Domaine des 3 Vallees Cotes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel

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The Domaine des 3 Vallees 2009 Cotes du Roussillon Tautavel took a big jump in price vis-a-vis its 2008 predecessor, but quality went the other way, possibly in part reflecting the challenges of the vintage and the perils of Syrah (here 40% of the blend, with Grenache and Carignan) in this part of the world. The strong points here are concentrated dark cherry and cassis mingled with mint chocolate in a strong, long performance. The downside is drying and extraneous tannin that leaves the mouth feeling faintly fuzzy, robbing the finish of whatever inherent juiciness it might have preserved in this torrid vintage.The second year releases from importer-vintner Dan Kravitz's Domaine des 3 Vallees project (in collaboration with the cooperative of Tautavel and Vingrau of which he is now a member, and who bottle other wines labeled as "Trois Vallees" inside Europe) are a disappointment after the excitement I experienced (and wrote about in issue 184) with the 2008s, so here's hoping that these 2009s, as I anticipate, represent the long-term exceptions. (But for reviews of several outstanding debut releases from another Kravitz-Tautavel-Vingrau project, "Le Cirque" and under the coop's own official name, "Les Vignerons de Tautavel Vingrau," see elsewhere in this report.) While the 3 Vallees Grenache Gris is one 2009 white that managed to convey freshness and minerality, it tastes as though this was at the expense of waiting long enough for really ripe flavors.Imported by Handpicked Selections, Warrenton, VA; tel. (540) 347 9400