Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Cotes du Rhone Villages Valreas Cuvee Prestige Les Vignerons de l'Enclave des Papes, 2007

The 2007 is still the vintage of the moment for this Valreas Prestige, available at Trader Joe's for $5.99 a bottle. The wine has always been one of my Trader Joe favorites, and this vintage is particularly noteworthy.

The promise that I saw in my earlier bottles has pretty much been realized, although there is still some growth to come. It's still a deep purplish crimson; the fresh berry scents now have hints of fresh ground peppercorn and Provencal herbs. There is a depth and complexity that is highly unusual in a wine at this price level, and the texture is silky smooth with no signs of heat or over-ripeness.

A Valreas Val des Rois available across town at Village Corner in Ann Arbor is without question a superior wine--but at two and one-half times the price. The 2004 Val des Rois holds a special place in my cellar; I have not yet tried the 2007 but plan to buy some soon.

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