96 WS / 94 VM / 95 WA Dark yet inviting, with a well of boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors luring you in, while charcoal, bay leaf and cast-iron notes add contrast and range to hold your attention. The grippy finish...
96 DE / 97-99 WA / 96-99 JD 100+-year-old Roussanne here gives very small yields, and it's harvested around two weeks after the younger vines. This wine has notes of macadamia, mango, quince and rhubarb - a dizzying...
99 JS / 97 WA / 97 WS / 96+ JD / 96 DE / 18 JR #6 Wine Spectator Top 100 2019 #19 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2018 This is a stunning Beaucastel. A classic! Has a superb array of fruit, ranging from red, through to...
95 JD / 95 WS / 95-97 WA / 95 DE / 93 JS / 18 JR The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape is another sunny, beautifully Provençal effort that has a huge nose of garrigue, raw steak, leather, truffle, and peppery spice...
95 JD / 95 RP / 95 WS The 2003 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is fully mature (I’ve had other bottles show more closed and tight, I’ve also had bad luck with corked bottles of this wine) and...
100 RP / 100 JD No such issue exists with the perfect 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin. I don't know what more a wine could offer. Inky blue/purple, with an extraordinary nose of smoked duck, grilled...
99 WA / 99 JD / 97 JS The wine of the vintage is the Perrin’s 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin, and it will most likely merit a perfect rating in another couple of years. Full-bodied,...
98 JS / 96+ WA / 96+JD xtremely aromatic with blueberries, blackberries, and flowers. Full- bodied, dense, and rich yet agile and exciting. The tannins are seamless and beautiful. The finish shows stones and spices. The...
97+ WA / 97 JD I was shocked at the quality of the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin and I can’t think of another wine that comes close to this level of depth, concentration and richness in the...
99 JD / 98 WA / 98 WS / 97 DE#1 Wine Advocate Outstanding New Releases from the Southern Rhône 2017 A classic blend of mostly Mourvèdre, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is a...
100 JD / 100 DE / 100 JS / 99+ WA / 99 DE The flagship is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin, 75% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah, 10% Grenache, and the rest Counoise, brought up all in foudre...
97 JD / 96 RP / 96 VM Made from 80% very old vine Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah, with the Grenache aged for 15-20 months in old foudre and small barrels, and the Syrah and Mourvèdre aged in...
91-93+ JD / 91-93 WA / 92 VM This estate has been on fire recently, and these 2016s might just be the best yet. The entry-level cuvée is the 100% Grenache 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sablons, a blend of the La...
96 WA / 96 JD / 96 WS / 94 JS The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac is 100% Grenache, but this parcel is located on the western edge of the appellation, in what Chapoutier describes as a hot, dry location—even in the...
97 WA / 97 WS / 95+ JD From a rocky, mica-schist lieu-dit that's only recently been showing up on single-vineyard wines, Chapoutier's 2017 Cote Rotie Neve is a bold, full-bodied and powerful example of the appellation...
100 WA / 98+ RP / 97 WS Always more dense, backward and focused, the 2011 Ermitage L’Ermite Blanc has everything I could want out of a white. Flower oil, apricot, honeysuckle, brioche, powdered rock and assorted...
100 WA / 98 WS Completing a trifecta of perfect whites, the 2013 Ermitage lErmite Blanc is another sensational effort that offers incredible minerality/liquid rock in its pineapple, tangerine, flower oil, mint and...
94 WS / 94 VM Offers depth, length and character, with mouthfilling blackberry, raspberry and cherry fruit flavors supported by bright acidity. The long, minerally spine lets additional cherry pit, blood orange and espresso...
100 RP The 2010 Ermitage l’Ermite (454 cases produced) is another perfect wine. Completely different than Le Pavillon, l’Ermite is always slightly more austere. It comes from a 7.5-acre parcel of sandy, granitic...
98+ WA / 97 WS As expected, the 2011 Ermitage lErmite, which comes from the lieu-dit of the same name, is more backward and focused, with a slightly closed, tight profile. Slowly giving up ample cassis and black raspberry...
97 WS / 96+ WA / 95 VM Sleek, with mouthwatering red currant, raspberry and cherry preserve flavors forming the core, while a dusting of cocoa, a snap of red licorice and a long, lingering iron spine complete the picture...
97 WA / 96 WA / 96 RP Superdense, with lots of bass showing now--anise, fennel seed, cardamom, glazed pear and fig--but there's still plenty of minerality behind it all, with a long, salted...
94 DE / 94-96 WA A full-bodied, deep coloured, rich and intense style. Floral and stony on the nose with lovely fresh berry fruit. Very tannic although it's still mouth-coating and ripe – this needs time but...
