Rhone

Amphores Detour Blanc 2015 (750ML)

“"Detour" is made from Roussanne, Clairette and Marsanne - it's a delicious Northern Rhone wine and a great value! The aromas are quite floral with white fruits, lemony citrus, hay and brown spice. The palate is supple...

Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2016 (1.5L)

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...

Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2003 (3.0L)

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...

Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2010 (750ML)

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...

Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2013 (1.5L)

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...

Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2014 (1.5L)

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...

Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2016 (1.5L)

100 JD / 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. Blueberries,...

Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2016 (750ML)

100 JD / 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. Blueberries,...

Chapoutier Chateauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac 2015 (750ML)

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...

Chapoutier Cote Rotie Neve 2017 (750ML)

97 WA 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. Blueberry and...

Chapoutier Ermitage L'Ermite Blanc 2011 (750ML)

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...

Chapoutier Ermitage L'Ermite Rouge 2007 (750ML)

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...

Chapoutier Ermitage L'Ermite Rouge 2011 (750ML)

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...

Chapoutier Ermitage L'Ermite Rouge 2013 (750ML)

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...

Chapoutier Le Meal Ermitage 2007 (750ML)

18++ JR / 94 WA Savoury, much tighter and denser than the Greffieux (which surely has a sandy element to it?) – this is more recognisably classic Hermitage. Like licking a stone on the finish and bone dry. Very long...

Chapoutier Le Meal Ermitage Blanc 2015 (750ML)

100 WA Another perfect wine is the 2015 Ermitage le Meal Blanc. The most decadent, unctuous and layered in the lineup, with to-die-for notes of white currants, toasted nuts, celery seed and licorice, it hits the palate with...

Chapoutier St Joseph Granits Blanc 2017 (750ML)

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...

Charvin Chateauneuf du Pape 2016 (750ML)

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...

Clos de Caveau Fruit Sauvage 2014 (750ML)

“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,...

Clos Des Papes 2005 (3.0L)

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...

Clos Des Papes 2009 (3.0L)

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,...

Clos Des Papes 2016 (1.5L)

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...

Clos Saint Jean 2016 (750ML)

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...

Clos Saint Jean Deus Ex Machina 2016 (6.0L)

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...

Clos Saint Jean la Combe des Fous 2016 (3.0L)

98 JD / 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 palate, with...

Delas Freres Hermitage les Bessards 2015 (750ML)

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...

Domaine Alary Cairanne la Jean de Verde 2016 (750ML)

96 WA Almost 100% Grenache and produced from low-yielding vines (approximately 25 hectoliters per hectare) at the top of the hill of Cairanne, the 2016 Cairanne la Jean de Verde is a prodigious wine. It starts with scents...

Domaine de Ferrand Chateauneuf du Pape 2016 (1.5L)

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,...

Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape 2016 (750ML)

94 WS / 92 JD / 92 VM #30 Wine Spectator Top Wine 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...

Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape Les Hautes Brusquieres Cuvee Speciale 2016 (750ML)

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...

Domaine de la Charbonniere Vacqueyras 2016 (750ML)

92 VM / 90-92 WA / 89-91 JD (fermented in tronconic oak vats and aged in barriques and demi-muids, most of them used) Deep brilliant ruby. Dark berries, cherry cola, licorice and exotic spices on the highly perfumed...

Domaine De La Janasse 2016 (750ML)

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...

Domaine De La Janasse Chaupin 2015 (750ML)

96 WA / 95 WS / 95 JD / 93-95 VM The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Chaupin is all Grenache, 40% whole cluster, aged in two-thirds foudre and one-third demi-muids and drawn exclusively from sandy sites. It showcases...

Domaine De La Janasse Vieilles Vignes 2011 (750ML)

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...

Domaine De La Janasse Vieilles Vignes 2016 (750ML)

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...

Domaine Du Coulet Billes Noires 2009 (750ML)

96 WS Dark and densely packed, yet terrifically racy, with plum sauce, pastis and crushed blackberry fruit wound with charcoal and roasted tobacco leaf notes, but carried by riveting acidity. A long, singed iron note hangs...

Domaine du Coulet Brise Cailloux 2012 (750ML)

92 VM / 16 JR 92 Points Vinous Media: Opaque ruby. A complex, smoky bouquet evokes fresh cherry, cassis, violet and cracked pepper. Sappy, precise and gently sweet on the palate, offering lively dark berry and floral...

Domaine Du Pegau Cuvee Reservee 2015 (1.5L)

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...

Domaine Du Pegau Cuvee Reservee 2016 (750ML)

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,...

Domaine Fondreche Il Etait Une Fois 2009 (750ML)

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...

Domaine Louis Clerc Condrieu 2011 (750ML)

Ferraton Cornas Les Eygats 2016 (750ML)

96 JD / 93 WA / 93 WS 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 licorice,...

Ferraton Hermitage Le Meal Rouge 2016 (750ML)

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...

Ferraton Hermitage Les Dionniers 2016 (750ML)

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...

Ferraton Saint Joseph Lieu Dit Paradis 2016 (750ML)

94 WS / 93+ JD 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 feel...

Fontbonau 2009 (750ML)

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...

Georges Vernay Coteau de Vernon Condrieu 2016 (750ML)

99 JD / 98 WS / 96 VM / 96 WA Lastly, the 2016 Condrieu Coteau de Vernon is cut from the same cloth yet has more density and length. Just about perfection in a glass with its salty sea breeze, citrus zest, tangerine, and...

Grand Veneur CdP Les Origines 2016 (750ML)

95 JD / 95 WA   The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines is 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah, all brought up in 50% new oak. It offers a deep ruby/plum color to go with terrific notes...

Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc La Fontaine 2016 (750ML)

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...

Guigal Cote Rotie Chateau D'Ampuis 2012 (1.5L)

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...