TNs: Rhone & Friends head to the beach...

[JonoB]

... Or rather to a local Italian restaurant for Mayuko's birthday!

2012 Conegliano, Prosecco Superiore, Sainbury's Taste the difference
lots of green apple, chalk and freshness, simple, appealing and loveable. Quite round and fruit driven, with lovely herby balance. A great little Prosecco that ticks plenty of boxes in a slightly modern package. 52/100

2007 Bourgogne Blanc "Cuvée Oligocène; Patrick Javillier
butter, lemon, lime, some resin and wax, lovely rounded freshness, some heather and white flowers, quite broad, but with some focus. Slightly sappy with undertones of almonds, lemon curd... It has still a sake like texture, rich and buttery, but the acid never fails to kick in and make it lovely. Perhaps a more complete and focused bottle than last. Classic and lovely. I haven't had the time to follow over a meal but this is similar in style. I think with a few hours, this will develop that mature character of the previous bottle. This may be a touch more backward, but I think that will be more to do with cork variation than any other issue. 66/100

1997 Hermitage Blanc; Domaine Jean-Louis Chave
honeyed, rich, perfumed, lots of flowers and decayed gooseberry, some wax, focused, fresh and with a raw peanut note, never heavy. Lovely freshness and zip. Nutty, sunflower oil, white olive, lots of breathe and length. Soft and loveable, but in a silky, elegant, pashmina blowing in the wind sort of way. Quite lovely and subtle... 72/100

2007 L'Âme Soeur, Terres de Viennae; Michel & Stephane Ogier
silky, smooth and regal, lots of well judged new oak, but it never tastes woody. Pepper, garrique, dark plum and some red cherries freshness. Lots of sweet dark fruit, minty, menthol, sappy and rich but beautifully balanced with unbelievably soft tannins. Some shale and sea-shells with hints of salinity, but the richness and svelte character and length is the key here. Loads of herbs and vibrant fruit. 68+/100 the wonderfully talented young wipper-snapper, who clearly is good at what he does but you really want them to calm down and mellow before you come back and talk to them!

2006 Côte-Rôtie; René Rostaing
lots if gritty crushed pepper, minerals, burnt matches, much leaner in its dark fruit profile but still with good freshness and intense fruit. Sea air and perfume, lots of lean salinity; this is a fishermen just off the water with all his wares to sell to the locals. Much crisper and leaner. Bacon fat, lots of poised and elegant length. Not a person to argue with, but someone imminently cool to know. 69-72+/100 A person who your mother tells you not to talk to, but you really want to talk to about life and times at great length, incredibly endearing.

The L'Âme Soeur is the rich kid with the sun tan and the tattoos, who lives on the beach and gets all the girls who buys all the fish from the Rostaing to cook for dinner, telling his mother how he got all this great fish from a friend.

[jmccready]

What food would you match with the white Rhone? I don't see many notes on well aged white Rhones. If I was collecting again they
sure would be near the top of my list for whites. JM

[JonoB]

I'd probably say for the fresher styles white fish, grilled or fried... Perhaps with a creamy sauce for Older wines or richer styles.

[DavidG]

Agree with Jono. Also pork or veal in a white sauce or with tapenade.