95 WS / 93 DE Very focused, with yellow apple, persimmon, acacia, honeysuckle and lemon curd notes layered seamlessly as they move through, ending with salted butter and quinine echoes that bring you back for more. Drink...
96-98 RP / 95 WS Of course, Michel Chapoutier produces some very limited spectacular dessert wines. The 2005 Ermitage Vin de Paille has a dark amber color, much more noticeable acidity than the 2004, but tastes as unctuous,...
95-97 JD / 94-96 VM Not yet bottled, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Laurent Charvin is a beauty, and I’d wager one of the finest to date. In addition, it has a vibrant, mineral-laced personality that...
“70% Grenache, 30% Syrah. Pungent aromas of dried red fruits and potpourri, with a spicy overtone. Silky and sweet, with vibrant red currant and cherry flavors, complemented by deeper notes of licorice, violet,...
98 WS / 97 DE / 96 JD / 95 WA / 95 VM #1 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2007 Really tight now, but packed with dark fig, currant, espresso, licorice and chocolate notes. Superfleshy but seriously structured, theres layer...
96 DE / 95 JD /95 WA / 96 WS / 95 VM A real winter warming glass of wine, with structure and weight. Initially tight-knit, it develops in the glass to reveal ripe, fleshy fruit and a long, rich finish. It is still youthful,...
97 DE / 97 WS / 95 WA / 95 JD / 95 VM Soft and juicy with flattering, bright red fruits. The alcohol is showing through just a little bit but it's countered by precise acidity. Starting to show really nicely when tasted...
100 JD / 98 DE / 97+ WA / 97 WS / 97 VM #20 Jeb Dunnuck Top 50 Reds of 2018 Another perfect wine from this brilliant estate is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which matches the otherworldly 2007. A classic blend...
98+ JD / 96 WA / 96 DE / 18.5 JR #15 Jeb Dunnuck’s Top 100 Wines of 2019 One of the strongest wines in the vintage is the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape from Vincent Avril. This beauty has everything you could ask...
100 JD / 98 WA More cured meats, spice, loamy soil notes, and an incredible core of kirsch and currant fruits emerge from the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina. Deep, incredibly concentrated, multi-dimensional...
98 WA / 98 JD With its more discreet oak and layers of complexity, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina is my favorite release here this year. Layers of dried spices accent raspberries and cherries in this...
96 JD / 95 WS / 93 WA / 93-95 VM The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Combe des Fous shows the seamless, silky side to the vintage, and has closed down slightly since I tasted it from barrel. Its big, intense nose of black...
98 JD / 96 VM / 95 WA Deep ruby-colored and offering a heavenly bouquet of black raspberries, toasted spiced, cured meats, licorice, and cured meats, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Combes des Fous is awesome on the...
94+ JD / 93 WA As always, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes has a touch more dark fruits, more concentration, and more structure, which makes it less approachable but more age-worthy. Blackcurrants, ground...
93 JD / 92 WA / 91 VM Moving to the reds and 85% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Mourvèdre, the base 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a beauty and boasts appealing notes of spiced red and black fruits, cedar, and...
93 JD / 90 WA The whites here continue to improve. The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc offers a rocking bouquet of key lime pie, tangerine, and ripe peach that gives way to a powerful, opulent, medium to full-bodied...
100 JD / 99+ WA The top cuvée from Delas is the 2015 Hermitage Les Bessards, and it's always 100% Syrah from the steep, broken granite soils of the Bessards lieu-dit. Aged 18 months in 30% new barrels, its...
This cuvée is a blend of wines essentially produced on the communes of Mazan and Goult, in the heart of the Ventoux appellation. Grape varieties : Mainly Grenache and Syrah. Stretching out along the left bank of the...
96 JS / 93 JD / 90 WA / 93-95 VM Aromas of dried roses, garrigue herbs and red fruit with terrific purity and freshness. Lithe raspberries on the bright, even and crisp palate. Fabulous, fresh acidity, depth, length and...
98 JS / 97 JD / 94 WA #69 James Suckling French Wine of the Year There’s a beautiful purity of fresh, mixed berries, dark plums, deep spices, as well as a gentle, coal-smoke edge. The palate has an effortless,...
94 WS / 92 JD / 92 VM #30 Wine Spectator Top 100 2019 Tasted out of bottle, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a beautiful wine from this team that exudes elegance. Black raspberries, garrigue, flowers, and incense...
97-99 JD / 96-98 WA / 95 VM / 95 WS Brought up in new demi-muids, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre (the Mourvèdre is from the Cristia lieu-dit)...
96-98 WA / 95-97 JD / 96 WS / 94 VM A prodigious effort, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Hautes Brusquieres Cuvee Speciale was yet to be bottled during my June visit. It offers up sweet floral aromas, hints of thyme and...
