Tom at Jewel Lake here. Whenever I am asked what my favorite wine is the temptation is to say “The one in my glass,” a line stolen from Hugh Johnson (among others I suspect). But when push comes to shove a good bottle of Rhone always makes a nice candidate.

A great one is even better.

Chateau Mont Redon is a large historic property in the middle of the high plateau of Chateauneuf du Pape and 2007 was an absolutely spectacular vintage in the southern Rhone. It’s a nice combination. The wine is a beguiling blend of grenache, syrah, cinsault, mouvedre with a touch each of counise, muscardin and vaccarese (remember those last three, there’ll be a quiz later).

Aged half in Burgundian barrels and half in stainless steel the wine’s aroma is a heady melting pot of exotic dark plum and ripe fig sprinkled with Asian spices and the palate follows through with spicy cherry licorice and mineral notes framed in by silky tannins.

Rated 92, 91 and 90 points by Stephen Tanzer, Wine Entusiast and Wine Spectator respectively.

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