Rhône 2017: the South

The nose of this wine is very pure, with cool dark berry fruit aromas with plenty of garrigue. The palate reveals more concentrated blackberry flavours complemented by fresh rosemary and thyme. The abundant tannins are well-managed, fine and ripe, framed by Cabotte’s signature elegant acidity which makes its wines both refined and digeste. This is one for the dinner table. Drink now to 2023.
Oliver Barton, Buyer Assistant

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

This unique cuvee is made entirely from Clairette, spending 10 months in old oak barrels – not to impart oak flavours, but rather to allow micro-oxygenation which stabilises the wine and allows it to develop additional complexity. The resulting wine has a very mineral nose, with herbs and a hint of camomile. The palate starts gently with more mineral notes, but builds to very pure stone and citrus fruit notes, all in balance with the crisp acidity. Drink now to 2022.
Oliver Barton, Buyer Assistant

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

This has a dark fruit profile of blackberry compôte and plums. Purple fruits open up rather dramatically in the glass, revealing wild strawberries and a redberry perfume. Energetic, fresh acidity combined with fine-grained tannins and a silky texture mean this Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the more easily accessible in youth, but its structure and layers of complexity foretell its ageability. Drink now to 2028.

This is an assemblage of Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanc and Bourboulien. Quince, honey and orange blossom aromatics are generously supported by toasted almonds and savoury spice. The wine has a waxy, glycerol palate with a breadth and density that is refreshed by a zesty core. Drink now to 2025.
Fiona Hayes, Rhône Buyer

This cuvée shows much promise. The blend includes just under 80% Grenache which is sourced from 13 plots across the appellation, but centred around the prized La Crau commune. This vintage is rich in bright red and black fruit, with plenty of signature sweet spice, building to a savoury olive and black pepper finish. The oak use is minimal which allows full focus on the top-quality fruit. This generous wine is both full of fruit and serious, with a long future ahead of it. Drink 2021-2040.

Marcoux’s top cuvée is made from just two plots, where some of the vines are over 100 years old. There is 90% Grenache here, giving the wine a rich spicy nose, with oodles of black fruit and garrigue notes. On the palate, it shows great harmony and elegance. There is plenty of cool fruit to balance the plentiful but fine tannins which melt on the tongue. The finish is typically complex and lengthy. Drink 2022-2042. 

A charming nose of bright cherry and blackberry fruit benefits from a hint of thyme. The palate is juicy, with more fleshy cherry fruit and a hint of spice from the 50% barrel-maturation. The finish has good freshness and very fine tannins, in keeping with the vintage. Drink now to 2022
Oliver Barton, Buyer Assistant

The Réserve des Seigneurs has significantly less Grenache this year (40%), with a higher proportion of Mourvèdre (40%) and Syrah (20%) compared to the 2016. This has not been detrimental to this delicious cuvee, however, with opulent layers of pepper, violet and black fruit combined with liquorice spice. A luxurious, silky texture is complemented by fine-grained, powdery tannins and brisk acidity. Drink now to 2025.
Fiona Hayes, Rhône Buyer