Widely available - Sains, Asda, Tesco, Co-op

Mel and her team have done this wine, and I can't improve on their TN:

La Chasse, the Réserve Côtes du Rhône 2009 is delicious. It was the only wine not in a screwcap and its heavy, embossed bottle gives it some vitreous welly. What a lovely smell. Everyone made “mmm” noises. Karen thought it smoky, and I narrowed that to wood smoke. When we tasted it Alex said “Bloody hell, that is gorgeous!” which is about as eloquent as you need. There was tannin, but only sketching a vague structure around the wine, not grating on your tongue. It had just the right level of sweetness. Dry enough to be clearly French, but sweet enough to be drinkable by just about anyone. It’s a good wine and one that I’ll be stocking up on next time it’s on offer.

I'll add a bit of extra info instead,
The wine was very seductive straight off the blocks at just above most people's cellar temprerature, at 12C by the time I'd poured it. Infact, better than at 16-17C. this because the tannins & oak are very light, and when warmed up too much, they become soft and the wine a bit flabby. Whilst you may sacrifice some nose and CdR fragrance at 12-14C, the wine should be allowed to warm in the mouth, that way you get a little bit of length to the flavour.

This is what another web site selling this wine says:
Winemaking

The vineyards are in selected locations throughout the Cotes du Rhone Appellation where soils tend to be calcareous and clayey, sometimes with round pebbles. Veronique Torcolacci and her winemaking team work hand in hand with vinegrowers to guarantee the quality of the fruit that comes into the winery. They then vinify each grape variety separately with the aim to extract its individual character and aromas. Fermentation is at relatively high temperature of between 28 and 30 degress and the grape skin cap is pumped over twice a day in order to maximise the extraction of the different components. 35% of the syrah is matured in oak barrels for 6-9 months in order to provide rich aromas, balance and structure. Older barrels of 2-3 years were chosen over newer oak to soften tannins.

On the back label they say that the wine may be cellared for up to 5 years. Nope, you will be throwing away the cheerful and chunky fruit, and the structure to support bottle maturity is inadequate. Best drunk now folks....and up to early 2013 in reasonable cellar conditions.

You 'House' Rhone does not get much more versatile than this, enjoyable on its own, with all sorts of meats, BBQ, beef burgers probably (without sugary ketchup or brown sauce), Roasted root vegetables. Note of caution though, a half bottle of this wine starts to dismantle itself overnight, and becomes rather short. Best to refrigerate any left-overs and reseal after each glass with the excellent composite cork.

Nice -n'fresh stuff.

Oh and BTW, the bottle number was 09117 - interesting to see if much later numbers are so "sweet" & fresh

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Duncan

Thanks Dunc, I picked up a couple on the recent offer. One has a hairline crack in the bottle, so will be opened fairly soon. Hows this compare with the Bonpas?

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tribs

Good Q. I've only had one Bonpas '09 and that just after release. I'm due to have another this week.

The '07 Bonpas was so lush for a glugger. The 09 vintage is lighter. Ok....Bonpas '09 had a little liquorice to the finish. Bonpas is unoaked, La Chasse, very very lightly oaked. A very light vanilla note is perceived in La Chasse. La Chasse is a little sweeter, and Bonpas has a tad more prune and dark skin syrah.

I need to do Bonpas this week. Bonpas lasts better overnight...Well the 07 did. Both '09s are shorter. The finish on La Chasse was quite abrupt next day, but then Bonpas '09 may be the same. La Chasse can be served cooler.

Please let me do Bonpas again, before nailing me down
Cheers

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Duncan

Well, you've got until 10pm tonight before we lose the 6 for 25% offer so get a move on Mr D !

TICK TOCK TICK TOCK

I'll have to suffer as well !

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Duncan

Well done, I thought it had finished.
Got 6 more including an MSB that I've not seen b4 and...tarrrra...the CdR. To sink or not to sink?

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.

do you have the bumper book of 101 best wine gags ?!

Is there a link - mind you, we'd wear them out pretty quick



That's excellent news - If you like, I want credit for this .........so does Mel don't let us down.

You guys must be close to a Sains - I have to go off to an out-a-town place and the only way of getting there is thru the bleeding town....the river is in the way, I'll try to get out later. Petrol in getting there blows half the saving - Duh.

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Duncan

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.

No No - another sensible comment.

I like this wine, just finished the last of it off the pantry floor, this at 13C nearly 30 hours after opening.

Nice - a slightly more savory finish that is not that abrupt. When or If I can find the oak, it is because the wine has lost it's flush of youth, very subtle.
That warmer sample, I talked about earlier, was taken in an optic shot size glass, that had warmed up and expired.

Good wine and gets a

When it comes to agreeable and gluggable southern` rhones at this price, I'm probably a wee bit biased.

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Duncan

Mine is having a little lie-down (cork) in the dark, which is rising through 13c.
I shall await the moment, heavily decant, leave for at least an hour...and...

P.S. The pussy was aimed at Shez not your good self Mr. D

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.

Comment was directed at Mr B and his avatar/signature combos

Surely he must be getting close to wearing them out...

Oh! ye of little faith...

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.

I'm impressed....

must be the bumper book of 1001 wine gags !!

La Chasse Reserve CdR 2010. This is on offer at £5.99 from the Co-Op.

Unfortunately, this 2010 vintage from La Chasse does nothing for me. I wont bother re-visiting this wine. Much less weight than last year ('09), and sadly, the high lift from the ripe grenache ('07 & '09) is not present either.

We have been spoilt with these bargain '07 and '09's. It is much too early to say whether bargain '10 rhones will not achieve the immense pleasure of the succulent '07's .....But.

I will try M. Chapoutier's Belleruche next.

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Duncan