Jay Kline

9.6

Okay…so I entered the night fully aware that we were going to be taking down some unicorns…but this?!  I wasn’t prepared for this. I walked into the room, greeted my fellow brothers-in-wine and began to set my contributions next to the other bottles in the line-up. I casually scanned from left to right in complete wonder at what was on display…and stopped halfway, as my eyes recognized a label from the recesses of my memory. A label that had been filed away under the category of “Academic” since there was very little likelihood that I would ever see a bottle, let alone have an opportunity to enjoy it. And yet, here I was, in a small town north of Lincoln, NE, staring in disbelief at a bottle of 1990 Gentaz-Dervieux. I turned to our host who, at this point, was smiling at me; like a childhood friend who had invited me over to play with his GI Joe Aircraft Carrier, the U.S.S. FLAGG. “F***ing Gentaz?!”

The nose? Magic. Brambles, granite, mushrooms, cumin, espresso, purple flowers, leather, smoke; so sanguine, so savory. Vinous. Rustic. Tremendous with Iberico pork cheek, mushroom ragu with lavender and thyme. I took my time. Drink now through 2035+. — 9 months ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.6

Winegeeks juarez @ mi casa — a year ago

Zack Hall

9.2

Really nice — 3 years ago

Edward Åhgren

9.2

Mogen frukt och saltig. Förvånansvärt snäll! — 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

This was a real treat after the Gentaz-Dervieux since Rene Rostaing is Marius Gentaz’s son-in-law. While the vineyards that belonged to Marius are now famously part of the Rostaing domaine, that vineyard goes to Rene’s Côte Brune; this is his Côte Blonde and arguably his most famous bottling. This 2004 pours a cloudy ruby with brambles, purple flowers, blood, dust and leather. Slightly rustic which is what I want from Rostaing. I love the individuality and how it paired with the Iberico pork cheek, mushroom ragu with lavender and thyme. Plenty of life left. Drink through 2034+. — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

First, the Gentaz and now, Verset?! Be still my beating heart! Noël Verset is a freaking legend. His first vintage was during the period of peace between the first and second world war which means, for most of his career, Cornas was a tough place to make a living making wine. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that things began to turn around and by that time, Noël was in his 70’s. Talk about perseverance. By the time he made this 1996 vintage, he had already started selling off some of his vineyards and by 2006, he was done making wine altogether. 

And this 1996? It is lighter in color than the other wines in the Cornas line-up; almost a pale garnet with a transparent core. The nose is just crazy. I just wanted to smell it for the rest of the night. Wild mixed berries, dried purple flowers, garrigue, tobacco, and coffee. This was a Cornas of elegance and thinner on the palate relative to the Allemand and Clape. Long finish. Divine with venison, umami bomb, potato and pearl onion. Drinking very well now and could hold for longer but why? — 9 months ago

Doug Powers

9.4

Smoky, meaty, lovely older Chave (East Coast import, not KLWM), very nice but not at the level of the 1988 Gentaz Cote Rôtie, though very fine. — 3 years ago

with Jim

Jay Kline

9.8

Okay, so we’ve had Gentaz and Verset along with a ridiculous collection of other truly great wines; the likes of which could have easily stood very much on their own and been the showpiece of the night. But we weren’t finished yet. So why not another mythical creature? Chave’s Vin de Paille is so rare. It’s only been made a dozen or so times in history and always in tiny numbers. The 1990 Vin de Paille pours like a liquid Tiger’s eye with notes of persimmons, golden raisins, and peach crisp. So rich and yet, not cloying. An amazing pairing with foie toast and candied chestnuts. Drink now through infinity. Honestly, I don’t know how a wine like this ever dies unless it lives a hard life. — 9 months ago

Fabian Kühlhorn

8.9

Sweet-ish yellow fruit, but dry finish. Medium bodied, round mouthfeel. I am willing to believe it will develop more complexity with a handfull of years in the cellar. — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.7

Real talk: I’m a little embarrassed to admit that this is my first experience with the wines of Domaine Champet. When I consider that their approach to winemaking is philosophically aligned with my own preferences, how did this meeting not happen before now? Maybe it’s because they only make 1000 cases of wine a year? Maybe it’s because I live in Nebraska. Whatever the reason, it no longer matters because I have now experienced what cannot be undone. For a bit of reference, the family has a rather rich, (Romain and Maxime are 4th generation), history working with vines in the “La Viallière” lieu-dit in the Côte Brune. “La Viallière” was made famous thanks to Dervieux (yes, as in Gentaz-Dervieux). The land is…improbable to farm…with some slopes close to 60°. Everything is performed by hand. This bottling, “Les Fils à Jo” focuses on the old vines from their holdings in “La Viallière”.

Popped and poured; consumed over 5 days, best on days 3-5 and the following notes reflect such. The wine pours a deep ruby with a near opaque core and pretty significant staining of the tears. Medium+ viscosity and every so slightly turbid. On the nose, blue and black fruits with bacon fat, lavender, kalamata olive, a whisper of baking spices…some white pepper, some tobacco…wild and beguiling. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium++ tannin and medium+ acid. Incredible texture. Confirming the fruit set and other aforementioned characteristics. There’s blueberry scone and an iron-ore kind of thing going "On and on and on, on and on and on; Checka checka it out, to the breaka breaka dawn". The finish is long…as in forever…and absolutely, positively divine. If tonight is any indication, this wine will drink well past 2040. Between the Levet’s and Champet’s, there are very few in Côte Rôtie making wines like this anymore. What is certain, is that this was one of those experiences where there was a time before, and a time after Champet. Certainly one of those I won’t ever forget. — 3 years ago