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The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is based on 45% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, with the balance Syrah, all destemmed and raised in 55% new French oak. Gorgeous cassis, violet, graphite, fruitcake, and peppery herbs define this brilliant effort, and it’s full-bodied, with a pure, seamless texture, wonderful tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This magical 2019 is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age (it’s brilliant even today) yet keep for 20 years or more. Châteauneuf du Pape lovers need to have this in their cellar!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAlways the densest and richest of the cuvées at this benchmark estate, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes features scents of cedar and mocha layered against a backdrop of black cherries. This actually is a bit like Black Forest cake—that ripe, rich and dense, with chocolate and vanilla shadings—but remains dry and savory in the end, with velvety tannins and tremendous length. It’s approximately 50% Grenache (aged in tank), plus 40% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah (both aged in new barrels)Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPDeep violet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, vanilla and candied flowers, along with Moroccan spice and smoky mineral nuances. Sweet and pliant in the mouth, offering assertive Chambord, boysenberry, lavender and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily through the back half. Plush tannins come in slowly, adding shape to a very long, blue-fruit- and floral-dominated finish.Vinous Media | 95 VMDrenched with the heat and sun of the 2019 vintage, this massively ripe, strapping wine is packed with flavors of roasted plum and black-cherry compote. Accented by whispers of camphor, sweet tobacco and cinnamon, the concentrated, hulking sip is ringed by fiery tannins. The wine needs time. Approach from 2024 and it should improve well through 2035. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Colombis comes from more sandy soils and is all Grenache raised in demi-muids. Wild strawberries, cherries, flowery incense, lavender, and loamy earth all make an appearance, and it’s full-bodied, has a deep layered texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s another wine that needs a few years of bottle age, but it will deliver the goods over the following 15+. This is Grenache at its most elegant and seamless.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDDeep, shimmering ruby. Expansive, mineral- and spice-accented red and dark berry preserve, incense, cola and garrigue qualities on the finely detailed nose. Palate-staining cherry pie, raspberry, boysenberry, floral pastille and fruitcake flavors show uncanny energy for their depth. The spice and floral notes dominate a seriously long, sappy finish framed by velvety, well-knit tannins.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Colombis is all old-vine Grenache, vinified entirely as whole clusters and matured in demi-muids. On the nose, there are some minty-stemmy notes but also wonderful suggestions of garrigue and vibrant fruit—red raspberries, cherries and stone fruit. It’s full-bodied and silky on the mid-palate, then long, spicy-peppery and firmly tannic on the finish. While not unapproachable or unenjoyable even now, it should benefit from several years cellaring and live close to two decades. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA really lovely expression of pure Grenache, it feels very naturally presented and unforced. Might take time to really express its complexity however, I would hold on to this for 10 years before opening. Very fresh and well balanced, with fine tannins. Largely sandy soils, a small lieu-dit to the west of the village. All fermented and aged in tronconic vats.Decanter | 95 DECSo silky this version seems expressive at first, but the core of cassis, cherry purée and raspberry fruit is tightly coiled, with both chalk and iron notes having their say, stretching out in unison through the finish. Black tea and garrigue hints peek in as well, which is a sign of what’s to come after cellaring.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A fresh version, with bright yellow plum, green almond and white peach flavors backed by notes of lemon shortbread and quinine on the plump finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2026. 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSPretty apple blossom, spice, and sappy flower notes dominate the bouquet of the 2019 Saint Joseph Blanc. This carries to a more medium-bodied, elegant white that offers a solid sense of minerality, good mid-palate depth and concentration, notable balance, and a great finish. It’s a beautiful Saint Joseph white to drink over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA bit more mineral than the Crozes-Hermitage, the Marsanne-dominant 2019 Saint-Joseph Blanc comes exclusively from the southern portion of the appellation, around Sarras and Tournon. Scents of crushed stone and pencil shavings (half was matured in tank, one-fourth in new oak and one-fourth in second-fill oak) accent notes of underripe peach and citrus on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is crisp, linear and long on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Full-bodied, very intense on the palate, great impact and lovely driving acidity with a tangy, intense finish. Great definition and drive. Really dynamic and delicious. The alcohol is a little raised and the oak quite forthright, but this is such a dynamic, vivid white Châteauneuf. Grown on sandy-clay soils of lieux-dits La Crau and La Janasse. Roussanne component aged for seven months in barrel, 75% new. