Rhône
Wine has been produced in the Rhône Valley for over 500 years, with some of its steeply-terraced vineyards amongst the oldest in France. Syrah rules over the south with a mix of Mediterranean grapes, while in the north the two stars are Hermitage – grown on a granite hillside above the town of Tain and best put to the back of the cellar for a decade – and Côte-Rôtie, a star appellation made famous by Guigal's single-vineyard wines.
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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
Ready, but will keep,
This is very much in keeping with Emmanuel’s dynamic style of winemaking. As the name indicates, the fruit from three different plots are aged differently, in barriques and demi-muids. The result produces a dark and smoky nose. On the palate, bramble fruit is intertwined with very silky, polished tannins and a rich but well-balanced finish. Drink now to 2024.
Oliver Barton, Buying Assistant
Oliver Barton, Buying Assistant
Maison Chapoutier,
For laying down,
This cuvee is mainly matured in concrete vats, with only 30% of the wine seeing oak. This brings a real focus on the purity of fruit. The nose is dark and dense with lots of blackberry fruit. A good mineral streak runs through the palate which is well-structured with firm tannins. Drink 2020-2025.
Oliver Barton, Buying Assistant
Oliver Barton, Buying Assistant
Ready, but will keep,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 20%. Price shown includes saving.
The (re)building of the eponymous winery, elegant Tourelles in the centre of medieval Gigondas continues apace, but the Perrins are not inclined to rush the project. Their new winery is intended to be every bit as significant as Beaucastel itself and its construction displays prescient recognition of the emerging primacy of the hillside vines of Gigondas. None are better located than theirs – the Grenache is planted on pre-phylloxera sandy soils, while the Syrah and Mourvèdre can be found a little higher up, where adamantine limestone texture underwrites the weave of Grenache’s old-vine silk. A really exciting wine. Drink 2020-2028.
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer
The Perrins are far from equivocal in outlining their aspirations in the Southern Rhône; they wish to match the undisputed primacy of their Beaucastel estate with hegemony of classic vineyards to demonstrate the best characteristics of the best villages: Voltaire without Pangloss. Nurturing and guiding as appropriate, they have rapidly built up an enviable portfolio which has gone virtually all the way to the realisation of this ambition. Their attention has been focused especially on the villages of Vinsobres and Gigondas, both of which share altitude and aspect to suit the subtly changing climate in the region.
The (re)building of the eponymous winery, elegant Tourelles in the centre of medieval Gigondas continues apace, but the Perrins are not inclined to rush the project. Their new winery is intended to be every bit as significant as Beaucastel itself and its construction displays prescient recognition of the emerging primacy of the hillside vines of Gigondas. None are better located than theirs – the Grenache is planted on pre-phylloxera sandy soils, while the Syrah and Mourvèdre can be found a little higher up, where adamantine limestone texture underwrites the weave of Grenache’s old-vine silk. A really exciting wine. Drink 2020-2028.
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer
The Perrins are far from equivocal in outlining their aspirations in the Southern Rhône; they wish to match the undisputed primacy of their Beaucastel estate with hegemony of classic vineyards to demonstrate the best characteristics of the best villages: Voltaire without Pangloss. Nurturing and guiding as appropriate, they have rapidly built up an enviable portfolio which has gone virtually all the way to the realisation of this ambition. Their attention has been focused especially on the villages of Vinsobres and Gigondas, both of which share altitude and aspect to suit the subtly changing climate in the region.
Ready, but will improve,
This is a “sélection parcellaire” coming from vines that are over 60 years old, in the northern part of St Joseph. Thanks to time in 25% new French oak, this wine displays an attractive sweet spice and cedar aroma. Rich and generous in body, its subtle smoky and meaty notes support the luxurious red and black fruit. Concentrated and complex. Drink 2020-2028.
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
Domaine Alain Voge,
For laying down,
Eponymous slopes, suitably adroit, from the near homophone lieu-dit, Les Chailles, host one of Alain’s most sublime pieces of work. Syrah is seldom as expressive in youth, and after only a little time in glass it will cede a cornucopia of woodland magic. Oak plays its part, but discretely, diplomatically, as the fruit rejoins an almost painfully eloquent soliloquy. Drink 2022-2030+.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Simon Field MW, 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
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer