A Rising Northern Rhone Star Selling Out in France

I just returned from France and it was about as memorable a trip as I have ever had. I tasted so many great wines and will have so many tough decisions to make as to what I would like to offer. It's a good problem to have and I am not complaining.

I knew what Northern Rhone estate I wanted to offer when I got back. That was easy, peasy as they say. It was Domaine Les Alexandrins. They are a relatively new and up and coming winery that is selling out in France.  They vinify their wines traditionally and they are just plain delicious. There is no other way to describe them. They will bring joy to your taste buds. Just fantastic.  

As a long time lover of the Gamays from Cru Beaujolais, the first wine is a wine that was an eye opener for me.  Gamay from the Northern Rhone can be sick.   I have only tasted one Gamay from the Rhone, which is Herve Souhaut's brilliant Souteronne.  It turns out that right in the middle of a certain area of St. Joseph, Gamay has been grown for many years.  I am really thrilled to offer the 2012 IGP Collines Rhodaniennes "Intuition" for as low as $19.99 on the 6-pack.  The elevage for the Intuition is normal fermentation and it is raised in barrels so it has grippy tannins and sweet ripe fruit that just soaks and soaks on the palate. The nose is one of those that has nuanced depth and is so pure and aromatic your nose will be glued to the glass.  If you want to compare it to cru Beaujolais, it's similar to the really elite Burgundian elevage style Beaujolais but with darker, Rhone fruit. Think Bouland, Desvignes and Clos de Mez. 

This is an insanely great wine and one of the most tasty, cool and interesting discoveries of my trip. It is one of the more interesting and distinctive Gamays I have ever tasted and smelled. The wine is also a terrific value for the quality it represents in the bottle.  It's a six pack price as you will not be able to stop drinking this.

  

This is from the heralded 2012 vintage in the Northern Rhone, which from what I have tasted (which is a lot now) is absolutely delicious and better than 2011. 2011 was very good in the right hands, but 2012 is just a polar vortex leap over 2011. Bigger wines, more structure, riper tannins, sweeter fruit and incredible expression of terroir.   

The second wine is from Crozes-Hermitage.  As we all know, there is a good amount of land in Crozes-Hermitage and quality can be a mixed bag but great winemakers find the better pockets of terroir and make great wines.  I am proud to offer the2012 Domaine des Alexandrins Crozes Hermitage Rouge for as little as $27.99 on the 3-pack.   It is brilliant wine, with the all the classic Syrah bacon, smoke and floral aromas that great Crozes has, plus a nice structured palate with clean, lip-smacking acidity and pure as the sky is blue. It also has a lovely grapey quality. As with all young wineries, sometimes there are supply issues and I have a piddling amount of their brilliant 2012 Crozes-Hermitage, which is almost sold out in France. And I mean piddling. This will be allocated. I am offering it in a 3-pack and will not mix and match with the Gamay as I have so little. You could never tell this is from young vines and I am honored for this excellent Crozes Hermitage to be the first one I am offering from Fass Selections. Took me long enough to find one. 

  

The Domaine les Alexandrins is the type of winery I love to represent. Created in 2009 by William and Alexander Sorrel Caso, they treat their vineyards with respect and are incredibly passionate about the work they do. Thomas, who I met and dealt with at the Salon des Vins, speaks perfect English and was a great help in explaining what they do and the brief history of the winery. They vinify their wines traditionally and they are just plain delicious. There is no other way to describe them. They bring will bring joy to your taste buds. Just fantastic.

2012 Domaine des Alexandrins IGP Collines Rhodaniennes "Intuition" (Gamay) - $22.99 ($119.94 6-pack) 2012 Domaine des Alexandrins Crozes Hermitage Rouge - $29.99 ($83.97 3-pack) (EXTREMELY LIMITED)