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More Matter and Less Art?

Not long ago, I sat down with some friends to taste some French Burgundies and California Pinot Noirs. As we evaluated the wines, the one point we agreed upon was that the French wines had a pleasant rusticity about them that was lacking in their California counterparts. Don’t get me wrong. The Pinots were excellent wines, yet they appeared overly polished and almost too perfect next to the Burgundies, whose rough edges only added to their appeal. The Burgundies were like the Pinots in terms of flavor, body, and structure but, as one friend commented, “They weren’t wearing any lipstick.”

This remark got me to thinking about the differences between the old-world and new-world styles of winemaking. Now, ever since that Paris tasting in the 1970s where judges mistook some California wines for French wines, the world has come to agree, albeit with some reluctance, that California wines, as well as those from Australia and other new world locales, can hold their own in competitions. Indeed, the new world’s obsession with perfection seems to have had its effect on European winemaking and has given rise to what’s been called an “international style.” And while the new world’s scientific techniques have contributed much to improving the quality and raising the standards of winemaking, I still think there’s a lot to be said for rustic charm with all its rough edges; for wines that are made for the dinner table and not the judge’s stand; for wines that complement rather than compete with food; for wines that celebrate their provenance rather than hide it.

No; I’m not calling for a return to the days when so much wine was plonk and Blue Nun was queen of Riesling. But rather, that as drinkers, we simply look for more diversity in style, where a “barnyard nose” might not necessarily be a bad thing and where matter may take precedence over art.

Shortly after this Burgundy tasting, I thought it would be interesting to compare old- and new-world Rhone style wines. To keep within our budget (wines under $20), I chose southern Rhones since they are generally more affordable and more widely available than the Cote Roties and Hermitages of the northern Rhone.

Perhaps the best known of these southern Rhones is Chateauneuf-du-Pape, made from a blend of up to thirteen varietals but predominantly from Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Styles of Chateauneuf vary greatly: from the lush and full bodied, with complex noses of berries, earth, and herbs designed for ageing to the relatively light and fruity wines with black and red fruit on the nose and, like Beaujolais, juicy on the tongue and made to be drunk relatively young.

There’s also Gigondas, made predominantly from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault. It can be similar to Chateauneuf in its bigness and muscularity but is typically more rustic, tough, and chewy without much subtlety.

One of the most widely available and affordable southern Rhones is Cotes du Rhone. This is a vast appellation, but most wines come from the southern section between Montelimar and Avignon. It’s made primarily from Grenache followed by Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault. Like Beaujolais, many are typically made using carbonic maceration and intended to be drunk not too long after release. The best are packed with berry flavors and spice. There’s also the smaller Cotes du Rhone Villages appellation, which requires a higher minimum alcohol content and lower grape yield. These wines are also more age worthy and may represent one of France’s best wine values.

Cotes du Ventoux is yet another appellation from the southern Rhone, not far from Provence, which produces refreshingly fruity wines that are generally lighter in style than Cotes du Rhone. These wines are made primarily from Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan, and Mourvedre. I’ve always found them to be great values and perfect crowd pleasers.

The southern Rhone comprises other appellations, but the ones listed above are perhaps the most widely available. However, the focus of this feature is not so much the wines of the Rhone, but rather wines made from Rhone varietals (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault) that have become popular in California and Australia. The Rhone Ranger movement, which started in California in the 1980s headed by Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon and Bob Lindquist of Qupé, has provided a variety of wines that are welcome alternatives, at least at my table, to Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Merlot. Many of these wines like Bonny Doon’s Le Cigare Volant and Old Telegram have become quite popular and rather costly. And then there’s what is perhaps Australia’s most prized wine, Penfolds’ Grange Hermitage, another Rhone-style gem with a gem-like price.

The new-world approach to these wines seems more studied, more artful, perhaps almost to the point of being regarded as “precious.” This is not a criticism but just an observation. Indeed, these new-world style wines seem to celebrate the grapes and are often brilliantly blended. They’re typically complex wines, with many subtleties and packed with delicious flavor, that almost beg to be drunk on their own rather than accompanied by food.

I could go on for pages trying to assess the similarities and differences between these two styles of winemaking, but reading cannot replace tasting. So if you’ve never sampled any of these wines, a cold winter evening provides a perfect excuse to do so.

Before the tasting notes, I thought I would include brief descriptions of the predominant varietals that make up these blends:

Grenache    May be the world’s most widely planted, dark-skinned grape. It’s the predominant grape in the southern Rhone. Depending on the pruning and the winemaker, it can produce coarse and alcoholic wines or full-bodied rich wines that have both sweetness and spice. Look for aromas of black fruit, licorice, and pepper.

Syrah    (a.k.a. Shiraz in Australia) Is the major component of northern Rhone wines like Cote Rotie and Hermitage. In the southern Rhone, and elsewhere, it’s used to give structure and density to Grenache. Look for aromas of berries, coffee, and tar.

Mourvedre    Is a late ripening grape and only when mature does it provide the sought after complexity and aromas to a blend. Look for aromas of leather, earth, and mushrooms.

Cinsault    Is an early ripening grape that brings a lot of fruit to a blend. It can balance the alcohol and tannins in a blend of Grenache and Mourvedre and also adds some acidity.