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 95 DECThis bright, banana-and-grapefruit-scented wine is a blend of equal parts unoaked Grenache Blanc and Clairette accentuated by a smaller proportion of Roussanne matured in French oak (80% new). This calibrated blending gives this full-bodied dry white a zesty, green-fruited flair juxtaposed by unctousness of texture and delicately smoky, vanilla-kissed notes of pastry and toast. While approachable young, the wine should evolve nicely through 2035 at least.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEBeautifully done, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc should be snatched up by savvy readers. Offering beautiful notes of ripe pineapple, caramelized peach, white flowers, and a touch of salty minerality, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless texture, beautifully integrated acidity, and a big finish. This cuvée has an incredible track record for aging, and it can be enjoyed now or cellared for upwards of 15-20 years, if you’re so inclined.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD

I was able to taste the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Chaupin on two occasions, rating it one point higher on one of those as well. Incredible notes of red and black fruits, violets, scorched earth, ground pepper, and Provençal garrigue notes define the nose, and it’s a darker, richer, slightly more powerful wine than usual, while still showing the inherent elegance and finesse this cuvée always shows. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 15-20. Don’t miss it!Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThis Grenache is sourced from the sandy soils of two prized vineyards, La Janasse and La Crau. Redolent of rose petals, smoky tea leaves and black cherry, the deeply penetrating wine pulsates through a long, long finish. Matured 12 months in large-format wood, it’s pure in fruit and satiny on the palate. Stunning young, the wine should gain complexity through at least 2040 and hold much further still.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WE(Domaine de la Janasse, Grenache, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, Red) With more than 90ha of vines, Domaine de la Janasse’s flagship red – a blend of 65% old Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault – is sourced from several terroirs, including the La Crau plateau. With no pesticides, insecticides or weedkillers used, 80% of the wine is aged in traditional old foudres, and 20% in barrels, of which one third are new. Matt Walls: Lively and high-toned, with appealing fresh black cherry, raspberry and violet floral notes. Supple, pure and fine, very well balanced. Great shape and harmony, very good indeed. Tanguy Martin: Nose full of sweet spices and orange macerated notes. The palate is round and sweet – fruit compote followed by a meaty finish. David Round: Intense, bright strawberry fruit with exotic spices. Concentrated, ripe and fleshy, quite heady but rounded with ripe tannins. (Drink between 2022-2043)Decanter | 96 DECMarked by scents of garrigue, raspberries and black cherries, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin is full-bodied, rich and tannic but also incredibly ripe and long. The betting here is that the fruit outlasts the tannins and that the wine develops similarly to the stunning 2005.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

I was able to taste the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape multiple times, and it’s the finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate, surpassing even the 2016. Lovers of classic, impeccably made Châteauneuf du Pape should back up the truck on this beauty. A wine of incredible richness and depth, as well as elegance, it has a gorgeous nose of peppery herbs, blackberries, garrigue, cured meats, and sandalwood. Full-bodied and concentrated, it builds incrementally on the palate and is perfectly balanced, with sensational purity, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. There’s nothing over the top or out of place, and traditionally made Châteauneuf du Pape doesn’t get much better. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will shine for well over two decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDVery full-bodied with a lovely sweetness to the fruit, fine tannins and great freshness. Really shot through with juicy, sweet, chocolatey tannins and great concentration. Very well balanced however, not heavy or aggressive with a stony minerality on the finish. The most impressive barrel sample of Vieux Donjon I’ve ever tasted, this is profound stuff. This traditional estate owns 18ha of Châteauneuf, with considerable plantings of old-vine Grenache. Fermented in concrete vats, then aged in concrete and old foudres. Drinking Window 2025 - 2048.Decanter | 98 DECA brick house, this sports a chiseled edge as a mix of juniper, cassis, plum, bay leaf, charcoal and graphite notes all align thanks to the racy structure and vibrant energy. Built for the cellar, with a lovely old school whiff through the finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Best from 2024 through 2038. 