Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone, 2005

I'm still not convinced that the 2007 vintage in the Southern Rhone is head and shoulders above the other good vintages that appellation has produced recently. But if you're looking for 2007 Cotes du Rhone wines to buy, I'd suggest you put Domaine de la Janasse on your buy list. It was very good in 1998 and 2001, and this 2005 is drinking beautifully right now.

It's a medium deep and dark ruby, and the complete ripeness of the grapes is apparent from the first sniff. Blueberries, pomegranates, sweet cherries and garrigue galore. The palate has more of the same. The small amounts of Cinsault and Carignane in the blend add subtle spices that contribute to the complexity and interest. There is a lemon peel edge to counter the ripe Grenache berry fruit and a trace of black pepper on the long, pleasing finish. This has everything I like in a Cotes du Rhone...and a bit more.

The Janasse Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is usually one of the best wines of the appellation. The price has soared out of my range in recent years, but the 1989 (purchased when the estate was not as well known) is drinking beautifully (see my post on June 10, 2008). The Cotes du Rhone comes from domaine grapes grown just outside the Chateaneuf du Pape appellation.

For more on the estate, see my earlier posting on this site (June 8, 2008).

Langmeil Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre, 2006

I generally don't care for Rhone blends from Australia or California. But after trying this one several times with meals at Every Day People Cafe in Douglas, MI, I've put it on my buy list.

The wine is a lot darker than I would expect from a Chateauneuf du Pape so I suspect it has spent some time in new oak barrels. The aromas and flavors though are mostly from the fruit rather than oak, and it's nicely balanced for easy drinking. Red berries from the Grenache, darker fruit from the Syrah and a slight floral lift from the Mourvedre. A versatile wine for drinking with pork, beef or chicken.

Chateau St. Jean Alexander Valley Belle Terre Vineyard Chardonnay, 2003

Can a wine lose its fruit and still drink beautifully? Logic says no, but this wine argues otherwise. Rich, buttery aromas are abundant, evidence of barrel fermentation. The luxurious, creamy feel on the palate demonstrates what nine months aging sur lie (on the spent yeast cells) can do for a Chardonnay. The beautiful limey flavors come from well selected French oak. All of those qualities create a wine that would produce ooohs and aaahs from most audiences. But where is that unique, spicey Alexander Valley fruit from Belle Terre Vineyard that justifies the $30 price tag? It's there but not as prominent as I would like and not as apparent as in the last bottle I had a month or two ago. With six years' aging and bottle variation (probably related to aging and storage), the winemaker qualities still overshadow those from the very fine Belle Terre Vineyard. It's possible that could change with more aging, but I doubt it. Fortunately, I didn't pay $30 but rather $13 on the closeout shelf at Harding's Market in Kalamazoo.

Alain Voge Cornas, 1983

My first choice for Father's Day was a 1983 Auguste Clape Cornas, honoring the birth year of my youngest son, Ted. That bottle was, alas, corked so I turned to this 1983 from Alain Voge, another top Cornas producer. Ted and I were not disappointed.

At 26 years of age, the wine is a medium light color. As with the Clape, a thick crust of sediment lines one side of the bottle, a testament to its long, undisturbed stay in the cellar. But the wine is thankfully not corked. A bit reticent on the nose and a bit fungal but unlike the damp cardboard smell of the Clape, this blows away with a little air. Gains depth in the glass with some dried flowers and berry fruit. Savory mature Syrah flavors. Warm on the palate and mature with no hard edges. Old style Northern Rhone--old barrels and no de-stemming. Would not win an Australian show prize but all the better for that. A real wine, and a very good one; wish I had more.

Paul Jaboulet Domaine de Thalabert Crozes Hermitage, 1988

Crozes-Hermitage is a large and not very distinguished appellation in the northern Rhone. The land is flatter and the yields higher than in the more prestigious appellations of Hermitage and Cote Rotie nearby. Paul Jaboulet's Domaine Thalabert, a pebble-covered 40-hectare plot with vines 40 to 60 years old, is arguably the best of the appellation, or at least was until the early 1990s. It was my favorite wine through the 1980s, and nearly all of these wines are still drinking well. While not as powerful or dramatic as Hermitage, Thalabert Crozes is often more intense and complex in its personality. In the 1980, 1984 and even 1982 vintages, I preferred Thalabert to its sibling, Hermitage la Chapelle, recognized as one of the world's greatest wines and priced accordingly.

The color is a deep, dark ruby; has lightened a bit but there is only a little browning around the edges. The bouquet reveals a very classy French Syrah--red and black berries, black currants, violets and cassis. It smells dry but is very fruit oriented. There is plenty of acid to keep the wine lively on the palate; sharply focused entry followed by a good mid-palate presence and a strong, fruit-oriented finish. This has aged very nicely and is even better than the last bottle I had some four or five years ago.

Liberty School California Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003

This is a wine you may have seen at Cost Plus World Market or other stores for $10 to $12. It's a Cabernet you can bring home and drink that night or keep for three or four years, as I did with this one. For my taste, it has improved with that short-term aging and is perfect for drinking right now.

Deep, plummy red. Smells ripe, and it is: currants, plums, chocolate and sweet spices. Has a lot of Paso Robles traits, and that's where Liberty School is located. The appellation though is California so at least some of the grapes come from elsewhere. The wine is soft and friendly but every inch a California Cabernet and perfect with rib eye steak

Pont du Rhone Prestige Cotes du Rhone, 2006

This Cotes du Rhone has 30% Mourvedre in its blend, and I like the lovely spiciness that results. It reminds me of an inexpensive Spanish Mourvedre (or Mataro) such as Castano or Luzon Verde.

The color is deep and dark with tones of violet. The aromas are also violet-tinged--very Mourvedre. Now some Grenache berries and spice come out. It's very structured in an old-style Cotes du Rhone way--stems and peels. The tingly feel on the palate is from acid rather than alcohol, which is a modest 13.5%. Black pepper emerges on the finish, which is by no means simple.

For $5.99 at Trader Joe's, this is a very enjoyable every day wine. 2007 is the vintage on the shelf at present, and it should be even better than the 2006.