I had my first fling with Layer Cake last night, and my hopes were high. How did it go? Well, it was not the most auspicious of beginnings.
Layer Cake Cotes du Rhone 2006
Bought at World Market for $12.
This was a disappointment. It wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t a $50 for $12. Frankly, it was a $12 bottle for $12. Light fruit, maybe some strawberry notes, light acid, tannins that gripped the mouth but didn’t really lend any structure or backbone to the wine. Overall it was very short. From putting the glass to my lips to the finish ending was maybe ten seconds. It was very pleasant and drinkable. So is fruit punch. I won’t buy this again, and if I were you I’d look to other $12 bottles that are better values. I hope the other Layer Cakes are better!
Wine info:
Cotes du Rhone means slopes of the Rhone Valley. The Northern Rhone is very separated from the Southern Rhone. See the map:
A Cotes du Rhone wine can come from pretty much anywhere in either the Northern or Southern Rhone. Reds from the Northern Rhone can only be made from Syrah. Reds from the Southern Rhone can be made from any of 13 grapes, although in general they are mostly Grenache and/or Syrah. Layer Cake sources all their fruit from the South, and uses only Syrah. From the winemaker:
“Our Layer Cake from the Côtes du Rhône is centered around Châteauneuf du Pape and is one hundred percent Syrah for the richness, floral notes and finesse imparted by the warmer Southern Rhône climate. Ancient vines planted in seemingly impenetrable terrain due to the top layer of granite cobbles provided us with signature soils to harvest Syrah for Layer Cake. We sourced from vineyards surrounding Chateauneuf du Pape in order to create a substantial bottle of Syrah reflective of the New World winemaking style we bring to the region. The result is a ripe, accessible example of Syrah; as always, we make Layer Cake to be ‘rich, always rich’. Layer Cake Côtes du Rhône is succulent and lush. Nearly opaque, the wine is a unique combination of rich, forward fruit more commonly found in wines of the New World, yet complimented by pleasing accents of minerality indicating Old World terroir. The wine is elegant and unctuous; a true food wine with balanced richness; offering flavors of wild blueberries, black currants, star anise, earth and history. Aromas of pre-Castro cigars, minerals and an underlying hint of savory herbs rise from the glass. This is a New World expression of Côtes du Rhône, wonderfully accessible the moment it is opened.”
Now, I’m just an average Joe, not a professional wine guy, but I have to say: ‘Really?” The bottle I drank was neither rich, nor succulent. And ‘pre-Castro cigars?’ That may be completely accurate, but it is also completely pretentious. There also weren’t any minerals or savory herbs. I’ve read other reviews around the internet and I think no one found any of those things in their glass. And perhaps more importantly, I have to say that had I read this description first, I probably wouldn’t have bought it. Next will be the Shiraz, to which Robert Parker gave 90 points and said it was a Super Value. As I said above: I hope it is better than this one was!
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