Doug Powers

9.1

After giving up on the flawed 1990 Clos des Papes, this rich, lovely Lirac is beautiful tonight, with promise for 5+ more years of positive development, very fine! — a month ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

9.2

This Lirac blanc is 40% Marsanne, 35% Clairette, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 5% Picpoul — the Marsanne really shows out, the Grenache Blanc adds some fatness, while the Picpoul adds some nice bracing acidity, this has long been one of my favorite southern Rhone whites, this really shows the richness and power of the 2022 vintage, lovely!! — 2 months ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

9.1

Tavel-style Rose, darker pink color, medium-full bodied redfruit aromas and flavors, solid acidity, crisp and refreshing, long, lingering finish, really fine Rose!! — 7 months ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

8.9

Fresh and crisp red CdR with great acidity and juicy fruit, not terribly complex, but just a great drinker, lovely. — 2 years ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

9.3

[92% Grenache, 8% Mourvedre] Lovely ripe red-fruited Grenache with dark-fruited Mourvèdre providing additional backbone and structure, drinking well now, but the the balance and structure to last another 5-10 years, long, lingering finish. — a month ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

8.9

I’ve loved this wine for 6-7 years, since I first tasted it at Montfaucon in France, lovely redfruits and quite complex for a Lirac (CdRV), longish finish, really a lovely wine!! — 3 months ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

9.1

[40% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Counoise] So, quick backstory on this one, the proprietor of Montfaucon and my brother spent a year together at UCD in whatever degrees they each got, but it was Viticulture and Enology, about 35 years ago, which about 20 years ago led to their producer/importer relationship. Anyway, Rodolphe (Rudi) always labeled this as a Côtes du Rhône, but most of the fruit was actually grown within the confines of Lirac. Eventually Rudi decided to join the Lirac grape growers association, and separated this cuvée into Lirac “Baron Louis” and Lirac and Côtes du Rhône. So, bottom line, this 50-90 year-old-vine cuvée (apparently 12 months in small oak barrels, but I’d guess NOT new) Lirac (CdR in this case) has always drank like a mini-CdP, and this 2009 is mature, or close, but still shows great acidity and balance (14% ABV), medium-long finish, very, very fine Côtes du Rhône!! K&L in SF (direct import) and I believe Kobrand on East Coast import these wines!! Finally, for full disclosure, Rudi is a friend, I have NFI, but I do have a lot of his wines in my cellar. Anyway, not sure what vintage was “relabeled” Lirac instead of CdR, but at least starting by 2014 the “Baron Louis” you might see at retail will be “Lirac”!! — 5 months ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

9.2

Lovely aged red Rhone, this wine has 15 varietals (red and white) co-fermented and aged 12 months in oak barriques, 14% ABV, though no hint of too much, great balance and complexity, lingering finish, very fine and Special!! — a month ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

9.2

[40% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Counoise] Fresh, crisp, lively red fruits in this lovely old vine CdR (fruit from Lirac, aged 12 months in small oak barrels), unlike the 2007 (compromised by a so-so cork), this 2009 shows very well, long, lingering finish, this drinks great tonight but should hold or possibly further develop for 3-5 more years. Served with Buffalo NY strip steaks!! No music accompaniment, though — sorry @Dave! — 3 months ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

9.1

From goblet-trained old-vine Clairette in Lirac (vineyard was “planted before 1870) on a hill overlooking the Rhône on the west side of the river, this lovely white wine shows honey and minerals, also some very nice acidity to balance, Clairette (which I adore) rarely shows the more viscous textural notes I get from southern Rhône Blancs that are mostly Roussanne and/or Marsanne (the latter mostly found in the northern Rhône), very good finish, lovely wine!!
I have actually walked this vineyard (6 years ago), the gnarled old vines are a pretty cool sight!! — 7 months ago

with Jim