Tardieu-Laurent Les Becs Fins Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2009
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A wine that is also already in bottle and a terrific bargain is the 2009 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Les Becs Fins. Aged totally in tank, this blend is dominated by Grenache, with some Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvedre. A relatively large cuvee by Michel Tardieu’s standards, it exhibits super-deep black raspberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with licorice, lavender, and a hint of Provencal herbs. Round, corpulent, generous, and full-bodied, it is a dazzling effort for this price point and can be drunk over the next 4-5 years.
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Wine Spectator
A dark, sappy, winey core of blackberry, crushed cherry and currant paste fruit flavors are backed by maduro tobacco notes and a twinge of anise, with a mouthfilling finish. Drink now through 2012. 1,088 cases imported.
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Tardieu-Laurent is very much an "artisan" producer, making between half a dozen and 20 or so barrels of each wine. The majority of the wines are from the southern Rhône although superb cuvees of Cote Rôtie and Hermitage are also produced. The wines are all aged in small oak casks (often 100% new) and bottled with no fining nor filtration. Michel Tardieu proclaims himself as a confirmed terroirist, insisting that his aim with each appellation is to express powerfully the fruit and sense of place, never masking these factors with wood.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Typically thought of as a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, the term Côtes du Rhône actually doesn’t merely apply to the flatter outskirts of the major southern Rhône appellations, it also includes the fringes of well-respected northern Rhône appellations. White wines can be produced under the appellation name, but very little is actually made.
The region offers some of the best values in France and even some first-rate and age-worthy reds. Red wine varieties include most of the Chateâuneuf-du-Pape varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise, as well as Carignan. White grapes grown include Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Viognier, among others.