2022 Georges Lelektsoglou Cairanne Vieilles Vignes
– 93-95 Points from Jeb Dunnuck
– $29.99 for 90 Year Old Vines (Case Pricing @ $27.99)
– 90+ year Old Cairanne Vines
– Amazing Nose: Lavender, Garrigue, Menthol
– Earth, Wet Earth
– Black Cherry, Cassis
– Wonderful Purity and Freshness
– So Precise on the Palate
– Clean, Rich, Precise Fruit
– Dazzling Freshness
– Cooling Blue Fruits
– Will Drink Well for 10-15 Years
– Cairanne Is Now a Cru on the Same Level as Gigondas
– Fass Selections US Exclusive
“The 2022 Cairanne Vieilles Vignes is a clear step up (although the 2021 is as charming and drinkable as they come), revealing a deeper ruby hue as well as a gorgeous perfume of black raspberries, wild strawberries, violets, and ground pepper. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a supple, layered, elegant mouthfeel. It’s a gorgeous, seamless wine readers will love..” – 93-95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
George Lelektsoglou (the “Greek”) is the most respected wine retailer in the Rhone. He’s been the first person to sell most of the famous names. He doesn’t just know every vineyard in the Rhone. He knows every rock and every vine. What many people don’t know is that he makes a small number of wines. When he is able to source incredible grapes, he secures them and makes incredible wines that are insane values. Long time Fass listers can attest to some of the incredible values that we’ve had from him. And today? Today is one of the craziest values you’ll ever see.
The Wine
Today we have the 2022 Georges Lelektsoglou Cairanne Vieilles Vignes for $29.99 on a 4-Pack and $27.99 on a case from 90+ year old Cairanne vines. This is a wonder. It drinks so well and has a level of precision, finesse and density that wines of this level hardly ever have. And serious wine geek clients who drink blingy expensive wine love this stuff. It’s got stuffing. It’s got refinement but also the bombastic fruit of 2020 and the cool climate character of 2021 all wrapped up in one wine Amazing material here.
The nose is stunning. You can’t believe the wine is this inexpensive. Lavender, garrigue, menthol, earth, wet earth, cassis, super aromatic. After air it gains a liqueur-like aroma that is spellbinding. Also tons of black cherry and deep, deep cassis. It’s everything you want out of an inexpensive wine which is a wine with “expensive wine DNA” but still has the charm of an inexpensive wine. Wonderful purity and freshness.
So precise on the palate. Big, rich palate but dazzlingly fresh and straight as an arrow with such amazing precision. Incredibly pure. This has all the terrific stoniness the South is known for but with really clean, rich, precise fruit. The Greek has an amazing hand with Grenache on it’s own like in his CDP or blended like this Cairanne. Big chewy, amazingly ripe tannins and big acids give this wine structure and the ability to age for 10-12 years.
At this point it needs a 20 minute decant and will drink well for 10-12 years. The blend is 25% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 25% Mourvedre and 25% Carignan. Great and unusual blend. If I’m drinking Southern Rhone it tends to be for explosive yet contained fruit. Backed by the stoniness of the Southern Rhone it can be a dreamy combo and what one wants. But this also being more north you get a lot of the cooling blue fruits that are preponderant in the North. If I could create a Cairanne from scratch this is how it should taste. I think this will gain finesse over time and become even more of a knockout, thus the case pricing. In February of 2016 Cairanne was elevated and is now a Cotes du Rhone Cru. This means the wines can be labeled without Cotes-Du-Rhone Villages anymore. It’s the same level as Gigondas, but less expensive. For now. This is an extreme value.
Please call Cheryl at 949 378 5251 after emailing with your firstorder if you are a first time customer (we prefer not to receive credit card numbers over E-Mail).
OFFICE HOURS 4-7 PM
I love drinking and selecting wines – but my passion for teaching people about wine is almost as big. I’m happy to announce a block of time each day where people can call me just to chat about wine in general. These blocks are NOT intended to sell wine (I do that all day). This is to talk to me about wine pairings or great producers or how long to age wines or styles of wine making or the latest wine controversy. My goal is to help people learn more about wine and enjoy it more. Call me at 917-912-4355 from 4-7EST Monday – Friday.
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A Word about Fass Selections and Social Media
I am big into certain social media and I want people to take pictures of the wines they have received or will receive and tag me in them and share their thoughts. I a am on Instagram. Please tag me there. I also am on Delectable which I love a lot. It is Iphone/Ipad only, but it’s like Instagram meets Facebook for wine. Tag me there and find me there as well. I want to know if you liked the wine, were not moved by the wine, hated the wine or the wine gave you a religious experience. I want to know it all. Feedback is key and I will answer all feedback e-mails as quickly as I can.
For all billing and invoicing inquiries please contact Nick at accounts@fassselections.com or 646-498-6078