Old School

For those who enjoyed last Saturday’s offer, but maybe wanted something a little more familiar, today’s your day! Having recently tasted several of these wines, I know you’re in for a real treat. Those in the know will be thrilled to see some of these names (though maybe not the quantities available!), and there’s no doubt these wines will disappear quickly. This is an offer that any Rhône lover should be stocking up on!

We start by highlighting Côte-Rôtie cult phenom Xavier Gérard. These wines hit the market in a big way about a dozen years ago and were highly sought after, with only a limited number of bottles making their way to the US. Fast forward to today, and the latest releases have made huge strides since those early years. They may be making their best wines yet! We follow with a more historic name in Côte-Rôtie, the Levet family, whose latest offerings come with some truly eye-popping scores!

Moving into names you may not know (but should!), Lionnet in Cornas has flown under the radar for quite a while. I’ve always adored these wines, and they’ve taken a big leap forward recently. The Pur Granit, for those who love terroir-driven wines, is a real treat. Fresh and layered, the finish is a full expression of the soil in which the vines are grown! The Cornas Terre Brûlées offers a more classic expression, with a wonderful dark core and a bright future.

We close with the almost-monopole Château Simone. A recent Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate article gave these wines the scores they’ve so long deserved. Beyond the terroir of Provence, these wines have an old-school Bordeaux character that recalls a style of winemaking so rarely encountered these days. This was a sensational glass of wine!