6,500 cases made, 1,200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDark violet. Highly fragrant red/blue fruit preserve, potpourri and garrigue aromas and building licorice and exotic spice accents on the nose. Impressively concentrated and penetrating on the palate, offering alluringly sweet cherry, boysenberry, candied lavender and spicecake flavors that tighten up steadily through the back half. Shows plenty of power but comes of lithe and finishes extremely long, smooth and spicy, with polished tannins lending subtle grip.Vinous Media | 95 VMOne of the few estates in the appellation to make just a single red wine, Vieux Donjon’s 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape starts off promising. Dark in the glass, it offers up notions of loam and dark fruit, suggestive of blueberries and plums. It’s full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with a rich, velvety feel and long finish, both of which suggest further rewards from cellaring, even if it’s not as flattering out of the gate as the stellar 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP(Châteauneuf du Pape- Le Vieux Donjon) As I mentioned last year, Le Vieux Donjon is rich in old vines, as more than six of their seventeen hectares of vineyards are planted to vines in excess of one hundred years of age! As there is no reserve wine here, all of the old vines go into their single bottling of Châteauneuf du Pape rouge, with the vast majority of the blend being composed of this very old vine grenache. The elevage is done primarily in old foudres, with only twenty percent of the blend seeing their aging in cement vats. The 2019 vintage at Vieux Donjon is ripe in the style of the vintage, coming in at fifteen percent octane and offers up a complex aromatic constellation of sweet blackberries, black raspberries, hickory smoke, spit-roasted venison, balsam bough, rosemary, lavender, stony soil tones and just a hint of Christmas spice in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full-bodied, with a lovely sense of (relative) elegance from the very old vines, a plush core of fruit, firm, chewy tannins, fine mineral drive and a long, very complex and impressively balanced finish. There is a bit of heat here on the finish, but it is quite minimal and this may well be the first fifteen percent octane wine that I would happily drink, as these very old vines have done a nice job of mitigating the most strident aspects of this drought vintage. (Drink between 2032-2075)John Gilman | 92 JG

A blend of equal parts Marsanne and Roussanne, the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Mule Blanche Blanc has a rounded, medium-bodied, nicely textured style that carries plenty of pear, citrus blossom, and sappy herbs notes as well as a touch of salty minerality. A fleshy, undeniably delicious, balanced white, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years, if not longer. It would be a great introduction to the white wines of this appellation.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDAlready bottled, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Mule Blanche (Domaine) harkens back toward the quality of the superb 2017, with gentle nutty complexities interwoven with crushed stone, spice, melon and pear. Medium to full-bodied, this 50-50 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne from Les Chassis displays beautiful harmony and roundness while remaining long and crisp on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée looks set to rival the best examples of this bottling. Made up of approximately 80% Grenache, with 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and smaller amounts of other permitted varieties, it’s impressively complex on the nose, with scents of black cherries, blackberries and black olives, plus mysterious wafts of violets and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it finishes long and velvety, a sure-fire bet for cellaring.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThis youthful Chateauneuf has a very complex nose of graphite, raw meat and lilies. With aeration the black-cherry note steadily grows in intensity. Bold, leathery and earthy palate with fine tannins that build steadily on at the extremely long and straight mineral finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Réservée was hard to read and incredibly reductive, which is a trait I’ve never seen from this estate. Black fruits, licorice, and roasted garrigue are all present in this medium to full-bodied, structured, tannic, firm wine. It’s a head scratcher, but hopefully I’ll be able to taste this again next year before it’s released. Given the quality of the vintage, it should be better than this showing.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-94 JD

