Reviewed by Robert Parker in the Wine Advocate: Two Terrific Vintages in the Southern Rhone - October 2011
For a guide to Parker's recommended wines, see the lists below.
2010 is a great vintage that comes close in quality to
2007 in the southern Rhône. Some producers think 2010 eclipses 2007 because of the wines’ vivid freshness and focus. Throughout the southern Rhône, the hallmarks of the vintage are very dense purple, sometimes even blue/black colors as well as higher acid levels that have not been seen since
2004 and 2001.
In fact, 2010's paradox is that I can’t remember a vintage so concentrated, powerful and rich that also has such zesty acidity... The downside is that following the relatively moderate to small crop in 2009, the 2010 crop was very small, largely because 30-40% of the Grenache crop (the dominant grape varietal of the southern Rhône) was lost due to a coulure and millerandage. This has undoubtedly contributed to the level of concentration in the final wines. However, if a producer usually makes 1,000 cases in a normal vintage, his 2010 production will be closer to 500-700 cases.
The 2010s will have significant aging potential, which is obvious in the level of tannins, but the tannins are sweet with exceptional elegance and finesse. The ratio of high extractive and phenolic skins to the juice has produced wines of extraordinary intensity, freshness, aromatic potential and obvious longevity.
This is another great vintage that offers an embarrassment of riches for this region that has enjoyed a succession of extraordinary years. Since 1998, the top years have been 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003 (for a dozen or so estates), 2005, 2006 (which is very underrated and probably the finest value among all the appellations of the last 15 or so years), 2007 (the greatest vintage I have ever tasted in the southern Rhône),
2009 and
2010 (which is very close in quality to 2007).
Top Northern reds
|
Wine |
Score |
|
Chapoutier Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree |
98-100 |
|
Chapoutier Hermitage Vin de Paille |
98-100 |
|
Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite |
98-100 |
|
Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon Rouge |
98-100 |
|
Ermitage Rouge, Le Méal, Michel Chapoutier |
96-100 |
|
Alain Voge Cornas Vieilles Fontaines |
95-97 |
|
Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage les Varonniers |
94-96 |
|
Perrin et Fils Vinsobres, Vieilles Vignes, les Hauts de Julien |
93-95 |
|
Dom. du Tunnel (Stephane Robert) St Peray, Roussanne |
93 |
|
Rene Rostaing, Cote Rotie, Cote Blonde |
93-96 |
|
Hermitage Rouge, Le Gréal, Dom. Marc Sorrel |
92-94+ |
|
St Peray, Cuvée Prestige, Dom. Du Tunnel |
92 |
|
Cornas, Dom. du Tunnel |
91-93 |
|
Côte-Rôtie, La Landonne, Dom. René Rostaing |
91-94 |
|
St Joseph Rouge, Les Granits, Michel Chapoutier |
91-94 |
|
Cornas, Les Vieilles Vignes, Dom. Alain Voge |
91-94 |
|
Cornas, Dom. Pierre Gaillard |
90-93 |
|
Cornas, Les Chailles, Dom. Alain Voge |
90-92 |
Top Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds
|
Wine |
Score |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Les Grenaches de Pierre, Dom. Giraude |
98-100 |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cuvée Da Capo, Rouge, Dom. du Pegau |
98-100 |
|
Dom. de la Janasse Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes |
98-100 |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cuvée Reserve Rouge, Dom. du Pegau |
97-99 |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Impériale, Dom. Raymond Usseglio |
96-100 |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Reine des Bois, Dom. de la Mordorée |
96-98 |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Barbe Rac Michel Chapoutier |
95-97 |
|
Clos des Papes, Chateauneuf du Pape |
96-98 |
|
Dom. Giraud Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee les Gallimardes |
95-97 |
|
Chateau de la Nerthe Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Cadettes |
95-97 |
|
Dom. de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes |
93-95 |
|
Beaucastel, Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne, Vieilles Vignes |
94 |
|
La Roquete, Chateauneuf du Pape, l'Accent de Roquete |
93-95 |
|
Beaucastel, Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge |
92-94+ |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Part des Anges, Dom. Raymond Usseglio |
91-93+ |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cuvée Classique, Dom. de Marcoux |
91-93 |
|
Châteauneuf du Pape, Cuvée Prestige Dom. Roger Sabon |
91-93 |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, La Crau, Dom. du Vieux Télégraphe |
91-94 |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Ch. la Nerthe |
91-93 |
|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Dom. de la Charbonnière |
91-93 |
Other Southern red top picks
|
Wine |
Score |
|
Côtes du Rhône Village, Terre d'Argile, Dom. de la Janasse |
92-94 |
|
Perrin et Fils, Gigondas Clos des Tourelles |
92-94 |
|
Gigondas, Les Racines, Dom. Les Pallières, Vignobles Brunier |
91-93 |
|
Gigondas, Confidentiel, Dom. Montirius |
91-94 |
|
Gigondas, La Terre Des Aînés, Dom. Montirius |
90-92 |
Top whites
Rhône 2010 En Primeur - Reports & Recommendations
