Rabasse Charavin Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne, 2004

Cairanne is my favorite Cotes du Rhone Villages, and Rabasse Charavin is rapidly overtaking Domaine de l'Oratoire Saint Martin as my favorite Cairanne wine. Unfortunately, not much of this wine is shipped to the United States. I bought this 2004 at auction--at a good price because other buyers apparently were reluctant to take a chance on a nine-year-old CDR Villages. L'Oratoire, in fact, is usually best at five to eight years of age. This 2004 Rabasse Charavin, though, is not showing any signs of fading.

Deep ruby color. Has all the ripe, round red fruits that are to be expected from Cairanne but a whole lot more. Lots of skin tannins produce almost a tart quality on the first night that develops into deep dark cherry flavors on the second night. This wine is still young. Black pepper, tobacco and spice. Lovely fruit.

As good as this wine is, it pales by comparison with the 1999 Rabasse Charavin Cuve Estevenas I bought at the same auction for the same price for the same reason. Wish somebody would bring these wines into my marketing area.