Stephen Brook | Deep in color, unsurprisingly. Ripe pears on the nose, and while it shows some evolution, it’s far from flagging. Broad and juicy, this has considerable weight and concentration. A light bitterness does detract from the palate, but while mature, it’s not on its last legs. I’m not that familiar with aged St-Péray, but this comes as a pleasant surprise, and the finish is granular and textured. Quite long. | 89
Simon Field | Deep gold, bright and lustrous; the nose a little more compromised by age, though no doubt this evolved leafy style will not want for adherents. Hazelnut, bread, white chocolate, and quince; late-season apples, with hints of caramelized almond and autumnal odes. Not without redeeming features, but perhaps a little hard for most of us to love. | 87
Andrew Jefford | Not notably darker than the 2015 wine in this instance. Creamy, warm, serene, and harmonious. Hard to pick out the individual allusions now, but this is smoothly and mellowly enticing. There’s a little lavender and verbena behind the overall honey and almond, and it draws you in. To be frank, time in the glass doesn’t necessarily improve the appeal, but things happen, and they are interesting. Deep, clean, full, mellow—but to me it tastes about 20 years old. What fast evolution! Or will the techniques being used today slow the aging process down? Anyway, this is a lovely, dignified, but elderly Northern Rhône white: harmonious, serene, but increasingly linear. Articulate, so hurry along before the lines begin to show. | 89
Details
Wine expert | Andrew Jefford Stephen Brook Simon Field |
Tastings year | 2021 |
Region | Rhône |
Appellation | AOC |
% Alcohol By Volume | 13 |
Cave de Tain