A bigger, richer wine, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Lieu-Dit Pignan is loaded with ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits as well as classic pepper, garrigue, and violet notes. It’s a beast of a wine on the palate and is full-bodied, deep, powerful, and concentrated, with no shortage of fruit or texture. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade. This cuvée is 75% Grenache and 25% Mourvèdre that was completely destemmed and aged in concrete, with 20% in older barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDFrankly rich and ripe, with a cascade of dark plum, boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors that cruise through, with notes of bittersweet cocoa, anise and fruitcake filling in along the way. Lush in feel, this flirts with exotic in the end and should age on a faster track. For fans of the showy style. Drink now through 2030. 350 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS From one of the appellation’s sandy lieux-dits—Pignan (Nord)—the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Lieu Dit Pignan is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre, aged in demi-muids. Scents of tar, espresso and mocha lead into notes of black cherries and black raspberries on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is velvety and moderately rich, tannic but ripe, with a long, nicely textured finish.Drink Date 2023 - 2035Robert Parker The Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The tiny production 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Le Secret Des Sabon is a field blend of mostly Grenache brought up all in wooden tronconique barrels. It’s closest in style to the Prestige Cuvée yet brings another level of opulence and richness without losing any sense of elegance or class. Blackberries, peppery herbs, graphite, crushed violets, and a liquid rock-like minerality all define the nose, and it hits the palate with incredible depth of fruit, full-bodied richness, and ripe yet building tannins. While the acidity is technically quite low (the pH is 3.8), it holds onto an undeniable sense of freshness and purity. It is just a thrilling, magical wine from this estate. While young and unevolved, with 3-5 years of cellaring required, it is a modern-day legend capable of evolving for over two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA top-notch effort, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon—a blend of two old-vine Grenache parcels from sandier soils—offers up some floral and raspberry notes set against a dark backdrop of plums, mocha and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, dense and rich, it’s almost fudge-like in intensity, but with adequate freshness, a deeply plush texture and tremendous length on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPShimmering ruby. Powerful, mineral-accented black raspberry and cherry liqueur aromas are complemented by incense, licorice and potpourri flourishes. Juicy, sweet and impressively concentrated, offering palate-staining red/blue fruit, spicecake and lavender pastille flavors braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Brawny yet surprisingly lithe as well, showing outstanding clarity and youthfully chewy tannins on the strikingly long, floral and spice-tinged finish.Vinous Media | 96 VMJuicy, dense and packed, yet remarkably defined, with a mix of plum and racy-edged blackberry, boysenberry and raspberry reduction flavors, all laced with a licorice snap thread. Black tea, garrigue and humus accents underscore the finish as the fruit sails through with aplomb. A beauty. Drink now through 2038. 125 cases made, 42 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSVery dark, powerful, slightly tarry and roasted with a very intense - almost too intense - acidity. Surprisingly dark for Grenache on sandy soils, extremely concentrated. A driving, focussed, mineral expression that will take some time to reach its peak. Long finish. 3,000 bottles made. Mostly grown on sand, fermented in stainless steel, then aged in tronconic wooden vats. Drinking Window 2022 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DEC

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Réserve Auguste Favier is based on 85% Grenache and 15% Cinsault, all from the Les Serres lieu-dit, and was brought up all in demi-muids. Black raspberries, spring flowers, pepper, and loamy earth and mineral nuances all make an appearance here, and this flawlessly balanced, medium to full-bodied Châteauneuf du Pape has incredible finesse and elegance while still bringing beautiful richness and length. It’s not the biggest, richest wine in the vintage, but it shines for its complexity and seamlessness. It’s pure class.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDOpaque garnet. Expressive cherry, black raspberry and incense aromas are complemented by building floral and exotic spice nuances. Sappy, seamless and penetrating in the mouth, offering appealingly sweet red and dark berry liqueur and candied lavender flavors that deepen as the wine open up. Shows resonating red fruit character on the wonderfully persistent, floral-driven finish, which is framed by polished, interwoven tannins.Vinous Media | 96 VMMatured in demi-muids, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Auguste Favier is 85% Grenache and 15% Cinsault. Offering up a panoply of floral, spice and herb shadings, it backs those with scents of raspberries and black cherries and just subtle notes of toast and pencil shavings. Full-bodied on the palate, it’s also silky in feel, with a long, mouthwatering finish and just a touch of friendly warmth. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis has a seriously endowed and remarkably pure core of cassis and cherry purée, underscored by light leather, red licorice and violet notes that emerge steadily as they move through the silky finish. Power and grace. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvèdre. Best from 2023 through 2036. 7,920 cases made, 660 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSDeep and concentrated, flowing, but with a good sense of fruit freshness and liveliness on the palate. A big wine, that, like many of us, put on a bit of weight over lockdown! Grown on galets roulés on lieu-dit Les Serres, fermented in concrete, aged in demi-muid. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 92 DEC

