Domaine des Grands Devers 2007 Tasting Notes

Côtes du Rhône-Villages rouge 2005
Côtes du Rhône-Villages blanc 2006

Our Option wines this year come from the 2005 and 2006 vintages.  After the canicule or unforgettable heatwave conditions of 2003 the weather in both these years fortunately remained normal.  It is always pretty hot in this area of France, but by ‘normal’ we mean a more balanced summer of seasonal temperatures and rainfall.  Throughout France 2005 has been acclaimed as being particularly good.

Our red Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2005 is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. It is deep garnet in colour and has a strong, complex bouquet of fruit, notably strawberry and blackberry, with notes of sage and rosemary from the spicy garrigue that surrounds the Syrah vines on the plateau behind the house.  There is also a hint of the undergrowthy scent of the truffles that the Bouchard brothers love to go hunting for in the adjacent woods.  On the palate it has rich, dark fruits, fine, supple tannins and an elegant finish.  Especially recommended to accompany lamb (for which Valréas is locally famous), turkey with chestnut stuffing and chicken liver pâté.

Our white Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2006 is a blend of 60% of the flavoursome Viognier, 20% Marsanne, and 20% Roussanne.  A green harvest (deliberate removal of excess unripe bunches of grapes) in summer, followed by hand picking and careful grape selection keeps the yield down to around a very low 40 hectolitres per hectare.  Low yields always produce a higher quality wine and this white has a fresh, floral and fruity bouquet of white flowers and peaches.  It is dry and refreshing, delicious on its own or with grilled fish.  We tasted this at the beginning of March this year, sitting on the Bouchard terrace in some late afternoon sun – heaven!