Northern Rhône, Next Week

Just a quick post tonight.  A bit of a teaser, really, as the class it relates to has been sold out for weeks.  I'm excited about it, though, and thought I'd share what I'll be pouring for those of you who might be attending (hello, Philly area readers), for those of you who love to shop on last minute notice in order to follow along, or for those who just like to read and ponder the wherefores.

So, a week from today, Wednesday, December 15, I'll be leading a seminar on the wines of the Northern Rhône Valley at Philly's Tria Fermentation School.  Here's what I'll be pouring—one at the door (bubbly) and six on the mat, as the local parlance goes:

• Saint-Péray, Les Champs Libres (Dard & Souhaut) NV
• Saint-Joseph "Les Oliviers" Blanc, Domaine Pierre Gonon 2009
• Condrieu, Domaine Barou 2009
• Vin de Table "La Souteronne," Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet (Hervé Souhaut) 2009
• Crozes-Hermitage, Domaine Combier 2008
• Côte-Rôtie, René Rostaing 2007
• Cornas "Chaillot," Thierry Allemand 2005

"La Souteronne" is in there as a bit of an intentional oddball (and because I like it), as I hate to support the notion that Syrah is the *only* black grape of the Northern Rhône.  The rest?  Well, only Hermitage is missing, that is unless you count Château Grillet....  I have to say, I'm really looking forward to it.