The Values of The Decade in Fine Red Wines

 ‘98 was a momentous breakthrough year for the wines of the Southern Rhone Valley

If the label on a well known French wine raises your expectations of a flavor adventure, but you are wary (with justification) of the continual big prices on any of the Bordeaux or Burgundies you recognize, know ye now that hope is in sight. You will not however get it from the  hypemasters of the above two areas who in many cases have the scruples of a used car salesman. They generally will say anything to sell an off year vintage at the same price as a wine of the decade .Hope comes now from the generally overlooked wines of the Rhone Valley and particularly those of the South around Avignon.

 Until recently the wines of this area were looked upon with justifiable disdain as being inconsistent and even occasionally fraudulent.  The vintners of the Rhone, however, have worked hard to bring their reputation up to the two elite Bs. Until recently Rhones pressed mostly from pressed mostly from Grenache and Syrah Grapes have rarely measured up in quantity or quality to the B Boys although when done right some were superb exceptions. However, with the ’98 vintage now being marketed they have surpassed their goals in both quality and quantity. They are offering true wines of the decade at “vin ordinaire” prices.

And this is particularly true of the premium wine appellation Chateauneuf -du-Pape (new home of the Pope) that by name alone can conjure up thoughts of romantic wonders. There are a couple of dozen choices out there if you can locate them. The prices range from $25 with many just slightly above that to as high as $90 for the high rollers with little quality differences. Your best bet is to go to your neighborhood wine merchant and enlist his aid.

The runaway value of the ’98 vintage at $25 is Le Vieux Donjon (I think that means old jail).  It compares with wines at $100. It has all the flavors you could think of combined with a great finish. Perhaps a little young right now, it could be cellared for 5 to 15 years. That  alone should appeal to all of you who received $2500 wine cellars for the holidays and have figured out that you don’t need it to store white zinfandel or cheap merlot. It might be hard to find since the word is out. But 50,000 bottles were produced.

But there are lots of other Chateuneuf de-Pape reds at slightly higher prices as well as cheaper choices from Cotes du Rhone-Villages and Gigondas. There are 200,000 bottles each of Chateau de la Gardine and Domaine du Vieux Telegraph Chateau du-Pape out there at about $35 along with 450,000 bottles of the almost comparable Chateau Mont-Redon.

Cotes du Rhone-Villages wines, though a cut below Chateau du-Pape, are excellent values in the $15 and less range. Look for 99s from Domaine Brusset Calranne, Domaine de la Renjarde Reserve, Domaine de l’Amellaud Calranne and Domaine de la Remejeanne Los Genevriers.

Finding any of these wines will take a little effort. You might find them in the supermarket but I doubt it. I think you will have to enlist the help of an individual wine merchant.   “Cherchez le vin”.