2006 and 2005 Rhone Valley Wines

It should also be obvious to veteran Rhône fans that, despite the inherent wildness of these wines, every new vintage brings with it more polish—bottles with less of the rusticity and, frankly, dirtiness that defined too many Rhône examples prior to the 1990s. Today’s winemakers, particularly the younger generation, are trying to make fresher, more balanced and less extreme wines, usually by harvesting for optimal rather than excessive ripeness, taking special care with extraction during vinification, dialing down the use of new oak, protecting their wines against oxidation during élevage, and bottling them before they dry out. This greater care and attention to detail should be a huge relief to those who like to drink wine rather than be beaten to a pulp by it.

The vintages in question. My November tour of the Rhône Valley afforded me my first in-depth look at the 2006 vintage, which rates as very good to excellent in both the north and south. A key feature of the growing season was a very hot and dry June and July, which raised some concerns that a replay of 2003 was in the works. But August turned extremely cool, slowing down the grape maturity, and some light rains in early September further rejuvenated the vines. A short period of heat in the north helped to increase sugar levels in the grapes. The harvest commenced in late August in the south and in the second week of September in the north and took place in a leisurely manner. In fact, picking for the later-ripening grenache and mourvèdre in the south extended well into October. As a rule, yields were slightly below normal in the south and average in the north.