94-96 WA / 94-96 JD The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Mourre des Perdrix was scheduled to be bottled two days after my visit, so the sample was drawn from the final blend. Although I expect it will close down a bit after...
95 JD / 95 WE / 93 WS / 93 WA / 92 DE / 92 JS Moving to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape from bottle, the 2016 vintage was described as having the power of 2010 and similar to yet fresher than 2007. The 2016...
94 WA / 94 WS / 93 VM The 2012 Chteauneuf du Pape Cuvee Chaupin, which I was able to taste (and drink) from multiple bottles, is a beautiful Grenache that comes from the cooler, northeastern edge of the appellation. Coming...
99 JD / 97 WE / 96 WA / 95 WS / 95 JS #19 Jeb Dunnuck Top 50 Reds of 2018 Bottled end of February/early in March, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin is incredible stuff, and while I suspect...
96 WA / 94 VM / 93 WS And a candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is always a rough blend of 85% Grenache and the balance Syrah, Mourvedre, Clairette and other permitted...
96 WA / 96 WS / 94 DE / 94 VM Up in the top handful of wines in the vintage (which should come as no surprise to anyone who follows this estate), the 2012 Chteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a full-bodied, beautifully...
93 DE / 93 WS / 92 WA / 93-95 VM Vieilles Vignes means just that, the majority of the fruit from vines planted in 1920 and 1965. Pale red hue with a hint of evolution. The wine is busy and fresh on the nose with...
99 WE / 99 JD / 97+ WA / 97 WS / 96 DE / 96 JS #3 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 2019 Buxom and heady, this is a delightfully rich, hedonistic blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Sun-drenched mulberry and black...
97 JD The 2015 Hermitage comes from the Les Doignières and Les Beaumes lieux-dits which are more clay and limestone soils. It's another sensational Hermitage from this magical hillside that I wish every reader could...
100 JD / 99 WA / 97 DE / 97 WS / 95-97 VM I was also able to taste the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Da Capo, which comes mostly from older vines in the La Crau lieu-dit and spends an additional year in a...
96 WA / 96 JD / 96 WE / 94 WS / 93-95 VM Now that it has been in bottle a while, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee is looking even better than I projected based on last year’s prebottling sample. It’s...
96 WS / 95+ WA / 95-97 JD A singed chestnut accent leads off here, followed by a sappy core of steeped cherry, raspberry and plum fruit, infused liberally with tobacco, brick dust and garrigue notes. Reveals a brawny edge,...
94-96 JD / 94-96 WA Not yet bottled, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Réservée is a normal blend of 80% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre, and the rest assorted varieties (not destemmed),...
93 RP / 93 WA The first vintage for the cuvee, the stacked 2009 Cotes du Ventoux Il Etait Une Fois (80% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, and 5% Syrah, aged all in new oak) is a full-bodied, sexy, opulent and mouth-filling southern...
100 JD / 95 WA Bigger and richer, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Gallimardes is mostly Grenache (there’s 10% Syrah) all from incredibly old vines in the Les Gallimardes lieu-dit located in the southern part of...
100 JD / 97 WS / 96 DE A modern-day legend in the making is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve from Jean-Paul Daumen, one of the greatest young wines I’ve ever tasted. This Grenache-dominated effort was...
96 JD / 93 WA / 93 WS / 93 VM From a cooler, higher elevation terroir in the appellation, the 2016 Cornas Lieu Dit Les Eygats offers some serious ripeness and richness as well as notes of blackberries, currants, melted...
94+ JD / 93 WA / 93 WS On another level, the backward, closed, gamey 2016 Cornas Lieu Dit Patou wasn't giving up much on this occasion, yet has ample potential in its earthy dark fruit, pepper, and olive aromas, full body,...
98 JD / 95 JS Lastly, the 2016 Ermitage Le Méal is the top wine from Ferraton, and rightly so, as it’s a magical wine in 2016. Rocking notes of black raspberries, blackberries, toasted spices, tapenade, and dry...
98+ JD / 97 DE / 96 WS More bloody meat, black raspberries, wood smoke, spice, and truffle notes emerge from the 2017 Hermitage Le Méal, a massive, opulent effort that has loads of opulence and fruit, building...
95 JD Coming all from sedimentary soils on the eastern side of the hill and brought up in 20% new barrels, the 2016 Ermitage Les Dionnières is a gem in the lineup. Blackberries, currants, roasted herbs, cured...
97 JD / 96 DE / 95 WS The 2017 Hermitage Les Dionnières is more deep, structured, and serious, with killer notes of crème de cassis, graphite, ground pepper, and inky notes. Rich, full-bodied, beautifully...
