I'm a bit late to the party in terms of Southern France 2007s. Parker declared 2007 Rhones the greatest thing since the 100 point system about a year ago, but I just kind of don't care that much for hype that causes prices to skyrocket. Maybe there was something to it after all. The more famous terroirs may be overdone/oversold, while the less famous regions could have hit their sweet spot. Pic St. Loup in Languedoc is one such less famous zone, and while it's not technically part of the Rhone, I'd hazard to guess the same macro weather patterns were present.
Which brings me to the delicious Chateau La Roque 2007 Pic St. Loup Rouge. It's quite ripe in its fruit character, yes, but at 13.5% ABV it carries itself with poise and complexity. It's a steal for $15 to $20. There is some ambiguity in which cuvee this is, though, as La Roque makes several and the bottle is labeled simply as Rouge on the front but incorrectly as Rose on the back. It's definitely not their Mourvedre, but could be either their basic cuvee that is mostly Grenache with some Syrah and Mourvedre or their blend of 2/3 Syrah and 1/3 Mourvedre. Either way, this is good stuff. I've also tasted the Mourvedre bottling and that's even better, so chances are you can't go wrong with this producer's 2007s. This is a Kermit Lynch import, by the way.
Which brings me to the delicious Chateau La Roque 2007 Pic St. Loup Rouge. It's quite ripe in its fruit character, yes, but at 13.5% ABV it carries itself with poise and complexity. It's a steal for $15 to $20. There is some ambiguity in which cuvee this is, though, as La Roque makes several and the bottle is labeled simply as Rouge on the front but incorrectly as Rose on the back. It's definitely not their Mourvedre, but could be either their basic cuvee that is mostly Grenache with some Syrah and Mourvedre or their blend of 2/3 Syrah and 1/3 Mourvedre. Either way, this is good stuff. I've also tasted the Mourvedre bottling and that's even better, so chances are you can't go wrong with this producer's 2007s. This is a Kermit Lynch import, by the way.
2007 Château La Roque Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St. Loup - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St. Loup
This is really good, great QPR. Bouquet of cassis, blueberry, smoked meat, game, garrigue, mint and subtle oak nuances. Essentially a ripely fruited medium bodied wine. Spot on balance in terms of texture, acid and tannin. Long finish with a hint of dried herbs, chocolate and mint really does it for me. It's fairly modern and clean, but also has that classic French complexity and balance. Has the polish and balance of a wine that could cost double the price.
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