Southern Rhone @ Akdeniz

Please join me, Clive and Nathalie for a Southern Rhone wine dinner at Akdeniz, a favorite Turkish restaurant in Midtown West, located at 43 W. 46th Street, between 5th and 6th Aves.

We will have 4 red wines from the Rhone region of France, plus a white wine starter, of course. Which will also be from the Rhone.

Here is a link to Akdeniz' menu

Just a reminder of our usual rules:

The cost of this event is $41 and is for the wines and corkage. You will also have to pay the cost of your food (plus 33% for tax and tip). Please order at least two courses (i.e. a main dish and appetizer ). There are very few restaurants that allow us to bring our own wine for a low corkage.

NOTE: Meetup has started charging a "Partner Fee" that is above and in addition to the listed price of the event. It is annoying and confusing, but there is nothing I can do about it. It comes to approximately $4 more for each RSVP. You will see this charge when you complete your rsvp and pay for the event. MEETUP+ members are exempt from this charge.

Please read and understand the group's cancellation policy. If you take spot, then cancel, and no one else takes the spot, you will not receive a refund or credit. No refunds or credits will be given for no-shows or late cancellations (unless someone else takes your spot). All cancellations are subject to a $6 service fee.

Lastly: NO DRINKING AND DRIVING

The Wines (notes will be distributed at the dinner):

2023 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Pure Roussanne ($57) - JD 97 points "It's great to taste the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Pure Roussanne beside the Pure Clairette. You get a real sense of the difference in these two varieties, with the Clairette providing a more focused, mineral-laced style and the Roussanne showing more richness and breadth. Medium gold-hued, with a powerful nose of honeyed orchard fruits, flower oil, orange blossom, and exotic spices, this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish. While Clairette is the shiny new toy for Rhône lovers out there, this shows that readers shouldn't skimp on seeking out the more Roussanne-dominated cuvées."

2005 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines ($50) - Taking a chance with this one, hopefully it is still drinking well. JD 96 points, "Absolutely stunning and the first sentence in my notebook starts with wow and includes other descriptors of stunning, wow and killer. Certainly one of the richest 2005s, the Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines has blockbuster aromatics of rich raspberry, graphite, vanilla, spice and licorice. Despite the ripeness, there's not a hit of heat and it has some real depth. The palate is a full bodied powerhouse that is perfectly balanced, concentrated and with a massive midpalate and a seamless texture that carries into a long finish. (Drink between 2012-2020)"

2022 Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux "Cuvée Floureto" Vacqueyras ($47). JD 91 points. “Juicy and vibrant, the 2022 Vacqueyras Floureto has a medium-bodied, focused mouthfeel to go with its mix of red and black fruits, leather, and black pepper, while minty florals and spice add freshness. It has a crunchy, energetic quality that should round into form with a year or two in bottle. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and small amounts of Mourvèdre, Counoise, Carignan, and Cinsault, it was aged for 12 months in foudre.

2015 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Lucile Avril ($35) - JD 94+ points, "the 2015 Châteauneuf Du Pape Lucile Avril reveals a ruby/plum hue as well as lots of peppery garrigue, sandalwood, beef broth, and ripe, darker berry fruits. With medium to full-bodied richness, it has building yet polished tannins, wonderful purity of fruit, and a great finish. It has the balance and elegance to drink nicely today yet is still in the early stages of its drink window, with another 10-12 years of prime drinking ahead of it. (Drink between 2021-2033)"

2016 Clos du Joncuas Gigondas ($54). WA 92 points, “Small proportions of Cinsault and Mourvèdre lend depth and perfume to plush, plummy black fruit flavors in this full-bodied yet finessed Grenache blend. It's densely fruity yet anchored by firm minerality and fine, persistent tannins. Fully enjoyable already but will continue to improve through 2028”