Wine Tasting: Chapoutier - the Reds (15th Oct 1997)
Presented by Marc Chapoutier, Tain l'Hermitage.
1. 1996 Chapoutier Vin du Pays d'Oc Cigala
15th Oct 1997 France Table Red
[Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignon - served lightly chilled]
Young, ruby to pink/red.
Up front nose with dense, alcoholic, plum and berry fruit.
Medium bodied with spicy, tangy fruit, quite high acidity and alcohol.
Pleasant and good value but a bit light on the mid-palate.
2. 1996 Chapoutier Coteaux d'Aix Matines
15th Oct 1997 France Table Red
[50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Cab Sauv]
Even, purple/red to pink.
Forward nose with plenty of rich, tart fruit - no real promise of weight.
Medium to full bodied, flavours of spicy, peppery Grenache and cassis. High acidity, plenty of oak and green tannins.
Nicely balanced, fresh and crisp - best served lightly chilled.
3. 1995 Chapoutier Coteaux d'Aix Beates
15th Oct 1997 France Table Red
[50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Cab Sauv]
Deep red/purple to red.
Mature nose with spicy, black fruit and game aromas.
Medium to full bodied with high acidity, ripe black fruits, smoke and toasted oak. Lots of hard tannin evident in a long, dry finish. Cabernet Sauvignon seems to dominate.
Good but a bit hard - maybe with food?
4. 1996 Chapoutier Cotes du Ventoux Ciboise
15th Oct 1997 Rhone Table Red
[100% Grenache]
Paler, bright even red, fading at rim.
Up front nose with juicy, ripe red fruits.
Light with very juicy, spicy fruit - raisins and prunes. Plenty of acidity but not really enough weight to carry it off.
5. 1996 Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone Belleruche
15th Oct 1997 Rhone Table Red
[100% Grenache]
Fairly deep, even, red.
Restrained nose with some berry fruit.
Rich and dark, medium to full bodied wine with ripe flavours of black fruits and strawberries, creamy oak and good acidity. Quite light but reasonably long finish.
Very pleasant if a bit obvious.
6. 1996 Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone Villages Rasteau
15th Oct 1997 Rhone Table Red
Even deep red.
Spicy, up front nose with perfumed red fruits.
Light to medium bodied with juicy, spicy fruit; excellent, fresh acidity; soft, sweet alcohol; a trace of oak and dusty tannins.
Excellent value at about the UKP6.00 mark.
7. 1996 Chapoutier Chateauneuf du Pape Bernadine
15th Oct 1997 Rhone Table Red
[Barrel sample. 100% Grenache]
Dark, purple to purple/red.
Intense, perfumed nose of violets and mulberries.
Full bodied with sweet, spicy, alcoholic fruit; bracing acidity; dusty tannins and a long ripe alcoholic finish.
Will be superb in 4 to 5 years.
8. 1996 Chapoutier Saint Joseph Deschants
15th Oct 1997 Rhone Table Red
[Barrel Sample. 100% Syrah]
Dense, even, purple to pink/purple.
Full, deep, perfumed nose of black berries and blue cheese.
Heavy with juicy berry fruit and high acidity.
Needs time to knit - the palate doesn't live up to the nose, but should develop nicely.
9. 1996 Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage Meysonniers
15th Oct 1997 Rhone Table Red
[Barrel sample.]
Opaque purple to purple/red.
Dense nose with quite hot aromas of gooseberry leaves, aniseed, spice and pepper.
Full bodied, inky, ripe and spicy with cedary oak. Leathery tannins coming through on the finish.
Again too young to tell - doesn't yet live up to the nose.
10. 1996 Chapoutier Cote Rotie
15th Oct 1997 Rhone Table Red
[Barrel sample. 100% Syrah]
Deep, even, black/purple.
Ripe, concentrated, vegetal nose with mushrooms and soft berry fruit.
Full bodied with excellent concentration; flavours of mulberries, violets and berries; crisp acidity and dry tannins in good balance; Long finish dominated by spicy oak.
Needs 6 or more years.
11. 1996 Chapoutier Hermitage Sizerannes
15th Oct 1997 Rhone Table Red
[Barrel sample.]
Deep, even, purple.
Dense, brooding nose - vegetal and dumb, needs lots of time.
Very full bodied with big flavours of cassis, chocolate, cream, violets; acid and tannins are there but masked by fruit. Oak and dry tannins emerge on the long finish.
Leave for at least 10 years. A star.