Rhone Blend Wines
Rhone Blend Wine
The Rhône valley has historically been an underappreciated region when it comes to viticultural accomplishments. It has long remained in the shadows of Bordeaux, Champagne and other regions that normally represent the pinnacle of French winemaking prowess, yet it consistently gives birth to some of the most awe-inspiring, compelling and mouth-watering wines in the world. Blends like Hermitage or Côte-Rôtie are nothing short of heavenly, and they’re often underrated, not appearing in as many conversations as they truly deserve.In terms of grape varietals, the Rhône offers a fair amount of variety. Syrah and Grenache dominate the red wine blends of the region, whereas white wine aficionados can enjoy a tasteful, complex combination of Marsanne, Viognier, and Roussanne. Every one of these wines simply oozes with character and complexity, requiring multiple tastings to properly deconstruct for all except the best-trained connoisseurs.
You have quite a few excellent choices, regardless of your personal preference. A 2003 or 2001 vintage of “Hommage à Jacque Perrin” from Chateau de Beaucastel or a bottle of Réserve des Célestins from 2000, made by the artisan Henri Bonneau, can send you soaring to the cosmos as your senses are stimulated to their conceivable limit. The deep, often inky appearance of these wines reveals their raw power and boldness, making them a common favorite among those who explore this region’s produce. Examining each wine from the Rhône valley in detail would take us longer than the average fermentation period for one of these masterpieces, but allow us to introduce you to some of the finest representatives.
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1995 Chapoutier Hermitage Le Pavillon100RPStill a youngster, the blockbuster 1995 Ermitage le Pavillon is a quintessential Hermitage in every way. Full-bodied, powerful, thick and unctuous, with tons of smoky, black, black..." Learn MoreAs low as $1,275.00 -
1996 Chapoutier Hermitage L'Ermite98WSA blockbuster red wine, delivering heavyweight power with amazing finesse. Thick, ripe, rich and superextracted, it's inky-dark, full-bodied, tastes of the earth, cassis and blackb..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $3,399.00 -
As low as $1,965.00 -
1998 Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf du Pape Speciale98WSThis offers an aroma of chocolate-covered prunes stewing on the stove, along with notes of brick dust, black currant preserve, fresh espresso and powdered rust. Powerfully tannic a..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $1,195.00 -
1998 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque99RPThe opaque purple-colored 1998 Cote Rotie La Turque offers extraordinarily gorgeous, pure black raspberry fruit intertwined with cherry liqueur, smoke, coffee, licorice, and roaste..." Learn MoreAs low as $549.00 -
1998 Paul Aine Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle96WSWhat a great wine. Full-bodied, with crushed berry, smoke and grilled aromas, all presented quite subtly. Stands out for its natural, down-to-earth taste of clean, pure, shining fr..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $189.00 -
1998 Guigal Cote Rotie La Landonne100RPThe 1998 Cote Rotie La Landonne is a perfect wine ... at least for my palate. Its saturated black/purple color is accompanied by an extraordinary nose of smoke, incense, tapenade, ..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $785.00 -
2000 Chapoutier Hermitage L'Ermite99RPI grossly underestimated the 2000 Ermitage l’Ermite from barrel. This wine, which emerges from largely pre-phylloxera vines planted on the dome of Hermitage, adjacent to the ..." Learn MoreAs low as $1,275.00 -
2001 Pierre Usseglio CDP Deux Freres99RPThe 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres elicits “wows”. Aged 60% in neutral wood foudres and 40% in one, two, and three-year old Burgundy barrels, this 200..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $269.00 -
2003 Chapoutier Hermitage L'ermite100RPIn terms of pure perfection and singularity, the black/purple-colored 2003 Ermitage l’Ermite is hauntingly perfect. A gorgeous perfume of flowers, black and blue fruits inter..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $879.00 -
2005 Mordoree CDP la Plume du Peintre100JDDense and impenetrable at first, the monumental 2005 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Plume du Peintre, 100% Grenache all from la Crau, sports a vivid black,..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $619.00 -
2005 Barroche Chateauneuf du Pape Pure100RPA wine I've had many times, Julien's 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure is a heavenly Chateauneuf du Pape that's a tribute to the heights Grenache can hit when grown in a great terroir ..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $349.00 -
2005 Roger Sabon CDP le Secret de Sabon98RPThe best showing yet from this cuvee (I rated in 96+ earlier this year), the 2005 Châteauneuf du Pape Le Secret de Sabon is a brilliant success and easily in the top handful ..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $429.00 -
2005 Vieux Telegraphe CDP La Crau95+RPThe 2005 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape, this estate’s strongest vintage since 1998, has put on serious weight since last year. Dense ruby/purple-colored with an exquis..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $209.00 -
2005 Rayas CDP97RPI could not resist retasting the 2005 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape. Until the 2007 is in bottle, the 2005 is clearly the greatest wine made at this estate since the 1995. Made from 10..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $1,529.00 -
2005 Chapoutier Hermitage L'Ermite99+RPLastly, from the very dome of the granite hill of Ermitage is the 2005 Ermitage l’Ermite. An extraordinarily powerful wine that probably needs 10-15 years in the bottle (last..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $2,475.00 -
2005 Marcoux Chateauneuf Du Pape VV98JDCertainly one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2005 Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes, always from the La Crau, Gallimards, and Esquirons vineyards a..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $189.00 -
2005 Marcoux Chateauneuf Du Pape93JDI drank this bottle of 2005 Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape over two days and while young, it’s actually fairly open and did not close down. Bright and pure rasp..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $59.99 -
2005 Pierre Usseglio CDP Deux Freres98JDThe 2005 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is a rock star wine that's built for the long haul with massive amounts of rich dark f..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $169.00 -
2006 Pierre Usseglio CDP Deux Freres98RPThe 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres, which comes from Les Serres, La Crau, and Esquirons (which is high on the plateau just behind the ruined chateau of the villag..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $179.00 -
2006 Pierre Usseglio CDP Mon Aeiul97JDOne of the top wines of the vintage, the 2006 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul is a quintessential Châteauneuf, boa..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $84.99 -
2006 Chapoutier Hermitage L'ermite98+RPThere are nearly 1,000 cases of the 2006 Ermitage l’Ermite, another candidate for perfection in a few years. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color as well as a stunning bouquet..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $1,395.00 -
2007 Cristia Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Renaissance96RPDeeper, inkier and more concentrated than the classic cuvee, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Renaissance checks in as 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah, with the Grenach..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $115.00 -
2007 Roger Sabon CDP le Secret de Sabon99RPOne of the sexiest, most decadent and unctuous wines in the vintage, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon (95% Grenache and the rest a mix of permitted varieties) boasts..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $929.00 -
2007 Vieux Telegraphe CDP La Crau96+RPThe 2007 Vieux Telegraphe may be the greatest wine made at this property since the 2005 and 1998. Dense ruby/purple-tinged with an exquisite nose of salty sea breezes, licorice, gr..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $209.00