I Avoid Most Chateauneuf du Pape So if I'm Offering this One, It is That Great

Georges "Le Grec" Lelektsoglou is an abolsute legend amongst winemakers in the Northern Rhone.

The entire region knows him as "The Greek."  Every winemaker says, "you have to go and meet The Greek." He wears soccer jerseys, smokes cigs and knows Rhone wines like few other in the region. He has been visiting winemakers and vineyards for over 30 years and his knowledge of the terroirs and the winemakers is almost unparallelled.

I am honored to be able to offer the just brilliant 2011 George Lelektsoglou Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Las Bastide" for as little as $44.99 a 3-pack. The wine has brilliant concentration and purity and man, is there sap.  George hand selected the parcels and the winemaker for this wine and it's made his way.  This is just a gorgeous wine that really made me a believer. The nose is deep. As it airs it becomes more resinous and complex. Crushed berries, cassis, just serious and vivid fruit but in no way a caricature like many CDP can be nowadays as George and I were discussing when we tasted. It is elegant with fleshy, ripe tannins.

This wine is from two specific plots. Pignan and Bedine which both are characterized by small hills and sandy soil with lots of small pebbles. The vines are ranging from 25-80 years old, and the wine is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault. Totally de-stemmed, 25 day maceration in stainless steel, then 18 months aging in tank. No wood sees this and my o my is this wine startlingly fresh and pure. Just so complete and for $45 a sick deal. Besides the Henri Bonneau grey market offer this is the first true Fass Selections Chateaneuf and once you taste you will see why.

I  stayed in Tain l'Hermitage for 3 days recently to attend the Salon des Vins. A great tasting of up and coming winemakers from Crozes, Cornas, St.Peray and St.Joseph principally. But I knew that during the 3 days I was there I would have a sit down with "Le Grec."  I sauntered over to the store one day during a break from tasting at the Salon and tasted with George. The man knows his wine, knows what he wants and the proof is in the bottle. He needs distinct high quality soils, complicity with the vintner, cultivated vineyards and drastic reduction to total elimination of chemicals in the vineyard. The wine blew away this self-proclaimed Grenache hater. I don't have to sell Grenache. I don't need to sell Grenache. I want to sell THIS Grenache. It is that remarkable.  

2011 George Lelektsoglou Chateauneuf-du-Pape "La Bastide" - 
$49.99 ($134.97 3-pack)