This estate makes incredible whites, and the 2019 Chateauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes Blanc is well worth seeking out. Revealing a medium gold hue as well as great aromatics of white peach, pineapple, white flowers, and spice, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a rounded, elegant texture, bright acidity, and a great, great finish. It’s stunning today and I suspect it will keep for upwards of a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDBright and well-defined right from the get go, with both rich and racy green melon, green plum, white peach and star fruit flavors, laced with a lemon shortbread hint. The long finish lets the fruit play out, while a honeysuckle note adds range. Drink now through 2024. 500 cases made, 80 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe honeyed and cedar-inflected 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes Blanc shows a bit too much oak on the nose, but it serves to structure the wine on the palate, pushing the pear and melon notes into something more focused and refreshing than it would be otherwise. It’s still a ripe, round wine, marked by oak spice and lingering wood on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Lovely peach, pear and yellow plum notes form the core, with well-inlaid acidity for support and light verbena and shortbread accents gilding the lush finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases made, 10 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBeautifully pure quince, ripe peach, and caramelized citrus notes emerge from the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, which shows a more medium-bodied, clean, vibrant style. It doesn’t have the richness of the Saint-Joseph releases, yet I love its purity of fruit as well as its balance. It’s going to gain depth with a year of bottle age and keep for 7-8 years, probably longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDSvelte in structure yet pulsating with rich black plum and cassis, this full-bodied Syrah calibrates pure, ripe fruit against complexities of granite, fur and black olive. Matured ten months in oak, it’s a velveteen, concentrated sip but brisk and bright too, finishing on fine-grained, upright tannins. Approachable young, the wine will likely drink beautifully through 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEVery good - this is a fairly rich style of white Crozes, the oak is quite lovingly applied, but it works well. Lacks a bit of focus, but it’s enjoyable with concentrated pear and melon flavours. Drinking Window 2021 - 2022.Decanter | 90 DEC

Classic notes of quince, crushed stone, honeysuckle, toasted bread, marzipan, and white flowers emerge from the 2019 Hermitage Blanc, a rich, full-bodied white with a dense mid-palate, flawless balance, and a great finish. This is head-turning stuff that has some up-front approachability, yet its tight, backward, concentrated core of fruit suggests that 2-3 years of bottle age are warranted, and it’s going to keep for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDCrackling campfire and toasted brioche accent flavors of preserved yellow peach, pineapple and crème brûlée in this masterful white. An 80/20 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne matured 12 months in oak foudre, it’s creamy on the palate, with a delicately warming, brandy-soaked kiss on the finish. Delicious young, the wine should gain even more nuance from 2030 through 2040 and hold further.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBaked apple, pineapple, peach, dried jasmine, lemon curd, flint, cardamom and spice on the nose. It’s full-bodied, complex and intense. Long, ripe, layered and wonderfully spiced, with a creamy, almost oily texture. Lingering notes of salted butter and minerals accompany a fresh lift on the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSA rich and showy wine, with singed brioche and salted butter notes leading off, followed by creamed yellow apple, mirabelle plum, melon and mango notes all mixed together. The finish features a buttery hint, with an echo of macadamia nut. One for the hedonist crowd. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2024. 400 cases made, 5 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

