Wines From Louis Cheze

It was a dark room...

I was invited by Wineworld to a lunch tasting with wines from Louis Cheze. The wines was presented by the charming Alexandre Poinard from the estate.

Before the lunch we were given this stunner to sip on.
2008 Andre Clouet Millesime
The nose is a bit shy at first but soon opens up with gorgeous notes of sweet lemons, white currants, Lily of the valley, dry caramel and minerals. Light on its feet but with depth and character. Very fine.
The taste is lightness and elegance combined with notes of yellow apples, sweet lemons, pine nuts and slate. A fine creamy finish. Still young of course, this baby is going to turn out great.
92p   (tasted 2013/11)

2012 Saint Joseph Blanc Ro-Rée, Louis Cheze
The first vintage of this cuvee was the 1990. It consists of 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne. The nose is just wonderful with its fresh notes of summer flowers, spices, cool apricots and lots of crushed rocks. A fine minerality. And a butterscotch note that reminds me of a Puligny-Montrachet. Really lovely.
The taste is fresh as a daisy, full of summer flowers, minerals, sweet lemons and spices. A good length with a fine acidity. A beautiful freshness. This can´t be bought at the state monopoly.
Wineworld estimates that if it were the price would be around 22 Euro. In that case - sign me up for a case or two!
90p   (tasted 2013/11)

2012 Condrieu Pagus Luminis, Louis Cheze
This cuvée have been made since the 1993 vintage. I will confess - I have problems with Viognier, as indicated on my presentation on the front page. It most often lacks acidity. This is better than most but still...
The nose is deep and a bit heavy handed with lots of sweet flowers, sweet minerals, flower water and dried fruits. There is quality here but not to my liking.
The taste is big, warm and broad with the same flower water note as on the nose. There is some acidity here but the fruit is too heavy (for me - others at the table were much more positive). A long, warm finish. If you like Viognier you should try this one, but it is not for me.
85p   (tasted 2013/11)

2012 Saint Joseph Ro-Rée, Louis Cheze
This Saint Joseph cuvée have been around since 1980. The 2012 version is young, upfront and fresh with notes of lingon- and blueberries, fresh herbs, a touch of resin and a spruce forest. Salivating and fine.
The taste is young, spicy and cool with notes of ripe blueberries, juniper berries, liquorice and herbs. A medium long finish with a good acidity. For near term drinking, Very good.
87p   (tasted 2013/11)

2011 Saint Joseph Ro-Rée, Louis Cheze
The 2011 is available on the state monopoly for 17 Euro. I think that the 2012 and 2010 are better wines but the 2011 holds its own. The nose is warmer than the 2012 and displays notes of ripe blueberries, violets, earth and iron. A touch of white pepper after a while.
The taste is young and tight with notes of lingonberry and blueberry bushes, earth, violets and some iron. The acidity is a bit foursquare. Good food wine.
84p   (tasted 2013/11)

2010 Saint Joseph Ro-Rée, Louis Cheze
This vintage is the winner in this vertical. The nose is spicy, fresh and elegant with notes of sweet lingon- and blueberries, veal meat, fresh rosemary and crushed white peppers. A very fine spicy character. This is good!
The taste is young, tight and focused with notes of ripe blueberries, resin, violets, veal stock and crushed white peppers. A long, elegant finish. Easy to drink big mouthfuls of. Very, very good.
89p   (tasted 2013/11)

2009 Saint Joseph Ro-Rée, Louis Cheze
The nose on the oldest Saint Joseph in the line up is warm, a bit shut down and medium deep with notes of ripe lingonberries, dry resin, dried herbs and warm rocks. A bit angular.
The taste is warm and medium bodied with notes of ripe blueberries, white peppers, seared meat and forest floor. The acidity is a bit to low. A medium long, warm finish. Not as charming as the others.
82p   (tasted 2013/11)

2011 Côte-Rôtie Belle Demoiselle, Louis Cheze
The three Côte-Rôties from Louis Cheze are all very fine wines, and they reflect the different vintages. The 2011 is a stunner with a young, refined, fresh nose with notes of sweet blueberries, bacon fat, crushed white peppers and a very fine floral note. They are 100% Syrah but given this blind I would have guessed that some Viognier (the only good purpose with Viognier...) had been blended in. Really handsome. A gorgeous nose.
The taste is young, tight and elegant with notes of ripe blueberries, violets, peppered meat and warm gravel. The finish is long and balanced. Perfect tannin structure. Still young, this will evolve into a an ever greater beauty with 3-5 years in the cellar.
93p   (tasted 2013/11)

2010 Côte-Rôtie Belle Demoiselle, Louis Cheze
The 2010 version of the "beautiful lady" has the same precious spicy character as the 2010 Ro-Rée above - a sign of the vintage? Besides the spice there are fine notes of lingon- and blueberries, fresh herbs, licorice and some veal stock. A touch warmer than the 2011. Very, very good.
The taste is tight, elegant and pure with notes of spicy blueberries, dried herbs, licorice and violets. A very fine acidity. A long, warm finish. This will also benefit from a couple of years in the cellar and will surely become even better.
91p   (tasted 2013/11)

2009 Côte-Rôtie Belle Demoiselle, Louis Cheze
This is a tad warmer than the 2010, but what fruit, what concentration, what hedonism! The nose is full of chrushed blueberries, fresh herbs, asphalt/tar, licorice, pounded meat and violet pastills. You could sit and sniff this all night long!
The taste is much more open for business than the younger vintages and the warm, sweet, spicy fruit flows over your tongue, giving immediate satisfaction. Notes of blueberry pie, licorice, cloves, fresh herbs and warn gravel. A long, warm, lovely finish. This is for drinking now and the coming 10 years. Great wine!
93p   (tasted 2013/11)