'03 Guigal Hermitage Blanc
I don't get a chance to drink many white Hermitage wines so this was a treat. Beautiful orange marmalade, nice streak of subtle minerality... attractive petrol accents on honeyed floral nose. Sourced from Les Rocoules, Les Beaumes and Les Murets. Sort of reminded me a bit of the great Friulian wines made from Ribolla Gialla. Loved this wine.
'04 Barroche CdP Pure
Quite an interesting wine. The flagship cuvee from Julien Barrot. Sourced from old vine Grenache (100 year old vines) . Very well balanced raspberry palate with a fascinating, almost slate-like, vein of minerality that keeps you coming back again and again. Fine-grained dusty tannins, hints of creosote. Sort of missing the killer garrigue component that I find so alluring in CdP's from the La Crau lieux-dits. This was a fascinating wine with great complexity and lengthy finish. I really liked this wine as representative of a higher-end CdP. But my favorite as of late has been the '04 Marcoux Vielles Vignes for its incredible balance and transparency to La Crau terroir.
'06 Agharta
Blended from various North Coast vineyards in California. 84% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 2% Viognier. Lovely blackberry jam with spice, anise and forest floor notes. As with all Pax Mahle wines, there is a striking purity in the expression of fruit. Aged 52 months in 70% oak and 30% stainless steel. Still young, the only noticeable shortcoming at this juncture is a somewhat clipped finish.
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