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I invited my friend Lassallete Newton to join me for a wine and cheese event that focused on red wines from the Rhone valley region of France. The title for this post is more than perfect. I thought it would be fun if we didn't know which wine was which! One wine was $24.95, one was $10.95, and one was $9.95 (all prices from the Vintage Cellar). Not only is this a wine and cheese pairing, but it's also a fun blind taste test that allowed us to see if we could detect a difference between the wines. Is the most expensive wine the best? Is a cheaper wine just as good as the more expensive one? Please note that I am a college student and therefore do not have fancy decanters, so I let the Rhone wines decant in three pitchers for 2 hours. I think letting them open up for that long incredibly benefitted the wines!
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Image Above: [Background] three Rhone valley wines from Southern France, labeled with 1, 2, and 3
[Foreground] three cheeses (left to right): Sartori Merlot Belavitano, Roth Kasse Butter Kase, & Murray Pawlet
Mystery Rhone 1:
I enjoyed the nose on this wine very much; I detected black cherry, and black raspberry predominantly, with some hint of spice. This wine had a very nice taste to it as well, exposing itself with spices, cherries, and bitterness that sat on the back of your tongue for about 10 seconds. I think I finally understand what people say when they describe the wine as "round" because that's exactly the word that came to mind! I tried this wine with the three cheese and have written responses below:
Sartori Merlot: YES
Roth Kasse: NO
Murray Pawlet: YES
Mystery Rhone 2:
Out of the two wines I've tasted so far, this one is my favorite. After swirling and doing a sniffy-sniff, I could smell raspberries, strawberries, and even an herb of some type [thyme or rosemary maybe?]. This is one smooth, silky wine and delivered much of the fruit I described above. I tried this wine with the three cheese and have written responses below:
Sartori Merlot: YES <--- excellent with this cheese!
Roth Kasse: YES
Murray Pawlet: YES
Mystery Rhone 3:
This wine was a major disappointment. I smelled the wine for a few minutes but really couldn't get a nose. Taste-wise, it was tart and acidic; not a good wine to drink. I tried this wine with the three cheese and have written responses below:
Sartori Merlot: NO
Roth Kasse: YES <--- made the wine taste slightly less acidic, but not the best
Murray Pawlet: NO
~ Removing the Veil ~
Mystery Rhone 1!Name: Segries Cotes du Rhone
Grape: Grenche, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $10.95 (Vintage Cellar)
Wine Review:
"Full-bodied but approachable, this wine shows a slightly horsey edge on the nose, and pleasingly suede-like flavors and textures underlying the raspberry fruit. It’s a complex mélange that should likely be consumed over the next couple of years. — J.C." Wine Enthusiast Review
Personal Opinion:
I would recommend this wine to someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of money on a good red wine from Rhone. I mean this wine was $10.95, not too bad for special occasions as a college student!
Personal Score: G (3.8/5)
Mystery Rhone 2!Name: Secret de Princes Chateauneuf du Pape
Grape: Grenche, Syrah, Mourvedre
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $24.95 (Vintage Cellar)
Wine Review:
"The 2013 Secret des Princes delivers aromas of raspberries, and red berries followed by wet stones along with hints of chocolate-licorice and rosemary. The medium body is supported by fine tannins and a silky texture as it heads into the clean and delicate finish. Composed of 90% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah. (Best 2015-2019) - J.D." International Wine Report
Personal Opinion:
This one was my favorite of the bunch and rightfully so. I would definitely recommend this wine to anyone who wants to impress your boss with a stellar Rhone wine. It's not a typical cabernet sauvignon or merlot; this wine focuses on the grape, grenche, and does an excellent job of letting the fruit do the talking!
Personal Score: VG (4.5/5)
Mystery Rhone 3!Name: Arnoux Seigneur de Lauris Cotes du Rhone
Grape: Grenche
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2014
Price: $9.95 (Vintage Cellar)
Winemaker's Note:
"Produced with grapes that have been selected very carefully, its vinification and maturation process build into this wine a very strong personality, with its fruity nose, its spicy pepper notes and its touches of vanilla. In mouth, fruity and generous, its long and round finish develops a subtle bouquet, lightly woody after aging 5 to 8 years."
Personal Opinion:
It baffles me that between this wine and the first Rhone wine, the difference is by a single dollar...yet that single dollar makes a world of difference with taste! I almost hate saying this but unlike the Secret de Princes being an "impress your boss wine", this one is for a friend who isn't really a friend but you have to uphold a relationship of some kind. I was very disappointed in this Rhone wine.
Personal Score: NG (2.8/5)
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