Northern Rhone Extravaganza: New Wines from Alain Voge
It still amazes me everyday how little people appreciate the great, mystical region of the northern Rhone. After Burgundy, this is the world's greatest region and for the money and what it can do overtime: THE GOAT! Yet, the mainstream has not caught on yet and it's mind boggling as to why. So rarely does your everyday shopper ask for a Cote Rotie or Cornas...we just don't get it. But they're suckers and now there is more for us!
And with that, we introduce one of our all time faves: Alain Voge. A sampling of this Cornas producer will be an elevated trip into sensory space and the toothbrush section of your local CVS. What I find helps is to always have lamb nearby in any format, especially north African. Cornas is a food wine of course, with the beauty of it being that it straddles the entree and becomes even lovelier as dessert on it's own. Alain Voge has been a store favorite for many years and often spoke about in numerous wine circles, but due to scarcity and lack of distributorship, most have never really had a chance to get into them. Unfortunately, Alain Voge passed away last year and the wines below are the second to last vintage of this man's work (see https://www.winespectator.com/articles/alain-voge-the-enterprising-rhone-vintner-who-revived-cornas-dies )
What you will find here are some of the better Cornas out there and a white winethat tends to be one of our best northern Rhone white sellers for reasons that are beyond me. People swear by it however.
And with that, we introduce one of our all time faves: Alain Voge. A sampling of this Cornas producer will be an elevated trip into sensory space and the toothbrush section of your local CVS. What I find helps is to always have lamb nearby in any format, especially north African. Cornas is a food wine of course, with the beauty of it being that it straddles the entree and becomes even lovelier as dessert on it's own. Alain Voge has been a store favorite for many years and often spoke about in numerous wine circles, but due to scarcity and lack of distributorship, most have never really had a chance to get into them. Unfortunately, Alain Voge passed away last year and the wines below are the second to last vintage of this man's work (see https://www.
What you will find here are some of the better Cornas out there and a white winethat tends to be one of our best northern Rhone white sellers for reasons that are beyond me. People swear by it however.
- Wines Arrive for Delivery Next Week
- 10% off any 6, 15% off any 12
2019 Alain Voge Cotes du Rhone Peyrousses
Newsletter Price: $23.99
Why is this Cotes du Rhone different than other Cotes du Rhone? A few reasons. It is 100% Syrah and in the Northern Rhone. Super rare. From both inside Cornas and Saint-Peray. Aged between 2-5 years in oak casks. Super bright red fruit with oodles of raspberry coulis and herbs de provence spice all over. Light, fine and powdery in the mouth with soft tannins.
2019 Alain Voge Saint-Peray Fleur du Crussol
Newsletter Price: $59.99
Very limited and small production. This is 100% Marsanne made in barrel with lees contact. Golden fruit driven nose with oodles of lemon cream, herbs and fine ingrained minerality. Medium bodied with fine roaming textures. A perfect white for those bored with Chardonnay.
2020 Alain Voge Saint Joseph Les Cotes
Newsletter Price: $48.99
Surprisingly not that tight and wound up although obvious there is a lot going on behind the curtains which will emerge over time. Finely tuned herbs and berries roam free like Bob Dylan's dogs and percolate with primordial cigar box and earth driven minerals. Fresh and tangy fruit is dark and dried but alive simultaneously.
2019 Alain Voge Cornas Les Chailles
Newsletter Price: $64.99
93 Points JD: Leading off the 2019s from bottle and first given the name Les Chailles in 2003, the base 2019 Cornas Les Chailles comes from multiple terroirs (Combe, Les Saveaux, Cayret, Les Mazards, Chaillot, and Chapuzes) and was destemmed and aged 18 months in used barrels. This inky hued effort offers textbook Voge aromas and flavors of red and blue fruits, violets, iron, and peppered game. Medium to full-bodied, textured, and nicely structured, it can be enjoyed today but will benefit from just a handful of years in the cellar and have 15 to 20 years of overall longevity.
Newsletter Price: $23.99
Why is this Cotes du Rhone different than other Cotes du Rhone? A few reasons. It is 100% Syrah and in the Northern Rhone. Super rare. From both inside Cornas and Saint-Peray. Aged between 2-5 years in oak casks. Super bright red fruit with oodles of raspberry coulis and herbs de provence spice all over. Light, fine and powdery in the mouth with soft tannins.
2019 Alain Voge Saint-Peray Fleur du Crussol
Newsletter Price: $59.99
Very limited and small production. This is 100% Marsanne made in barrel with lees contact. Golden fruit driven nose with oodles of lemon cream, herbs and fine ingrained minerality. Medium bodied with fine roaming textures. A perfect white for those bored with Chardonnay.
2020 Alain Voge Saint Joseph Les Cotes
Newsletter Price: $48.99
Surprisingly not that tight and wound up although obvious there is a lot going on behind the curtains which will emerge over time. Finely tuned herbs and berries roam free like Bob Dylan's dogs and percolate with primordial cigar box and earth driven minerals. Fresh and tangy fruit is dark and dried but alive simultaneously.
2019 Alain Voge Cornas Les Chailles
Newsletter Price: $64.99
93 Points JD: Leading off the 2019s from bottle and first given the name Les Chailles in 2003, the base 2019 Cornas Les Chailles comes from multiple terroirs (Combe, Les Saveaux, Cayret, Les Mazards, Chaillot, and Chapuzes) and was destemmed and aged 18 months in used barrels. This inky hued effort offers textbook Voge aromas and flavors of red and blue fruits, violets, iron, and peppered game. Medium to full-bodied, textured, and nicely structured, it can be enjoyed today but will benefit from just a handful of years in the cellar and have 15 to 20 years of overall longevity.
2019 Alain Voge Cornas Vielles Vignes
Newsletter Price: $89.99
97 Points JD: The 2019 Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes is similarly inky colored and has a classic nose of plums, Asian spices, sandalwood, and iron. Medium to full-bodied, with good acidity and ripe tannins, it doesn't have the sheer weight, richness, or girth of the Vieilles Fontaines, yet it's certainly a more classic Cornas that will be approachable with just 3-4 years of bottle age yet evolve for twenty years if you're so inclined.
2019 Alain Voge Cornas Vielles Fontaines
Newsletter Price: $159.99
97-99 Points JD: "Lastly, the flagship 2019 Cornas Les Vieilles Fontaines is a tiny selection from a single parcel of old vines that’s still resting in barrel (about 15-20% new). It brings more opulence and decadence in both its aromas and flavors, offering a monster array of mulled black fruits, smoked game, licorice, ground pepper, leather, and bouquet garni. Young and primordial, this full-bodied, concentrated, blockbuster styled Cornas has building tannins, a round, expansive mid-palate, and one incredible finish. It's going to take a decade or so to shed its considerable baby fat, but it’s a heavenly wine in the making. Note, this cuvée was first produced in 1988 and is only made in exceptional years. It comes from a single parcel of granite soils and 80-year-old vines and is named after a spring (or fountain) located on the property. It is 70% destemmed and always sees a touch of new oak."
Call to order: 212-777-3151
Or email Jeremy@somegoodwine.com