2009 Les Halos de Jupiter Cotes du Rhone

For Rhone enthusiasts this super value should be a no brainer.
In April this year we reported that 2009 in the Southern Rhone was another bargain hunter's delight. As samples have steadily rolled in the story of a vintage continues to unfold. It's now clear that given the torrid heat of 2009, early speculation anticipating the stellar quality of reds from less well drained terroirs has proved prudent.

Secondly, searching out the small producers pays off. They embody an expanding trend of first rate growers who instead of selling their best fruit to big brand local negociants like 'Guigal', are now realising their viticultural flair justifies representation under their own labels.

Since inital samples arrived eight months ago, tasting and retasting these reds has revealed a texture and structure that tends towards the 'classicism' of 2007 rather than the extreme 'fruit-bomb-forwardness' that characterised many 2009s. Right now, these are powerful, tannic, brawny wines showcasing the best elements of the vintage, and wines that will put Australian 'GSM' blends back in their place as the antecedents of these Southern Rhone archetypes. In short, here is another collection to reaffirm 2009 Rhone as one of the great high points of 2009 in the Northern hemisphere.

But, be warned: At the extreme bargain end, the treasure trove is fast drying up and will be over sooner than you think. This is a direct shipment - no wholesalers. Our advice is to stock up now or never (and all the more so given the gloomy predicament for the 2011 vintage in Australia).

We would prefer to be promoting the interests of Australian producers, but the quality of several international vintages has made them simply impossible to ignore. 2009 Rhone should be nothing less than compelling for anyone looking for imported red wine bargains. Tasting note....
This is another Philipe Cambie wine produced in association with a negociant. Cambie separates all the Grenache off into cement or stainless steel tanks, only the Syrah and Mourvedre are kept in 600-liter demi-muids. As you'd expect from Cambie, the resulting wine is a little gem. Opaque dark crimson red colour with deep crimson red hue. The nose displays top notes of dark raspberry followed by some dark cherry, plum and spice. Full bodied and ripe the palate delivers a generous flavour profile of black cherry, dark plum and spice with some meaty like characters on the back palate. Fine grained, slightly dryish tannins with aftertaste of black cherry, meat and spice.
Drink over the next 2-3 years (2011-2014)
Alc 15.5% Other Reviews....
An outrageous wine sourced from Visan, Cairanne and Rasteau is the 2009 Cotes du Rhone. Dominated by Grenache, it comes across like a mini-Chateauneuf du Pape. Its dark ruby/purple color is followed by boisterous kirsch, sandy, loamy soil, tobacco leaf, pepper and spice notes. Generously endowed, round, silky textured and explosively fruity, it is an enormously satisfying wine to drink over the next 3-4 years.
88-90 points
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #191, Oct 2010.