"I can’t speak highly enough of the job that Patrick Lesec does as a negociant, putting together interesting and high quality blends of Cotes du Rhones and Chateauneuf du Papes....Consumers should be thankful that there is someone as conscientious and hardworking, as well as so realistic in his pricing policy..." - Robert Parker

Not too long ago our friend Nick came back from France with a picture, a story, and a bottle of wine. The picture is above. Here is the story;

Nick writes;
Patrick Lesec doesn't rest on his laurels. Technically a negociant, he is first and foremost concerned with the quality of his vineyard sources. He has contracts with some of the southern Rhone's best growers and holds them to high organic standards.
From this bounty of exceptional fruit, Patrick moves to his next strength: making wine as naturally as possible. He uses the absolute minimum of sulfites --which accounts in large part for the purity and clarity of his mainly grenache-based wines.
Patrick is a talented chef in the kitchen, I know from the eating. I watched him create similar magic in the cellar with only a beaker and thirty or so barrel samples. He knows his ingredients back to front but at the end is more artist than scientist in his blending, making classic expressions of the flavors and aromas of Provence.
While we await each vintage with anticipation, each year also brings a bittersweet revelation: to get the most out of the wines, we must summon every ounce of discipline to keep from drinking them before their time. While often irresistible within weeks of bottling, his Cotes du Rhone Villages Rubis needs a couple of years really come to life.
The world would be a better place if we could drink all our favorite wines at their peak of perfection. Well, the world has just gotten a little better. We recently bought what little of the vintage remained in Patrick's cellar.
Parker said of the 2005 southern Rhones, "if the 2005s' elevated tannins melt completely into the wines' personalities over the next decade, this vintage could turn out to be even superior to my lofty accolades." In the case of Patrick Lesec's 2005 Cotes du Rhone Rubis, this is exactly what happened.
According to Parker, "long, heady, ripe, with definite Grenache dominating, this wine tastes like the essence of Provence." The firm tannins that gave this cuvée permission to age are now soft and supple. Its fruit is still fresh, but shows increasing focus and is balanced by still-ripe acidity. With a couple of years still in it, this exceptional Cotes du Rhone is one for both drinking and holding.”

Then there was the bottle.

At dinner I poured it into my wife’s glass to see if she would notice it through her theological monologue. In mid-disquisition she paused for a breath and a sip of wine, then Instead of the definition of pastoral authority, she said, “Mmmmm,” and then, “This is goood.”
It was, not only good enough to distract her, but to please me. Though lighter, It had the heady richness that makes mature Chateauneuf du Pape so satisfying in a very good solid vintage I looked like a hero when I agreed that we could have it as our house red if it would make her happy. I hope she doesn’t read this to find out how cheap I am.

2005 Patrick Lesec Cotes du Rhone Villages Rubis; Color: very dark; Aroma: thickish Black and wild cherry, very dense with garrigue herbs, cherry-chewy thick; Mouth: thick, heady very full, rich thick wild plum, nicely concentrated, if not a heavyweight, clean firm lighter finish; Very Good Plus Case $167 (13.91)

Be a hero to your spouse twice as long and save $20 Two cases : $314

Len Rothenberg