Robert Hall 2005 Rhone de Robles Central Coast

This one has been sitting in my sideboard for awhile. A New World take on an Old World style the Robert Hall 2005 Rhone de Robles is a wonderful concoction of 46% Grenache, 45% Syrah, 6% Cinsaut and 3%Counoise. At only $14.99 (Bel Air or Rayley's) it is quite the safe and affordable bet for an enjoyable wine that more than adequately alludes to the Cotes Du Rhône style.

Pouring a splash into my glass a beautifully deep red/purple hue presents itself and swirling it releases a wondrously fragrant smell of very ripe black fruit, mostly cherries and blackberries with a peppery, almost clove like spice. Hiding in the background is a very slight vanilla smell which owes it's presence no doubt to the French Oak this tipple spends 14 months languishing lazily in.

This one tastes fantastic... a perfect mouthful, I could merrily drink this on it's own without food, in fact I could drink all of it but then again that would be less than responsible wouldn't it? 

Whilst the smell is black the taste is mostly fresh ripe red fruit, chocolate too and anytime someone can take grape juice, yeast, patience and talent then transform it into a liquid that is reminiscent of the forbidden love child of strawberries and the cocoa bean their efforts should be lauded on-high and they them-self considered for beatification. 

The tannins are present, not too excessive but they seem a tad off-wack... unsettled, a few years in the cellar and that should mellow-out nicely, the 13.9% ABV isn't apparent. This is a very exciting wine, like a dozen sugar-crazed 6 year olds mixing it up in a bouncy castle, full-bodied and oddly balanced, a delicious slice of fruity goodness.

This would pair really nicely with a grilled marinated lamb tenderloin smothered in an insane amount of rosemary served au jus, caramelized carrots and some garlic smashed potatoes. Now I don't have any of that to hand so I tried it with some Raclette and a Saint André cheese, after all the Americans may have increasingly figured-out how to produce "like totally awesome wine dude" BUT when it comes to cheese Monsieur Frenchie Frenchman still has the last and definitive word. Yes yes I know cheese is overly flattering to wine but nothing says good times like a fine bottle of red and a healthy dose of coagulated bovine lactation.

A sound 90, someone call the Pope there's a fella' in Paso Robles that needs a feast day calendared.

http://www.roberthallwinery.com/

Château Beauchêne 2006 Premier Terroir Cotes Du Rhône

Ironically my first post to The Wine Ponce is an Old World French wine review... zut alors! 

This bottle of 2006 Premier Terrior Cotes Du Rhône came to me via my local BevMo, I noticed it on the shelf in the French Rhône section. I browse this section on every visit but seldom purchase anything, finding a good French Rhône wine under $20 is an oft disappointing occupation of ones time... and increasingly scarce disposable income.

What drew me to this was the price ($17.99) and the complete absence of any shelf information or rating, oddly it lacked the typical mediaeval script old world label design usually associated with wines from this region. Instead falling back on the old French favorite, a picture of the Chateau graces the front along with a custom bottle with a raised glass crest. All-in-all a fairly boring, ugly bottle of French plonk at first glance.

Pouring a touch into my trusty stubby O-Riedel it presents a opaque dark ruby hue, rich and full of potential. It smells old, I know that sounds odd but it doesn't have that lively New World smell, it's somewhat reminiscent of pulling an old leather bound tome about traction engines from the shelf of some long forgotten provincial library, blowing the dust off smelling the leather... aged and reassuring. 

Now, at his point I must confess to the lack of a trained palette, so please excuse my odd references and associations.  

Taking a deep lasting smell, beyond the odd old smell it reminds you of bilberries, dark round fruit with a faint whiff of alchohol. Very rich I could sit and smell this for hours but that would be a criminal waste wouldn't it.

It feels thin in the mouth, with a faint taste of licorice, some fruit, blackcurrant and a nondescript herb I can't figure out. It is rather dry with very pronounced tannins. Although only 13.5% ABV the alcohol is present. It leaves a cloying dryness in the mouth, my tongue probably would do a good job of sanding a walnut occasional table.

To be honest this was a disappointment, further research tells me old BevMo wine guru Wilf Wong gives it a 90 but it could well be BevMo landed a huge bunch on the cheap and Willy was told in no uncertain terms to push the cheap dry French tat sitting en masse at  the docks.

Much like an old leather bound tome on traction engines this wine is out-of-place, old and feels somewhat irrelevant to me. Being totally fair and setting my disappointment aside it's an accomplished wine and I imagine some cellaring will greatly improve things, I give it an 86... it may be classy and rich but not something I'd want to consume young, In 5 years it'll probably be outstanding.

It would pair well with a hearty Pasta dish or cheese, and lots of it. That or a block of rough oak.

http://www.chateaubeauchene.fr/