As is our custom, we first tasted the wines unaccompanied by food, looking for similarities and differences in their styles. We then chose a number of wines to taste with our dinner of classically braised short ribs and lentils. We started with the French wines, moved on to the Australian, and ended with the Californians.

1998 Clermont-Tonnerre, Chateauneuf-du-Pape ($18.99)

Garnet in color with good legs, the wine has a nose of leather, black cherry, and some spice. It's full bodied and well structured with a nice balance between fruit and tannins. On the palate, it delivers licorice and smoky tar flavors giving way to plums on the finish. The wine is still a little tannic and, given its structure, it should only improve with some age. In fact, after an hour or so of being opened, the nose began to show some violets and the wine was outstanding with our meal. It's hard to find a good quality Chateauneuf at this price. This wine is worth seeking out.

1998 Domaine Brusset, Gigondas ($19.99)

Deep ruby in color with long thick legs, this wine has a huge nose of creme brulee, mushrooms, and black cherry. It's full bodied and still a little tannic but packed with characteristic rustic flavors of earth, meat, and tar. Although a little short on the mid-palate, it has a long finish and its flavors linger. The wine's fruitiness, however, seemed to overpower our short ribs and lentils. It would probably fare better with lamb.

1996 Guigal, Cotes du Rhone ($7.99)

Red ruby in color with good legs, this wine has an earthy nose with hints of moss followed by cherries and hints of wood and tar. Its flavors are smoky like bacon. There's also cassis-like fruit together with hints of chalk. Its finish is long and smoky. Quite lovely; a textbook Cotes du Rhone from one of the Rhone's greatest producers. The wine was great with the food. The 1996 Rhone vintage was a little light, and later vintages of this wine might show more muscle. A great value.

1997 La Vielle Ferme, Cotes du Ventoux ($4.99)

Red to ruby in color with good legs, this wine has a nose of creme brulee and vanilla, with hints of red berries and bing cherries. Packed with fruity flavors along with some licorice, the wine has rough tannins that give way to red currants. It's also spicy and tannic on the finish. This is a real country wine and great for a picnic or sipping on a Sunday afternoon.

1995 Chateau Pesquie, "Cuvee des Terrasses," Cotes du Ventoux ($6.49)

Garnet in color and having fine legs, this wine has an herbaceous, grassy, barnyard nose together with some clay. It's mildly tannic with earthy mushroom flavors that give way to mint on the finish. It has good body and nice extract. One taster, noting its warmth, characterized it as a "fireside wine."

1995 Chateau Pesquie, "Quintessence," Cotes du Ventoux ($12.99)

Ruby in color with long, long legs, this wine has a seductive nose of bright cherry and eucalyptus. It seems to caress the tongue with cigar-box and cedar flavors and undertones of licorice. It has great extract and is well structured. It has a long wonderful finish with mild cherry flavors that linger on the palate. This wine was outstanding with the food and definitely one of the stars of this tasting.

1997 Penfolds, Bin 2, Shiraz-Mourvedre-Grenache, South Australia ($12.99)

Opaque red in color, the wine has beautiful long legs and a big beefy, heady nose accompanied by cherries and some chalk. It's satiny on the palate and just delicious, with chocolate and cherry flavors that remind one of well-made cherry-cordial chocolates. This is a big wine with mild tannins. "Just gorgeous," remarked one taster. It has a long, long finish and its chocolate flavors linger. This wine not only supported the food; it elevated it. This is a perfect example of the "new-world" flawless style that we discussed in our introduction. Definitely a star of the tasting.

Non-vintage, Sierra Vista, Lynelle "Seventh Cuvee," El Dorado Red Table Wine ($9.99)

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Cinsault. It's light garnet in color with good legs and a faint nose of earth and cherries. It's smooth on entry with flavors of wild cherries and oak together with some wood. Overall, this is a good wine but just a little diluted and short on the finish.

1994 Adelaida Hills, Assemblage Rouge, San Luis Obispo County Red Wine ($18.99)

Garnet in color with some browning on the edges and beginning to throw off some sediment, this wine has good legs and an enticing warm "cherry-pie" nose with aromas of buttery crust, syrup, and cherries. There are cherries and baked pastry on the palate as well. It has great extract and plenty of body and flavor. The finish is long and warm, like a brandy. Jammy flavors with blackberry notes linger. The wine also has good acidity. This wine, however, competed with our braised short ribs and would perhaps have been better with a pork tenderloin or a roast lamb. Nonetheless, this blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah was definitely one of the stars of this tasting.

1997 Silver Fox Vineyards, Clos de Chappell, Sierra Foothills ($19.99)

Translucent and dark ruby in color with luscious legs, this wine has a huge "hot" black-cherry nose with hints of pure vanilla. On the palate, it shows great extract and beautiful structure with loads of cherry and cedar flavors. This wine has a lot of new-world-style finesse and polish. Its finish is quite long and warm with hints of white pepper. This elegant wine, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, celebrates the grapes it's made from and complemented our meal. Another star of this tasting.

TableWine is a personal website and does not sell any wine. However, many of the wines we review are purchased from our local wine merchant, Wine & Spirit World. Their web site may help you locate a good number of our selections.

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