Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Les Trois Couronnes Cotes du Rhone, 2007

While fantasizing about how good the 2007 Grand Prieur might be (see below), I had to uncork one of the 2007 Southern Rhones I already own. My last bottle of Les Trois Couronnes was on September 21, and it has changed fairly dramatically in those three months. At that time, I was struck by a tart, almost unripe quality. Today, there's not even a hint of tartness, and I would say it's ripe, almost to a fault.

The color is deep and dark, though lighter than the Grand Prieur. Ripe red berries come forward quickly--strawberries and red raspberries. Very smooth and enjoyable with a soft finish but less structure than I remember from September. Pepper and spice emerge as the wine warms in the glass, and I would appreciate more of these elements in the months to come.

Les Trois Couronnes is a good value at $7.29 from D&W in Kalamazoo. Even with the superior vintage, it's no match for Grand Prieur. But few wines in this price range are.

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