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Not So Inglorious Bastides

Posted in Claret | May 3rd, 2009 No Comments »

La Bastide Saint Dominique’s 2007 Cotes du Rhone Villages ($22)
Rating: ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠

Research, people. It pays to research. These days it’s the coin of the realm, as the actual coins of the realm are in such a short supply as to be considered, statistically anyway, purely theoretical. If you will cast your mind back to about a year ago, you will recall our spectacular triumph of scoring a Bordeaux from a not-so-known chateau that drinks like a kilodollar bottle. Then, the world having ended and Armageddon starting up with everyone’s bank balance, we pursued a strategy of ceaseless research that led to our previous selection.

Today, we present another research strategy: What vineyard is check-by-jowl with the Big Names and staffed by bright young winemakers with cleverness to compensate for the Not So Big Nameness, especially on this year’s Vintage of the Century? Find those and you will be astonished what you can decant for a Jackson or less. This time our featured player is La Bastide Saint Dominique’s 2007 Cotes du Rhone Villages.

Conveniently, this is cheek by jowl with La Bastide Saint Dominique’s stellar Cotes du Rhone, superb Gigondas and, natch, a sublime Chateauneuf du Pape (and also cheek by jowl with Beaucastel’s, Rayas’ and Clos du Caillou’s Chateuneuf du Papes, should you need additional convincing). So we can keep the Big/Little Name thing cozily in the family. Even more conveniently, both these wines are the product of Eric Bonnet, a 31 year old whiz kid winemaker. So you see where this is going. That’s right, for about $18 (street price is $22) you can have what is all-but-in-name a Chateuneuf du Pape, and a stunning one at that.

A big part of the “why” are the ages of the vines and the blend of the grapes therefrom. Check it: 40-year-old Grenache vines, 50-year-old Carignane and Mourvedre vines and, for youthful piquancy, 30-year-old Syrah vines. On the nose you get a clean hit of kirschwasser, raspberry, anise, and a haunting herbes d’ Provence thing going on. This is a pretty full-bodied red and, although you could drink it now (especially if your palate is given to that preference) but the Vinapedia concensus is to give it some cellar time. Start late next year and then watch it mature between now and 2015… or, if you’re like us, 2020. Pair it with seared and fairly well seasoned — not spicy, mind you — beef and lamb, even the seared-and-braised theme would profit by association. Think double-cut lamb rib chops or a daube Provençal.

You’re welcome.

—J.M. Garcia III