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Rhône 2010 - Jancis Reviews

Reviewed by Jancis Robinson MW, in jancisrobinson.com & FT.com, January 2012: After rain, Rhône shines and 22 Dec 2011 by Jancis Robinson MW & Julia Harding MW

For a guide to Jancis' recommended wines, see the lists below.

Northern reds
Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds
Other southern reds
Whites and rosés

Thanks to the early September rains, the northern Rhône 2010s are delightful – ripe, but fresh and silky.

Buy Rhône before the Chinese do! We already have strong indications that Chinese fine wine lovers are turning their well-heeled attentions from Bordeaux to smart Burgundy. Wine lovers in search of great French wine whose prices have not (yet) been inflated by demand from Asia are currently able to choose from two great vintages in the northern Rhône.

North
According to Jean-Louis Chave, viticultural guardian of the rock of Hermitage and the most interesting steep combes of the Saint-Joseph appellation, the lauded 2009 vintage in the northern Rhône was dominated by the sun, whereas the 2010 wines are dominated by the soil. This is as good a summation as any of the character of these two current vintages.

While the 2009s are unusually plump and ripe – particularly attractive attributes in a region whose Syrah vines sometimes struggle to ripen fully – the 2010s are devoid of puppy fat and are better at expressing terroir...

This, 2010, is the best vintage I can remember for the increasingly exciting whites of the northern Rhône... Condrieus, the archetypal Viogniers of the wine world, have real structure and attack, and white wines based on Roussanne and especially Marsanne grapes from such appellations as St-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and St-Péray are now so well made that they can offer serious and interesting alternatives to white Burgundy.

South
If lovers of wines such as Hermitage and Côte Rôtie have two excellent but differently styled vintages to choose from, there is a wider gap in quality between the 2009s and 2010s of the southern Rhône. In my usual extensive blind tastings of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras 2009s this time last year, I found many wines with uncomfortably drying tannins on the finish...

The same exercise this year, however, showed much riper tannins in the 2010 southern Rhône wines and also, thanks to the unusually cool summer nights, much more freshness and acidity. This was just as well, since alcohol levels of the 2010s, especially the Châteauneufs, seem to be even higher than in 2009.

For Vincent Avril (Clos des Papes), 2010 is like a blend of the richness of 1990, the elegance of 2005 and the power of 2007 – which sounds almost impossible to me but, yet again, his wines tasted from foudre and not finally blended, were exemplary – despite their exceptional potency.

Marc Perrin of Château de Beaucastel agrees about the first resemblance. While the 2009s remind him of the 1989s, he reckons the 2010s are like the 1990s.

Top 10 Northern reds

Wine	Score
2010 Ermitage Rouge, l'Ermite, Michel Chapoutier	18.5
2010 Ermitage Rouge, Le Greffieux, Michel Chapoutier	18
2010 Ermitage Rouge, Le Méal, Michel Chapoutier	18
2010 Ermitage Rouge, Le Pavillon, Michel Chapoutier	18
2010 Côte-Rôtie, La Mordorée, Michel Chapoutier	17.5
2010 Côte-Rôtie, Rose Pourpre, Domaine Pierre Gaillard	17.5
2010 Côte-Rôtie, La Landonne, Domaine René Rostaing	17.5
2010 Côte-Rôtie, Gallet Blanc, Domaine François Villard	17.5
2010 St Joseph Blanc, Les Granits, Michel Chapoutier	17
2010 Hermitage Rouge, Domaine du Colombier	17

Top 10 Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds

Wine	Score
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Clos des Papes, Paul Avril et Fils	19
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cuvée Da Capo, Rouge, Domaine du Pegau	18.5
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Ch. de Beaucastel	18
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cuvée Reserve Rouge, Domaine du Pegau	18
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Barbe Rac Michel Chapoutier	17.5
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Mourre des Perdrix, Domaine de la Charbonnière	17.5
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cuveé Tradition, Domaine Giraud	17.5
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 'Tradition' Rouge, Domaine de la Janasse	17.5
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Ch. La Nerthe	17.5
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Croix de Bois, Michel Chapoutier	17

Other Southern red top picks

Wine	Score
2010 Vacqueyras, La Pavane, La Bastide St. Vincent	17.5
2010 Vacqueyras, Les Clos, Domaine Montirius	17.5
2010 Vacqueyras, Cuvée Lopy Vieilles Vignes, Dom. Le Sang des Cailloux	17+
2010 Gigondas, Les Racines, Domaine Les Pallières, Vignobles Brunier	17.5
2010 Vacqueyras, Les Garrigues, Domaine Montirius	17

Top 10 whites and rosés

Wine	Score
2010 Ermitage Blanc, l'Ermite, Michel Chapoutier	18
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Clos des Papes, Paul Avril et Fils	17.5
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Roussanne, VV, Beaucastel	17+
2010 Ermitage Blanc, Cuvee de L'Orée, Michel Chapoutier	17
2010 Hermitage Blanc, Domaine du Colombier	17
2010 Condrieu, Domaine Pierre Gaillard	17
2010 Condrieu, La Doriane, Domaine Etienne Guigal	17
2010 Hermitage Blanc, Les Rocoules, Domaine Marc Sorrel	17
2010 Condrieu, Les Deponcins, Domaine François Villard	17
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Ch. de Beaucastel	17