2010 Charbonniere en primeur and tasting today
Tasting free of charge at our Bishopsgate shop from 5-7pm with winemaker Veronique Maret
On paper, the wines from Domaine de la Charbonniere should be more expensive than they are. Big chunks of La Crau, some of Brusquieres. Old vines and plenty of history, with the Maret family owning and running the domaine since 1912. But the Marets have kept cool heads and remained humble over the years, despite Mr Parker calling their domaine "impeccably managed" (2009), "outstanding" (2010), and "classic" (2011). They make carefully crafted cuvees and single-site wines that offer incredible value and a sense of place. Their newest wine is the Mourvedre-dominated super-cuvee, L'Envol. And, let's not forget one of the best values out there for Rhone fans, their Vacqueyras - certainly one of the finest made in the appellation.
Cask samples can sometimes be tough to taste - but always fun, especially with the winemaker as guide. Today we're tasting our first round of 2010 Rhones and invite you to join us along with Veronique Maret, winemaker at Domaine de la Charbonniere who will be here this evening from 5-7pm to take us all through her family's 2010s, that have elicited great scores and glowing reviews (see below).
As we like to sign off, whenever possible: don't take our (and The Wine Advocate's) word for it - come and taste for yourself. /CC