On another level, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Grand Vin Blanc is a deeper, richer white that still stays incredibly focused, pure, and balanced. White peach, toasted brioche, spice, honeysuckle, and more stone fruits define the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has just about flawless balance, a gorgeous texture, and the depth, balance, and class to evolve for 15 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe oak is present and integrated but not excessive and it doesn’t rub out the fine definition and terroir expression. Long and straight, this is bold but drinkable, with a good sense of fluidity and freshness to the wine, but enough salt and extract to age well. The wines from Nalys are improving quickly, which is not surprising given the quality of the terroir: Bois Sénéchaux, la Crau and Grand Pierre. Fermented and aged in a variety of sizes of oak barrel, including 18% new oak.Decanter | 95 DECWith a higher proportion of Roussanne than the Saintes Pierres bottling, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Vin Blanc should drink well through 2030 or so. Scents of toasted grain, roasted cashews, grilled pineapple and pear emerge on the nose of this medium to full-bodied effort. Open, lush and long, it’s a fine example of this appellation, whose white wines are steadily gaining in quality. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSleek, spicy and dense, with an inviting display of ripe, juicy pear and warm apple interwoven with dried thyme and garrigue that add a nice savory detail, with a kiss of meringue on the lush palate. Shows a salty beam of flinty minerality that cuts through the richness and concentration. Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Clairette, Picpoul and Picardan. Drink now through 2028. 600 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is also terrific, with a deep, rich, concentrated style that carries classic Roussanne apple and stone fruits as well as honeyed toast, spice, and subtle floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and fabulously well-balanced, it’s going to drink well for 4-5 years, then probably shut down, only to re-emerge in another decade with a more mineral, honeyed, nutty, complex profile.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDBarrel-fermented and matured in 50% new oak, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne boasts layered, nuanced aromas of toasted grain, ripe pear and mouthwatering pineapple. Full-bodied and lush, it finishes long, with a silky texture and sexy vanilla overtones. Like the other white wines at this estate, I’ve lengthened the drinking window, as they appear to age so well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Proprietor Paul-Vincent Avril expects to bottle 100,000 bottles of something approximating this "final blend," tasted out of foudre. A blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah and other permitted varieties, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape looked exceptional on this day, offering up scents of framboise and kirsch alongside dried flowers and Asian spices. Full-bodied yet weightless, silky and long, this is special stuff, complex and balanced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPA very Clos des Papes vintage,’ says Vincent Avril, and I know what he means - a vintage that naturally delivers the kind of fresh, elegant wines that this estate is famous for. A tasting of several foudres point to a wine with natural, easy balance. The Mourvèdre is excellent here this year, and adds great depth to the fresh and delightful Grenache that has notes of black tea, black cherry and iron. Elegant and very fine. (Drink between 2023-2042)Decanter | 98 DECBeguiling, with a plume of black tea and incense leading off, followed by black cherry reduction, cassis, melted black licorice, warm earth, singed tobacco and garrigue accents. Offers breadth and depth with a seamless feel, capped by a subtle mineral edge that lingers lengthily amid the beautiful fruit. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2024 through 2040. 8,000 cases made, 800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLooking at the reds, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is a silky, elegant wine that shows the vintage to a T. I was able to taste through all the foudres of the cuvée as well as one that’s a final blend, with all showing beautiful red and black fruits, peppery garrigue, and floral nuances. The purity of fruit is remarkable, and this will be a medium to full-bodied, finesse-driven, yet still concentrated vintage for this cuvée that readers will love.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JD

I was absolutely blown away by the 2020 Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes Blanc, a rich, powerful expression of Marsanne (there’s 10% Roussanne as well) from the L’Ermite, le Sabot, and La Tourette lieux-dits, brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. Revealing a vivid gold hue, it just about jumps out of the glass with its exotic nose of honeyed quince, acacia flowers, buttered pears, chalky minerality, spice, and licorice. The purity is off the charts, and it has full-bodied richness, a deep, plush, opulent mouthfeel, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. It’s the finest vintage of this cuvée to date, and readers who love the richer, powerful style of Hermitage should do their best to snatch bottles up. I suspect the acidity is moderate, but it holds onto a riveting sense of freshness and has this liqueur of rock-like sensation on the finish, and it will stand toe to toe with anything out there. I would enjoy bottles over the coming 4-6 years or so and then, at that point, do my best to hold off until 2032 or after. Predicting drink windows for great Hermitage Blanc can be tricky, but this is worth buying multiple bottles and drinking in its youth, then taking a chance with a few in the cellar. There are roughly 400 cases made in each vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDVery striking nose of toasted almonds and pistachio nuts that’s still full of youthful energy, even if the stone-fruit character (mostly mirabelle) is discreet. So much underplayed power and beautiful candied-orange character on the ample yet precisely delineated palate. Then comes the stony finish that doesn’t want to stop. 100% from the marsanne grape. