U.S. Rhone Varietals Earn Praise From French

At a time when wine sales in the United States are sinking, wine people seem eager to palaver instead of pour.

In an 11-day period, within 60 miles of each other in northern California, six wine conferences were staged. Most of the forums focused on the sad state of the industry, or niches of it. Only one had a totally upbeat tone, and it was staged by a group that hasn’t yet even got a formal name.

This group spoke in glowing terms of the red wines of France’s Rhone Valley. Moreover, the meeting showed the dedication of a tiny group of California producers who are attempting to emulate Rhone wines, using the same grape varieties.

The two-day International Colloquium on Rhone Varietals at the Meadowood Country Club brought together two dozen top wine makers from the Rhone with a like number of their smooth-cheeked American colleagues.

Presentations (simultaneously translated) enlightened both sides, as did multiple tastings of each other’s wines.

And the high quality of the U.S. Rhone-type wines surprised the French, many of whom had come 6,000 miles expecting to be merely avuncular. They would pat the U.S. kids on the head, say something platitudinous, like, “Keep trying,” and go home happy that they still made the best wines of the type.

What they saw instead was a raging fire of New World passion as well as an array of wines the high quality of which they had never envisioned. Most of the U.S. wines were so impressive (despite the short time they’ve been made) that a couple of the French participants surreptitiously asked if they could take some back home to show neighbors.

The meeting was organized by Joseph Phelps Winery of the Napa Valley and McDowell Valley Vineyards of Mendocino County, two of the state’s most dedicated producers of Syrah. Some funding came from the Food and Wines of France program.

Participants (who paid $800 each to attend) spoke glowingly of the Syrah grape, which is at the heart of the northern Rhone wines such as Hermitage. Syrah is not to be confused with the coarser American Petite Sirah, also called Duriff in the Rhone. Petite Sirah, they say, makes tannic, astringent wine. Syrah doesn’t.

The French also said the Grenache grape plays a greater role in the spice, fruitiness and depth of Rhone wines than some American wine makers realized.

Grenache is widely planted in southern Europe, but is considered here little more than the basis for a pleasant rose.

Some of the Californians were upset to hear that a healthier dose of Grenache would benefit some of their Rhone blends because so little Grenache is planted in California’s fine-wine growing regions. Most of the Grenache here grows in hot climates, where it’s hard to make great wine.

The Californians spoke of the increasing importance to them of the Mourvedre grape, also called Mataro, in their classic blends. Mourvedre also is in limited supply in the fine wine regions of the state.

Still, the quality of the California wines seen at a major tasting of them here proves that the local Rhone-type wines are already exceptional, although many of them are in very short supply and available only at wine shops operated by savvy aficionados.

The wines listed below (in random order) are not cheap, a product of their limited production. But all are recommended.

1988 Qupe Syrah “Bien Nacido Vineyard” ($20): Amazingly fruity and peppery, both green and black, with an olive, anise/tar background. Rich and dense without the coarse tannins often associated with such deeply colored wines.

1988 Cline Cellars Oakley Cuvee ($11) : Marvelous black cherry fruit, although a bit simple; not yet well knit. The wine is 51% Mourvedre, 30% Zinfandel, 19% Carignane.

1988 Columbia Syrah ($12): A Washington wine and an exciting one. Muted cherry and chocolate notes with a soft, rich texture in the mouth. A deep-flavored, but tannic wine from the famed Red Willow vineyard.

1988 Edmunds St. John “Les Cotes Sauvage” (about $15, to be released Sept. 1): More Grenache (48%) and Mourvedre (24%) than Syrah (20%), this wine offers an intriguing spice alongside a red pepper element. One of the Frenchmen said it also had an aroma note like “dusty undergrowth.” Superb wine. Only 500 cases were made.

1988 Ojai Syrah ($10): Chunky chocolate notes wrapped around cedar and ripeness. Slightly short finish, but approachable and fun to drink with sausages or other peppery dishes.

1985 Phelps Syrah ($14): Complex wine showing hints of pepper, cherry, tobacco and earth. Excellent balance with no harsh tannins.

1988 Santino Satyricon ($14): Delicate raspberry jam aroma is enhanced by faint earthy elements. An excellent wine based on Grenache (45%) and Syrah ($43%). Some 2,200 cases were produced.

1987 Sierra Vista Syrah ($15): Earthy tar/anise notes overlay wonderful berry fruit. The wine needs a couple of years to develop that green pepper Syrah character, but it’s enjoyable today.

1988 William Wheeler RS Reserve ($10): A new entry from this Sonoma County winery, the wine has good cherry/strawberry fruit muted by an earthy depth. This lighter textured wine is enjoyable now, though it will improve. A good value. About 2,700 cases were produced.

1987 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant ($15): Not as dark and intense as some, but perfectly structured with cherry, orange peel and spice elements. One of the top wines in the market of this type.

1988 Bonny Doon Clos du Gilroy ($10): This Beaujolais-ish wine is deeply fruity and quaffable. Its label shows the humor of wine maker Randall Grahm, who has on the side of the label the name “Cuvee Tremblement de Terre,” because the wine survived the October 1989 earthquake.

Also exciting is the 1989 McDowell Grenache, previously recommended here, but the best wine in the room was an amazing 1989 dry rose from Phelps made from Grenache.

Dry rose has been a hard sell in recent years, but this wine is a stunning example of why the Grenache grape is prized in the Rhone in making the dry Tavel roses. It is amazingly fruity (strawberry, cranberry, pomegranate) and has a lush mouth feel though it is totally dry. It is not yet priced, but probably will be about $9. To be released Sept. 1. About 1,100 cases were produced. Worth looking for.

All in all, the California Rhones showed extremely well and proved that the handful of local Rhone varietal producers are at the forefront of a major tidal wave that could excite consumers like nothing since Cabernet grabbed the spotlight two decades ago.

After a final dinner that concluded two intensive days, Marcel Guigal of the Rhone house bearing his family name said to Bruce Neyers of Phelps, who worked on the details of the conference for nearly a year: “When can we do this again?”

“It made me feel like a million bucks,” said Neyers.