Since I enjoyed the Les Laurentides so much, I thought I might as well try and find a bottle of La Sagasse. I knew I had a couple of bottles, but it took a little bit of digging to find one. One of these days I will get my wine life organized.
As I have written before, Domaine Gramenon is one of the most respected producers in the Rhône. In his book on the wines of the Rhône valley, Robert Parker classified Gramenon in the same category as Beaucastel and Fonsalette. In 1998, owner Phillipe Laurent nearly doubled the area of his vineyards by purchasing some 50 acres in Vinsobres. A year later, he died in a tragic accident and his wife decided to sell some 35 acres the Perrin brothers at Beaucastel. Michelle Aubery-Laurent and her son Maxim-François continue making wines in a pretty natural way, with sulphur dioxide used just at assemblage. Their vineyards are farmed organically, and they never filter or fine their wines.
Their wines are not very well known in the United States as they are available on a limited basis. I found Gramenon’s wines through Kermit Lynch’s newsletter. He described them as a pure expression of biodynamically farmed, old vine Grenache with knock-out fruit flavors tempered by a core of strong minerality. Some might not want to pay $30 for a bottle of Côtes du Rhône, but I was able to pick up a sampler pack of their wine from Kermit Lynch at 25% off and each one of the wines has been a winner.
La Sagasse is 100% old vine Grenache. I like Gramenon’s wines a bunch and given that I am a card carrying member of the Grenache-positive movement, I had pretty high expectations prior to opening. The wine had me at first pour, showing a beautiful crushed purple velvet color in the glass. Provocative nose of dark cherry, blackberry with some pepper, garrigue and a little motor oil. On the palate, silky smooth, ripe and dense fruit. Black cherry, blackberry, raspberry with plum, espresso and graphite. La Sagesse is my favorite of the 2007s from Gramenon (though Les Laurentides is a close second) and to date, this wine along with the wines from Domain Richaud and Les Aphillanthes are my favorite Côtes du Rhônes from the ‘07 vintage. Strongly recommended.
14% alcohol. 50 cases imported by Kermit Lynch.
Favorites from Côtes du Rhône 2007
Domaine Gramenon Sierra du Sud
Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône
Domaine Gramenon Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône
Les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône
Domaine Richaud Côtes du Rhône-Villages-Cairanne
Domaine Richaud Côtes du Rhône Terres de Galets
Escaravailles Côtes du Rhône
[...] Côtes du Rhônes from the 07 vintage: Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007 Escaravailles Côtes du Rhônes 2007 Côtes du Rhône Maxime-François Laurent Il Fait Soif [...]
[...] Côtes du Rhônes from the 07 vintage: Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007 Domaine Gramenon Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône 2007 Côtes du Rhône Maxime-François Laurent [...]
[...] Côtes du Rhônes from the 07 vintage: Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007 Domaine Gramenon Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône 2007 Côtes du Rhône Maxime-François Laurent [...]
[...] Côtes du Rhônes from the 07 vintage: Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007 Domaine Gramenon Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône 2007 Côtes du Rhône Maxime-François Laurent [...]
[...] — and I wanted to pull out some wines to mark a very special occasion. The wines included: Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2001 (links to La Sagesse 2007) Domaine Monier St. Joseph Terre Blance 2007 Domaine Gramenon Sierra du Sud [...]
[...] Côtes du Rhônes from the 07 vintage: Domaine Gramenon Sierra du Sud 2007 Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007 Domaine Gramenon Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône 2007 Côtes du Rhône Maxime-François Laurent [...]
[...] from Côtes du Rhône 2007 Domaine Gramenon Sierra du Sud Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône Domaine Gramenon Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône Les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône Domaine Richaud [...]
[...] Côtes du Rhônes 2007 Domaine Gramenon Sierra du Sud Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône Domaine Gramenon Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône Les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône Domaine Alary [...]
[...] Sonoma Coast Chileno Vally Pinot Noir 2006 (or any Pinot from Rhys) Passopisciaro Sicily IGT 2005 Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007 Les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône 2007 Domaine Richaud Côtes du Rhône Terres de Galets 2007 [...]
[...] of Richaud’s wines would be on my list along with the 2007 Domaine Gramenon Sierra du Sud and La Segasse, the 2005 Basetti from Edmunds St John, the wines of Ariana Occhipinti and a number of 2007 [...]