Rhone Gang Hold Up #6

Rhone Gang Hold Up #6
Vintage: 2006
Region: Southern Rhone, France
Varietal: 70% Grenache, 30% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13%
Price: $18.89
I like when old world producers take their products and put new world spin on them. This little red is a perfect embodiment of this concept. The Rhone Gang is made up of vintners from Chateau Saint Cosme, Chateau Pesquie, Chateau de Montfaucon. Their Domaine offerings are decidedly old-world, but with this project they have collaborated to make 2 special wines that break some rules. The entry level wine I am reviewing is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Pinot Noir from Southern Rhone, in France.
I served this wine initially a little cool (14 degrees Celcius), but out of the bottle, it has a nice clear light red hue to it. The nose on this wine is fresh with lively floral and raspberry notes. Mouthwise, this wine has wonderful acidity with a nice tannin structure that is evident but under control. There is wonderful fruit here as well with hints of cherry. This wine has a lot of personality and has a great freshness and zest. The finish is short and whimsical but isn’t a detractor as it isn’t meant to be complex in my mind. It does it’s job by being uncomplicated and oh so tasty. After letting this wine warm further, the fruit and aromas really opened up and accentuated this wine. I would recommend a serving temperature of about 17 degrees Celcius. Its only downfall is that it could be viewed as simplistic, but its liveliness and balance make up highly for its perceived simplicity.
The appeal for this wine is going to be for consumers looking for flexibility and finesse in a red. I would imagine it being a very easy foil to most foods, envisioning angel hair pasta with Agliolio Sauce and sauteed mushrooms for some reason. Highly recommended!
88 Points
- Rhone Gang Hold Up #6
- by Adrian Bryksa
- Published on April 8th, 2009
- Rating:
- 88 Points
More from Adrian Bryksa:
-
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz
It isn’t every day that a new child comes into the world so to celebrate his birth, I decided to dust off a bottle from the cellar of one of my favorite wines.
-
Adamas Pinot Noir
Burgundy: there are few words in the world of wine that can mean so much. Often setting an oenophilles heart aflutter, its wines are esoteric, complicated and more often than not, misunderstood.
-
Hillside Estate Pinotage
This wine rates in my top 10 Canadian wines, and I would seek it out at if you are interested in giving it a try.
-
Rhone Gang Hold Up #6
The appeal for this wine is going to be for consumers looking for flexibility and finesse in a red.
-
New Years Bubbles – 3 Sparkling Wines Blind
Although most people wait to enjoy sparkling wines for celebrations or parties, I would suggest drinking them at any time.
-
Bassermann-Jordan Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Kabinett
November 4th, 2008 a historic day for the United States and the world. I believe I may have found a historic German Riesling!
Other recent features:
-
Sónar 2010 – Barcelona, Spain
The festival attracts a lot of outsiders, but the Mediterranean, Spanish and more specifically Catalan nature of the people makes the festival what it is. Catalan people are passionate and this passion is infectious. The atmosphere is electric in Barcelona as a city and heightened by music and intoxicants at Sónar.
-
Summer Party Naval Styles at Seven RestoLounge
Oysters, like wine are affected by terroir and these Miyagi’s flavor profiles ranged with one showing a cleaner, almost tropical profile and the other being more salty, marine driven. As I was devouring the seemingly endless plates put in front of us, I sipped on a glass of fine sauvignon blanc.
-
R4NT Radio March 2010
R4NT Radio March 2010 um wow it’s been far too long since the last edition edition, featuring: Hector Hernandez, The Infesticons, Blockhead, Gramatik, Emika, Thunderheist, Parov Stelar, Eddy Meets Yannah, Anti-Pop Consortium, The Slew, Lighterthief, Andreya Triana, Parasyte Woman, Mathon, Venetian Snares, and Funki Porcini.
-
O Restaurant & Lounge revisited
Calgary has a diverse set of urban communities, most of which have the ubiquitous strip mall watering hole. In the South West community of Marda Loop, a reinvention of this paradigm has been established.
-
Predictions 2010.. and beyond!
So 2010 eh? Almost but not quite (no year zero they say) another decade? It seems like just yesterday that the world was waiting for Y2K. R4NT started publishing in March 2001, so we’re not quite 10 years old yet, but in internet years we are already a senior citizen.
-
Invictus
No matter what, the reality of Nelson Mandela is something that deserves screen time. Should this film even remotely intrigue the masses to take interest in this figure, the world would likely benefit greatly from it.

