Southern Rhône Blend
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Remi Pouizin,
Drink now,
This Côtes du Rhône has been specially made for us by Rémi Pouizin, the talented winemaker and owner of Domaine Dieu-le-Fit. Made with exclusively organic grapes, the wine displays real purity of dark-berried fruit, with subtle spicy notes and a black-olive twist that is so typical of this region. Its juicy fruit core is wonderfully balanced by refreshing acidity and crunchy, chalky tannins.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Ready, but will improve,
Tablas Creek Vineyard,
Drink now,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 40%. Price shown includes saving.
Tablas Creek is a driving force in California for its biodynamic and sustainable practices and this attention to detail is evident in all their wines. Patelin – slang for “neighbourhood” – is a Rhône-style blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise, sourced from both their own vineyards and others in their ‘hood, Paso Robles. Bright and energetic, the wine has aromas of violet, blueberry and pepper spice. It has a silky but pronounced tannin profile, with a juicy and generous mid-palate. From the stand-out 2016 vintage, this wine is drinking beautifully now, but has the structure and concentration to keep for a couple of years.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Tablas Creek is a driving force in California for its biodynamic and sustainable practices and this attention to detail is evident in all their wines. Patelin – slang for “neighbourhood” – is a Rhône-style blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise, sourced from both their own vineyards and others in their ‘hood, Paso Robles. Bright and energetic, the wine has aromas of violet, blueberry and pepper spice. It has a silky but pronounced tannin profile, with a juicy and generous mid-palate. From the stand-out 2016 vintage, this wine is drinking beautifully now, but has the structure and concentration to keep for a couple of years.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Remi Pouizin,
Ready, but will keep,
A blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre, this wine is back in 2017 – not having been made in 2016 due to poor flowering. It offers a complex blend of wild strawberries, red cherries and sweet-spice undertones. There is a density and concentration to the nose, neatly balanced by a silky texture and chalky, firm tannins. Drink now to 2026.
Fiona Hayes, Rhône Buyer
Fiona Hayes, Rhône Buyer
Ready, but will keep,
Laurent has increased his vineyard holdings in Vacqueyras by 1.5 hectares. The eight-hectare total, spread over several parcels, makes up this blend of Grenache (65%), Mourvèdre (20%) and Syrah (15%). Dark plum and red cherry notes take on a supporting role in relation to a dominant herbal character, with hints of lavender. The rich and concentrated core is balanced by juicy acidity and firm, powdery tannins. Drink now to 2023.
Ready, but will improve,
This is a wonderful example of what good-value Gigondas can offer. The intensity of aromatics with liquorice, kirsch, rosemary and thyme is inviting and persists on the finish. While the fruit concentration is powerful, there is a touch of sweetness and spice on the mid-palate, the tannins powdery and firm, providing balance and focus. Drink now to 2024.
Fiona Hayes, Rhône Buyer
Fiona Hayes, Rhône Buyer
Domaine de la Janasse,
Ready, but will improve,
A chamber piece, appropriately enough, a whimsical sonata in praise of the Grenache grape, from the southerly and relatively cold vines of Chaupin. Spring flowers and bright acidity add feminine charm to the ripe fruit and ensure that the wine is immediately etched on the memory.
Drink 2019-2014.
Simon Field MW – Wine Buyer
Drink 2019-2014.
Simon Field MW – Wine Buyer
Chateau la Nerthe,
For laying down,
The final blend this year will be the usual cornucopia of Grenache, Syrah , Mourvèdre and Cinsault, the Syrah now nearly achieving parity with the Grenache (and in terms of taste profile it’s certainly just as influential). Maturation has been 60 percent in barrel, 40 percent in foudre and the wine rejoices in classic ripeness and purity, aromatic and subtle intensity. An archetype from the modern end of the spectrum, its modernity is tempered by a robust respect for provenance and the dexterity of an extremely gifted winemaker. Drink 2019-2025.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Chateau la Nerthe,
Ready, but will improve,
La Nerthe has always majored on the fruity side of the Châteauneuf profile. Sometimes, given the venerable vines in situ and the almost perfect cellars, I have hoped for a little more “authenticity” here. Ralph may have previously been making wine for Jaboulet in the North, but this is his most clearly articulated aspiration. One should rejoice in Grenache and garland it in the inevitable complexity offered by the famous palette of varietals, without losing sight of the essential features that elevated the appellation in the first place. The savoury, pleasantly herbal personality of the 2015, sitting perfectly within a dark fruit core, provides a most encouraging expression of this mission statement. Drink 2020-2028.
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer
The grandest of all the properties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the one closest to actually having a castle, La Nerthe is a virtually contiguous vineyard, with 90 hectares of calcareous and sandy soils located just to the east of the village. With each new vintage they enhance their reputation as one of the leading “classically modern” estates in the region.
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer
The grandest of all the properties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the one closest to actually having a castle, La Nerthe is a virtually contiguous vineyard, with 90 hectares of calcareous and sandy soils located just to the east of the village. With each new vintage they enhance their reputation as one of the leading “classically modern” estates in the region.
Paul Avril et Fils,
Ready, but will improve,
Careless of the apparent vagaries of the vintage, Vincent Avril has produced an outstanding wine in 2014. Despite the virtual exclusion of the troubled Syrah, the wine has a warm and welcoming colour and a typically generous Papes nose of kirsch, Morello cherry, lavender and forest floor.
This generosity pursues us all the very to the very long finish, its most engaging characteristics being the harmony of sweet fruit and savoury tannins and the weight in the mouth which marries Burgundian poise with Mediterranean warmth. An exceptional piece of work, the final blend of which is 50% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre, the balance shared principally between Counoise and Vaccarèse.
Drink 2017-2025+
Simon Field MW Wine Buyer
This generosity pursues us all the very to the very long finish, its most engaging characteristics being the harmony of sweet fruit and savoury tannins and the weight in the mouth which marries Burgundian poise with Mediterranean warmth. An exceptional piece of work, the final blend of which is 50% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre, the balance shared principally between Counoise and Vaccarèse.
Drink 2017-2025+
Simon Field MW Wine Buyer
Drink now,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 30%. Price shown includes saving.
A blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault, this has beautiful precision – a result of the parcels being vinified separately and the vigneron’s attention to detail. The exuberant citrus profile has red berry fruit perfume and subtle mint and verbena notes that bring aromatic lift. There is a zesty acidity with crunchy red fruits on the palate.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
A blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault, this has beautiful precision – a result of the parcels being vinified separately and the vigneron’s attention to detail. The exuberant citrus profile has red berry fruit perfume and subtle mint and verbena notes that bring aromatic lift. There is a zesty acidity with crunchy red fruits on the palate.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Domaine de la Janasse,
For laying down,
Christophe describes this as “the best Chaupin ever”,
and if there was ever an illustration of Grenache
that is richly wrought, powerful and luxuriously
textured, yet still structured and not tipping over into
a decadent over-indulgence, then this would be it. The
herbal hints at the back of the palate ground the wine
magnificently; otherwise it’s an ethereal paean to
Provencal pleasure. Drink 2022-2028.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
and if there was ever an illustration of Grenache
that is richly wrought, powerful and luxuriously
textured, yet still structured and not tipping over into
a decadent over-indulgence, then this would be it. The
herbal hints at the back of the palate ground the wine
magnificently; otherwise it’s an ethereal paean to
Provencal pleasure. Drink 2022-2028.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Domaine de la Janasse,
For laying down,
Well, this year I marginally prefer the Vieilles Vignes,
although I infer that the Sabons might vote for the
Chaupin. Hard to choose really. I love the dense, richly
complex, nervously adolescent splendour of this wine,
its strutting potential and plush, unending generosity,
a long and happy future definitively secured. Drink
2023-2030+.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
although I infer that the Sabons might vote for the
Chaupin. Hard to choose really. I love the dense, richly
complex, nervously adolescent splendour of this wine,
its strutting potential and plush, unending generosity,
a long and happy future definitively secured. Drink
2023-2030+.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Chateau de Beaucastel,
For laying down,
A blend, in roughly equal proportions, of Mourvèdre,
Grenache, Syrah and 80-year-old Cinsault, the wine
is intense in colour and richly concentrated; savoury
notes and sweet dark cherry fruit join forces, with
pepper, liquorice and spice box in reserve. Plenty of
plush and polish and an almost Burgundian swagger.