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThis is a very pure and restrained version, featuring white peach, yellow apple, quinine, honeysuckle and verbena notes stretching out together through a finish that sports a light kiss of brioche at the very end. Approachable now, with charm and elegance. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2030. 475 cases made, 16 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA bit lighter, fresher and easier to drink in the short term than the massive 2019, the 2020 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes Blanc should still prove capable of lasting 20 years in a cool cellar. It’s medium to full-bodied, full of notes of ripe melon and pear, with a long, citrusy and briny finish that shows a less pronounced bitterness than the previous vintage. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe Maison Delas Frères’ 2020 Hermitage Blanc “Domaine des Tourettes” is a ripe wine in the style of this vintage, coming in at 14.5 percent octane. The white grapes for this bottling grow in the lieux à dits of l’Ermite, le Sabot and la Tourette on the hill of Hermitage. The cépages is ninety percent marsanne and ten percent roussanne, with the wine barrel-fermented and aged for nine months in cask prior to bottling, with the casks a combination of new, one or two years of age. The wine offers up a deep and complex nose of white peach, fresh pineapple, almond, a beautifully complex base of soil tones, acacia blossoms and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a great core of fruit, good framing acids, fine mineral drive and grip and a long, well-balanced and impressively precise finish that carries its alcohol beautifully and only shows a whisper of backend heat. This is a lovely bottle of Hermitage Blanc in the making. (Drink between 2026 - 2050)John Gilman | 93 JG

The flagship from this great estate is the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Boisrenard, which is based on 80% Grenache and small doses of 17 other varieties. This deeply hued beauty offers a stunning bouquet of blackberries, scorched earth, licorice, ground pepper, and sappy garrigue. I always find a Burgundian-like texture on this wine, and the 2020 is no exception – this is one to put into a blind tasting of Grand Cru Red Burgundies and shock your friends. Medium to full-bodied, ultra-pure, with grippy, sappy tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish, it’s pure class all the way. It’s going to need at least 4-6 years of bottle age, but this is a wine you don’t want to miss, and one of the finest wines I’ve tasted from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDFull and generous on the palate, no lack of fruit or depth here. Powerful and plentiful fine tannins and a great, rising sense of energy and freshness. Impressive, with real finesse and precision - no excess weight, but great surging intensity and freshness. Contains at least 1% of all the 18 possible varieties of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Grapes are grown across a variety of soil types in the lieux-dits Beau Renard, Cabrières and Coteau de l’Ange, vinified mostly in tronconic wooden vats, then aged in oak barrels of various sizes and ages, including 5% new oak. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2037Decanter | 96 DEC

The lightly hued 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc checks in as 70% Grenache Blanc, 28% Roussanne, and tiny percentages of Bourboulenc and Clairette, brought up in equal parts demi-muid and tank. It has a beautiful bouquet of ripe white peach and melon that shows a touch of spice and hazelnut with air, and it’s medium-bodied, beautifully pure, textured, and balanced on the palate. It’s a stunning white that will shine on the dinner table.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

Moving to the 2020s, the 2020 Gigondas La Louisiane is an absolute blockbuster of a wine that’s up there with some of the best Gigondas made. Based on 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault and Syrah, raised all in foudre, its deep purple hue is followed by a kaleidoscope-like array of kirsch, blackberries, ground pepper, violets, sandalwood, and other assorted Provençal-like aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced, I love its tannins, and it has a stacked mid-palate as well as a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDShimmering ruby color. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes juicy red and blue fruits, incense and exotic spices. A floral nuance emerges as the wine opens up. Sweet and expansive in the mouth, its vibrant black raspberry, blueberry and spicecake flavors are underscored by a core of juicy acidity. Shows excellent clarity and firm, spicy thrust on a wonderfully long, sweet finish framed by velvety, even tannins.