94 WS / 93+ JD / 93 VM This has layers of warm cherry, plum and raspberry compote forming the core, while apple wood, black tea and iron notes run underneath. The finish has a fresh and racy edge, leaving a mouthwatering...
90 WA Medium garnet in color, this 2009 has fragrant aromas of kirsch, mulberries, spice cake, Indian spices and black pepper with hints of earth, iron ore and lavender. Very full, rich and concentrated, it presents medium...
91+ WA Medium garnet-purple colored, the nose is of warm berries, black cherry compote and dried Provence herb aromas with hints of cumin seed, cardamom and violets. Full, opulent and seductive on the palate, it is superbly...
95 WA / 93 VM The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Origines (1,500 cases produced) is a blend of 50% Grenache, a whopping 30% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah with the latter two components spending time in new oak barrels. All of the...
95 JD / 94 DE / 93 VM The flagship 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc La Fontaine is a more substantial, serious effort that offers notes of caramelized citrus, brioche, honeysuckle and orange blossom. Rich, layered and...
97 JS / 95 WA / 95 WS / 94 VM / 17.5+ JR The nose has a complex array of fine-ground eastern spices, strong cardamom, fine dark chocolate and ripe black cherries and plums. There's even some licorice. It has a neatly...
97 WS / 96-98 JD / 95-97 WA / 95 VM / 95 JS 2015 Guigals are some of the finest Northern Rhones that you’ll collect and enjoy. The Chateau d’Ampuis is actually a blend of 7 exceptional terroirs: Le Clos...
100 RP / 100 WA / 97 WS Another perfect wine, the 2009 Hermitage Ex-Voto is surprisingly supple and more approachable than the two single vineyard 2009 Cote Roties, La Turque and La Landonne. The massive Ex-Voto boasts...
97 JD / 97 JS / 96 VM Bottled at the same time, the 2018 Condrieu La Doriane is a bigger, more luxurious version of the appellation release. Beautiful quince, acacia flowers, apricot, and spice notes emerge from the glass...
100 RP / 100 WA / 99 WS The 2009 Cote Rotie La Landonne is a killer wine. An extravagant bouquet of black truffles, roasted meats, licorice, ground pepper, blackberries, scorched earth and camphor soars from this muscular,...
100 WA / 99 WS / 96-98+ RP A wine thats certainly not for those seeking instant gratification, the 2010 Cote Rotie la Landonne is a powerhouse Cote Rotie that offers up deep, masculine notes of crushed rocks, smoked meats,...
100 JD / 100 WA / 100 JS / 99 WS / 19 JR #80 James Suckling’s Top 100 Wines of 2019 As majestic and regal as they come, the 2015 Côte Rôtie La Landonne is another perfect wine. A powerful,...
100 RP The 2009 Cote Rotie La Mouline possesses off-the-charts richness. Like all the vintages, it comes from the Cote Blonde and is co-fermented with 11% Viognier. Its 13.5% alcohol is one of the highest in all the La...
99 JS / 98 WS / 98+ JD / 97-99 WA / 17.5+ JR / 97 VM A very complex and complete nose with everything so integrated and beautifully judged. There are ripe blackberries, blood plums, fragrant spices, dark stones and roasted...
99 RP The precocious, sweet, jammy 1989 La Turque's smoky, licorice, and black-raspberry aromas, as well as its phenomenal richness, make for another extraordinary tasting experience. Full-bodied, dense, and thick, this...
100 JD / 99 WA / 99 WS / 98 JS / 18+ JR / 97 VM A perfect wine in every way, the 2015 Côte Rôtie La Turque comes from an incredible terroir on the Côte Brune and includes 7% Viognier. Stylistically,...
97 WS / 96 JD / 95 VM Looks browning and tired, but smells raw and untamed, with a powerful core of braised chestnut, flint, currant paste, bittersweet cocoa and brick dust. The long, grip-filled finish echoes with blood...
96+ WA / 96 WS Tasted from bottle, the 2011 Hermitage sports a ruby/purple color to go with an awesome bouquet of sweet cassis, dried flowers, spice-box, ground pepper and crushed stone. One of the more serious, focused and...
90 WS "This unfurls a pure beam of crushed plum and black cherry fruit, inlaid gently with singed bay leaf, pepper and anise notes. A light smoky edge runs through the finish. Drink now. 9,000 cases made." - JM, Wine...
90 WA / 90 VM / 16.5 JR One of the finest examples of this cuvee Chave has yet made, the 2009 St.-Joseph Offerus is performing fabulously well from bottle. Produced from purchased grapes grown on the hillsides behind the...
91 VM / 91 WS Deep, vivid ruby. High-pitched, mineral-accented aromas of cherry, black raspberry and fresh flowers. Offers an array of red and dark berry flavors that gain flesh and sweetness with air. Packs a serious punch...
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