Chateau De Fonsalette
Chateau de Fonsalette
Réservé Côtes du Rhône Red Rhône Blend 2012
I have a few bottles of 1980s Fonsalette in my cellar, not sure which vintages (I’d be laid up physically for 2-3 weeks if I seriously went through the boxes they might be in), but I AM CERTAIN that I must still have some bottles of the 2-cases of the 1983 Fonsalette “Cuvée Syrah” in the cellar, those bottles were always incredible!! I’ll try to find the box those bottles are in, and if I have more than one bottle, will save one for you!!
Keep the stories coming!!
Domaine Gramenon
Sierra du Sud Côtes du Rhône Syrah
Phenomenal value for an ageable Syrah heavy Cotes du Rhone. Like a baby fonsalette, cracked pepper red and purple fruit savory warm sand and herbs. Light to medium body, crushable with great acid and still kicking on day 2. — 5 years ago
Château Rayas
Reserve Château de Fonsalette Côtes du Rhône Red Rhone Blend 2006
2006 vintage. Opened and put aside for a half hour, then decanted and tasted after an hour. Excellent fill and cork with minimal sed. Rusty, brickish color. Earthy, spicy nose. Light bodied. Phenomenal amounts of undying back palate push and spice “componentry” to vault this into Holy Bleep territory. Another decade at this level. Such a pleasure. 04.18.25. — 9 months ago
Château Rayas
Château de Fonsalette Réservé Côtes du Rhône Red Rhône Blend 2007
Predominantly Grenache with a fair bit of cinsault, meatier than his famous brother Rayas but still a great Côtes du Rhône. Drink now.
— 3 years ago
A Tribute to Grace Wines
Santa Barbara Highlands Grenache 2018
Delicious Grenache. Fonsalette lite — 9 months ago
Chateau de Fonsalette
Réservé Côtes du Rhône Syrah 1985
A brilliant aged Syrah more reminiscent of Cote Rotie than anything else. It keeps getting more youthful and complex with air. Fantastic. — 7 years ago
Chateau de Fonsalette
Réservé Côtes du Rhône Syrah
Dream. Herbs. Game. Fruit. — 8 years ago
Tom Casagrande
About to go outside and grill some Christmas lamb chops. I cannot tell you how many times bottles of various vintages of this special wine purchased on secondary markets—which is the only way worker bees like me can score Fonsalette—have disappointed. But, in a Christmas Miracle, this one’s pristine and sooooo good. Cork intact, very little saturation. High fill. A little amber at the rim, but no more than to be expected for its age. Lovely nose is opening with air (I double decanted) and is showing sultry, inviting scents of wet loamy gravel, pink grapefruit flesh, rich, oozy red berries, and well cared-for leather. So packed with flavor but in a frame that seemingly floats, it’s still got some tannin to shed but it’s quite soft textured. What balance! Quite long.
This is the wine I chose (the ‘83 iteration) in March 1987 when I invited a then-new friend over for grilled (on my fire escape ) lamb chops and Italian green beans (like my Nonna made them). That night became a first date with my wife of over 36 years. So we try to replicate that dinner at least once a year, and this is the first time in quite a while that the Fonsalette delivered and was not the victim of careless storage!!!! I’m a happy boy! — 11 days ago