie, 2003 Black opaque with an alcoholc hot nose, cinnamon. Mouthful of fruit and tannin, totally unbalanced, but may improve, but a typical OZ mouthfull, is OZ subtleness an oxymoron. Cote Rotie, Jamet, 1999, bought by James in a wine shop in Croix Russe, Lyons. Stunning bright wine with no age, wonderful nose of tinned asparagus, menthol, celery. Fruit and spice and all in balance, cloves and so long, improved in glbutt and when tried at home 2 hours later (glbutt clingfilmed!), it was so gentle and perfumed. One of my best Rhones EVER. 
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