Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape, 1981

The best thing about turning 82 is to have wines like this to help me celebrate. The accompanying photo is to emphasize that food and wine are inseparable. My taste buds are still vibrating in memory of the flavors of double cut lamb chops with garlic-caper rub combined with the 1981 Vieux Telegraphe.

Still some red in the center shading to brick. Not as much sediment as the 1986 Beaucastel we had a few days ago. Beautiful smells that become bigger and more complex as the meal goes on. Red fruit, flowers and Provencal herbs. Sweet on entry, rich on the mid palate with red berries and licorice on the beautiful, long finish. Beautifully preserved for a 40-year-old wine. Every bit as good, maybe a tad better than the 1986 Beaucastel. VT and Beaucastel were the two Chateauneufs that dominated the market in the early to mid-1980s, and it's become increasingly clear to me that they still rank near the top.

La Ferme Julien Rouge, 2019

 I still had a few sips of the Beaucastel left from Friday night, so I was able to experience the Perrin Family finesse from top to bottom in one night. And I was impressed.

Beaucastel, of course, was initiated by the Perrin Brothers who branched out into Famille Perrin, makers of many excellent Southern Rhone wines. La Ferme Julien, a label made for Trader Joe's, is bascally the same wine as La Vieille Ferme. At $5.99, it is, in my opinion, the number one wine value to be found anywhere.  After a sip of the 1986 Beaucastel (market value: $100), I decided that the wine with a donkey on the label falls directly in line with Perrin standards.

Dark red. Red and black berries with spice and black pepper. Grenache, Syrah, Counoise and Cinsault from well chosen vineyards. Smooth, clean, well balanced. Good acid. No oak or cosmetic additions. Made according to the finest Southern Rhone traditions. The quote from DaVinci is appropriate. "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

Chateau de Fieuzal Graves Blanc, 1983

I bought quite a few white Graves wines during the 1980s, and I expected them to age moderately well. My interest faded, though, and this bottle lingered in the cellar longer than I expected. As I near my 82nd birthday, I am focusing on older wines, and this bottle ended up being a good choice.

Rich, moderately deep yellow color. Color deepens only slightly as it is exposed to oxygen during the meal. Lanolin, figs, wax beans. The blend is 50% Semillon and 50% Sauvignon Blanc, but I don't detect any smells or flavors I associate with Sauvignon Blanc. Nor do I detect the French oak in which it was aged.  Full body, rich mouth feel and texture, even some tannin-again more Semillon than Sauvignon. Not great but a good dinner wine.

Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape, 1986

This 1986 Beaucastel was unusually hard and tannic during the 1990s but has now developed significant elegance and finesse in the Beaucastel style. 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 10% Cinsault plus 15% of other Chateauneuf blending grapes.

Medium brick color. The cork was stained black with sediment all the way to the top but was still sound and came out with no problem using the Durand cork screw. Even before decanting, the wine was showing very well. Lifted aromas of red fruit, violets, leather. Medium bodied with excellent acid/tannin balance and a long, glorious finish. Red berries galore; incredible fruit presence for a 35-year-old wine. Lives up to the Beaucastel standards. I would suggest decanting rather than extended aeration.
 

Pelassa Mario's Rosso, 2013

This is an inexpensive, easy drinking red wine from the Piedmont area of Italy that was brought in by Peloton Imports and sold on WineBid. com. It is a blend of Barbera, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. As I am discovering, well grown Barbera can make almost any wine better.

Bright ruby red. Barbera cherry and red currant plus Cabernet black currant and Merlot tea. Classy fragrance that carries over to the palate. Medium bodied and dry. Black tea and lead pencil. Soft, persistent flavors that would enhance nearly any meal. Good acidity
 

E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone, 2013

My first taste of Guigal Cotes du Rhone was with the 1976 vintage. I bought and enjoyed a case and have been coming back to the wine periodically ever since. With a relatively high percentage of Syrah, it is always an enjoyable wine.

Deep and dark with good color saturation almost to the rim. Smells are on target and fine: red and black fruit with cassis and black pepper. Rich and full on the mid-palate. Tannins open up to reveal fruit and peppery spice. A finish that persists on the tongue and in the mind. Guigal CDR has a good reputation for aging, and this wine could go on for several years. But it is too good to pass by right now,. Better, I think, than the 2014 Guigal CDR I had a few months ago.
  

Domaine du Mas de Rey Coeur de Camargue, 2015

When I walked into my local supermarket, Crosstown Fresh in Kalamazoo, I noticed two large grocery carts filled with wine bottles. "Wines 3 for $10," said the sign. I am never one to pass up a wine because it seems too cheap, and the labels told me that at least one was worth a try.

Very deep gold color but there is nothing else about the wine that suggests oxidation. Actually, the wine is quite fresh and lively. Blood orange, tangerine and minerals. Ripe, without the tang of Sauvignon Blanc, but plenty of citric acidity. The wine is a blend of 60% Chasan (which was created by crossing Chardonnay with Listan (Palomino in Spain), 20% Sauvignon and 20% Gros Manseng. Gros Manseng probably contributes to the deep gold color. An excellent Spring and Summer wine that should go well with salads or fresh vegetables.

Needless to say, I went back for another 9 bottles