A triumphant wine, almost as popular as the senior
wine and always a winner with Berry Bros. & Rudd
staff! Drink 2019-2022.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Grenache, Syrah and 80-year-old Cinsault, the wine
is intense in colour and richly concentrated; savoury
notes and sweet dark cherry fruit join forces, with
pepper, liquorice and spice box in reserve. Plenty of
plush and polish and an almost Burgundian swagger.
A triumphant wine, almost as popular as the senior
wine and always a winner with Berry Bros. & Rudd
staff! Drink 2019-2022.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Chateau de Beaucastel,
Ready, but will improve,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 30%. Price shown includes saving.
2013 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin- an insanely impressive barrel sample transcends the vintage. Full-bodied, decadent and layered, with massive concentration and purity, it’s loaded with black and blue fruits, violets, truffle, licorice and assorted floral notes. This cuvee always shows fabulous fruit in its youth, and it doesn’t start to gain its hallmark gaminess until after a few years in bottle. In addition, this cooler vintage, with its ample moisture and autumn summer, produced Mourvedre with off-the-charts aromatic purity and perfect ripeness. It will clearly be in the top 1-2 wines and will have 3-4 decades of longevity. Drink: 2023 - 2043
97-100/100 Jeb Dunnuck eRobertParker.com #215 Oct 2014
Coming mostly from a plot of old vines located behind the estate, the Perrin Family’s Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin was first created in 1989 and is a tribute to the late Jacques Perrin, who passed away in 1978. Aged all in foudre and normally a blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Counoise and the rest Syrah, it’s only produced in top vintages and there’s normally a scant 400-500 cases to go around. It’s an incredible, yet atypical Châteauneuf du Pape due to its high Mourvèdre content.
2013 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin- an insanely impressive barrel sample transcends the vintage. Full-bodied, decadent and layered, with massive concentration and purity, it’s loaded with black and blue fruits, violets, truffle, licorice and assorted floral notes. This cuvee always shows fabulous fruit in its youth, and it doesn’t start to gain its hallmark gaminess until after a few years in bottle. In addition, this cooler vintage, with its ample moisture and autumn summer, produced Mourvedre with off-the-charts aromatic purity and perfect ripeness. It will clearly be in the top 1-2 wines and will have 3-4 decades of longevity. Drink: 2023 - 2043
97-100/100 Jeb Dunnuck eRobertParker.com #215 Oct 2014
Coming mostly from a plot of old vines located behind the estate, the Perrin Family’s Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin was first created in 1989 and is a tribute to the late Jacques Perrin, who passed away in 1978. Aged all in foudre and normally a blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Counoise and the rest Syrah, it’s only produced in top vintages and there’s normally a scant 400-500 cases to go around. It’s an incredible, yet atypical Châteauneuf du Pape due to its high Mourvèdre content.
Chateau de Beaucastel,
For laying down,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 10%. Price shown includes saving.
Probably the wine of the vintage (I feel like I say that every year for this cuvee), the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is a substantial, full-bodied, shockingly concentrated 2014 that gives up classic notes of blackberries, blueberries, forest floor, beef blood and licorice. Mouth-coating and rich with building tannin, it will be approachable at an earlier age than most vintages, yet will still need 5-6 years of cellaring.
Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate (30th October 2015)
Probably the wine of the vintage (I feel like I say that every year for this cuvee), the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is a substantial, full-bodied, shockingly concentrated 2014 that gives up classic notes of blackberries, blueberries, forest floor, beef blood and licorice. Mouth-coating and rich with building tannin, it will be approachable at an earlier age than most vintages, yet will still need 5-6 years of cellaring.
Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate (30th October 2015)
The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.
The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.