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2020 Gigondas Les Souteyrades is also utterly brilliant. Giving up lots of kirsch liqueur, orange blossom, ground pepper, and herbes de Provence-like aromatics, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness and a layered, seamless, elegant mouthfeel that has awesome tannins as well as purity of fruit. It’s another sensational Gigondas to enjoy over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDDeep magenta. Suggestions of garrigue and baking spices complement vibrant boysenberry, cherry and floral scents. Juicy, palate-coating red and blue fruits and candied lavender flavors show fine definition and smoothly blend depth and energy. Echoes the spice and floral notes on an impressively long, chewy finish framed by slowly building tannins.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Now the flagship of this estate, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is 75% Grenache and the rest Cinsault, Mourvedre, and a little Syrah. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue, it offers a beautiful array of black raspberry and darker cherry fruit as well as lots of graphite, chalky minerality, Provençal garrigue, and spice. Beautiful on the palate as well, this medium to full-bodied effort has a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, rock-solid underlying structure and concentration, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It needs to be forgotten for 2-4 years (although it certainly offers incredible pleasure even today) and will keep for two decades. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDIsabel Ferrando informed me during my visit that she planned to eliminate the Reserve Auguste Favier and Collection Charles Giraud bottlings, folding those lots and the "tradition" Saint-Prefert Châteauneuf into a single, combined wine under the Famille Isabel Ferrando label. The resulting blend she showed as the 2020 Famille Isabel Ferrando Chateauneuf du Pape is a fine effort, with layers of cola-like spice and hints of garrigue layered against a lush backdrop of cherries and raspberries. Medium to full-bodied and almost creamy in texture, it finishes long, silky and mouthwatering.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThis cuvée replaces the three historical red cuvées of the domaine (Classique, Auguste Favier and Charles Giraud). Quite introverted for now, seems to have everything required but needs time to knit together. Freshness, energy, fine and plentiful tannins with good acidity. While the alcohol is warming it is balanced. Could be very good in time, hard to judge now, but early signs are good and I’d like to see this again in bottle. From the galets roulés of lieu-dit Les Serres, fermented in concrete and then aged in concrete, old oak and amphora. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2036Decanter | 95 DECApproachable out of the gate, with gorgeous red fruit, wild strawberry, licorice root, dusty earth and lavender flavors joined by floral highlights. Beautifully textured and silky on the palate, with mineral intensity building on the palate, imparting nice persistence and length. A polished yet honest, characteristic wine. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2032. 3,300 cases made, 1,007 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Clos De Beauvenir Blanc is also incredible and, in this critic’s opinion, a perfect wine. Coming from a single vineyard just beside the estate and based largely on Roussanne, it has a slightly deeper gold hue as well as Montrachet-like richness in its notes of white currants, flower oil, pineapple, honeyed toast, and crushed stone. Rich, powerful, and concentrated on the palate, it nevertheless stays vibrant, fresh, and pure, with a gorgeous finish that just keeps going. It’s pure brilliance in Southern Rhône whites. I love it today with some air, but it should drink brilliantly for 7-8 years, then possibly go through a dormant stage, only to re-emerge at a later date. It’s unquestionably one of the finest whites from the region. Hats off to the team at La Nerthe for this incredible effort.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDSuper-fresh and so dynamic. A lovely brisk acidity propels the tangy lime fruit long into the finish. The oak is quite present but well judged and should integrate after a year or so in bottle. Impressive length and finesse. Parcel selection of old vines on sandy clay soil. Matured in demi-muid, with 15% new wood. Just 3,000 bottles produced.Decanter | 97 DECThe 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Clos de Beauvenir is made from certified organic grapes and aged for 7 months in a combination of 85% demi-muids and 15% new oak barriques. It bursts with aromas of honeysuckle, jasmine, lemon peel, white peach, pineapple, melon, pastry, cedar and freshly-cut fennel. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied, vibrant and shows a lively core of fresh acidity. This 2021 white concludes with a bright finish and a modestly salty aftertaste.Vinous Media | 94 VMBold and exuberant, with good definition to the white peach, quince and fresh melon notes and hint of ginger. Offers a thread of shortbread that adds richness to the round, lush palate, which is deftly offset by stony minerality and savory green herbs on the lengthy finish. Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. Drink now through 2027. 20 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA 70-30 blend of Roussanne and Grenache, the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Clos de Beauvenir offers up scents of struck flint, citrus zest and white peaches. Medium-bodied, this largely barrel fermented effort is focused and linear in shape, finishing with ample freshness and length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP