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2007 Tardieu Laurent Rasteau Vieilles Vignes Cotes du Rhone Villages
FRANCE
$49. 99
Bottle
$599.88 Dozen
Cellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2010-2016)
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Cork
Yet another new discovery, Tardieu-Laurent is a negociant founded in 1994 as a partnership between Michel Tardieu, (who among other jobs has served as a driver for French Presidents) and Dominique Laurent, owner of a negociant firm in Burgundy. Today Michel Tardieu runs the firm on his own. He takes advice from the enormously influential Philippe Cambie, who also happens to be the Rhone consultant behind most of the 2007 Southern Rhones we've offerred to date. If you've enjoyed our previous shipments, you will be suitably impressed by these wines.
The term 'vielles vignes' denotes fruit has been harvested from old vines. The 2007 Rasteau was produced from a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah sourced from 80 year old Grenache vines and 35 year old Syrah vines. Maturation took place in new & one
year old Allier & Troncais oak.
Tasting Note....
Opaque black crimson colour with deep dark red hue. Perfumed aromas of black cherry, dark raspberry, liquorice and spice with a meaty overlay. Full bodied palate displaying great concentration with powerful flavours of black cherry, blackberry, liquorice and spice followed by some persistent blackpepper characters on the back palate. Superb length with very fine grained, slightly leathery tannins that are perfectly balanced. Very long aftertaste of black cherry, liquorice, dried meat and blackpepper with a hint of leather also emerging.
Drink over the next 5-6 years (2010-2016).
Alc 14.5%
Other Reviews….
The inky/purple-colored 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau Vieilles Vignes (100% Grenache from the blue clay sectors of Rasteau) is a dense, masculine effort offering oodles of fruit, high glycerin, and unbridled power. Forget this blockbuster for 2-3 years, and drink it over the following 15+.
91-94 points
Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate