Veronique Perrin-Rolin Showing Roger Perrin Wines Here at SVS
10th February 2014
We were lucky to have Veronique Perrin-Rolin, current winemaker at Domaine Roger Perrin in Chateauneuf-du-Pape for a tasting here at SVS on Wednesday night. She never expected to be in charge of her family’s fourth generation estate, but her brother Luc died unexpectedly in 2010 and she stepped in. As she pointed out, she was well-equipped to do it – she has 20 years experience as a trained oenologist and currently also consults from her home in Tain.
On the evidence of this tasting of 2011 and 2012 wines, Veronique is really pushing on at this estate, which is now marked not just by great value but improvement in quality too. First up was their 2012 white Cotes du Rhone Prestige, a wine we will be shipping for the first time, and still available en primeur. This went down very well, showing tropical fruit (especially in the aromas), combined with a pleasant almondy bitterness and some stony minerality too. Among the reds the 2012 Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes, from a patch of very old vines just outside the boundary of CdP, was very impressive, showing both power and vitality. Then we got to her 2011 Chateauneuf, a wine just (March 2014 Decanter) declared as the single “Outstanding”, 95+ point wine in a blind tasting of 107 2011 Chateauneufs. This was, unsurprisingly, much appreciated. We sold a lot on the evening, which made Veronique happy….
