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As always, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Val De Dieu has a modern vibe without losing its Southern Rhône soul. A blend of 58% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 12% Mourvèdre that’s brought up 30% new demi-muids, it offers a pure, full-bodied, perfectly ripe style that carries lots of black raspberry and cassis fruits, notes of peppery spice, some background oak, silky tannins, and a great finish. As always, the purity of fruit is top notch. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 15.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDRipe, juicy and well-formed, with a core of raspberry and plum pâte de fruit pumping along, while black licorice, black tea and roasted apple wood accents weave in and around the fruit. Everything knits nicely through the juicy, well-delineated finish. This has some guts too, so cellar a bit to let it unwind fully. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2024 through 2036. 886 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Val de Dieu is an assemblage of 58% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 12% Mourvèdre, aged in a mix of demi-muids (70%) and new barriques (30%). Offering up complex notes of baking spices and cocoa-dusted cherries tinged with cedar and vanilla, it’s full-bodied, concentrated and tannic, with a rather open-knit feel and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Captivating nose of subtle red berries, licorice, mint and many spices. Extremely concentrated and powerful, but also very straight and refined, this Chateauneuf masterpiece is just beginning a very long life. Stunning crescendo, powered by the very fine tannins. The finish doesn’t want to stop. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSBeautiful violets, wildflowers, Asian spices, lavender, and Bing cherry fruits all soar from the glass of the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape. This full-bodied, beautifully textured, seamless 2019 brings the richness of the vintage while staying light on its feet, elegant, and perfectly balanced. While the acidity is quite low (I’m sure the pH is quite high), this will age on its balance and concentration. Hats off to Philippe Bravey for another singular Châteauneuf du Pape that readers will love to have in their cellars. As usual, the blend is 85% Grenache, with the balance other permitted varieties, brought up completely in tank. It can be drunk any time over the coming 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape almost reaches the same high altitude as the 2020 and potentially the 2021. This 2019 mingles bright aromas of rose petal, juicy red and black fruits, garrigue, licorice and cured meat. Velvety tannins glide across the full-bodied palate, which is wonderfully balanced by lively acidity. It concludes with excellent freshness on the persistent finish.Vinous Media | 94 VMAn assemblage of 85% Grenache and bits of Bourboulenc, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Syrah, Ferrand’s tank-aged 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape features attractive notes of star anise, roses, lavender and ripe cherries. It’s full-bodied, rich, concentrated and rather extracted and tannic—give it a few years in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

The 2019 Côte Rôtie La Mouline is a bigger, richer Côte Rôtie. Co-fermented with a solid chuck of Viognier and around 85% destemmed (the same as the La Turque), this full-bodied effort has a kaleidoscope-like bouquet of bloody black and blue fruits, tapenade, salted meat, woodsmoke, and a touch of violets. This cuvée is always an exotic wine, and the 2019 is no exception, offering full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, plenty of structure, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDBright, highly perfumed blueberry, black raspberry, violet and exotic spice aromas, along with a wild touch of blood orange. Juicy and lithe on the palate, offering intense red and blue fruit flavors that stain the palate while showing little in the way of excess weight. Finishes extremely long and sweet, with a building floral note, even tannins and a late jolt of five-spice powder.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMWhile just as aromatic and charming on the nose—where ephemeral floral notes join ripe cherries—as previous years, the 2019 Cote Rotie La Mouline isn’t quite as impressive on the palate. It’s medium to full-bodied, silky and caressing, without the same power, yet it’s supremely elegant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPA little closed, not as open as you would expect at this stage. Medium-bodied, fresher on the palate than the nose, with a good sense of purity and salinity. Massy, ripe tannins and a long finish. Not quite as sprightly and perfumed at this stage as previous recent vintages of La Mouline, but clearly a very good wine. At the beginning of its 42 months in new French oak barriques.Decanter | 94 DEC

I loved the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Clairette de Gabriel and this beauty is up there with the finest whites in the vintage. All Clairette planted in limestone soils, this vivid gold-hued beauty offers a beautiful, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, balanced style as well as classic notes of white flowers, dried pineapple, honeycomb, and subtle waxy nuances. It’s rich yet stays weightless and elegant, with a terrific sense of freshness (although I suspect the acidity is quite low) and purity. It’s going to evolve for 10-15 years or more, although there’s no need to delay gratification.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAlluring, with lemon curd, heather and macadamia notes out front, followed by yellow apple, white peach and mirabelle plum notes. The long finish is both showy and defined, with a hint of white truffle lurking, ready to blossom with cellaring if that’s your bag, though hard to lay off it now. Drink now through 2027. 111 cases made, 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis has a smoky, spicy nose with all the softness of Clairette behind. The oak regime is robust, but unusually this Clairette has the concentration and presence to handle it. It adds a toastiness and accentuates the citrus dimension. Intense and driving, almost outrageously flavoursome for Clairette. 1,600 bottles made. Pure Clairette Blanche grown on limestone in lieu-dit Vaudieu, fermented and aged half in new barriques, half in older ones. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032.Decanter | 95 DEC

This is packed, featuring juicy and energetic raspberry, blackberry and dark plum pate de fruit flavors wrapped in licorice root, black tea, singed juniper and incense notes. Everything knits tightly through the finish, with the underlying freshness extending to a lengthy finish as the juniper note leaves a mouthwatering echo. Serious, old school style. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,500 cases made, 275 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 96 WSAlmost all Grenache, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape A La Gloire De Mon Grand-Père comes from the La Gardiole lieu-dit and was aged 80% in demi-muids and 20% in foudre. Its deep purple/plum color is followed by a stunning array of black cherry, blackberry, and ripe strawberry fruits as well as candied flowers, orange blossom, and toasted spice. As with the old vine cuvée, the tannins have a firm edge and it’s built with short-term cellaring in mind, yet the purity is brilliant, I love its balance, and this is just a stunning Grenache that’s going to have two decades of pure pleasure giving.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDAll Grenache, aged in a combination of demi-muids and foudre, the 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape A la Gloire de Mon Grand-Père delivers black cherries and blackberries, plus hints of clove, allspice and garrigue. Full-bodied, dense and rich, with plenty of alcohol ("but less than 16%," said Nicolas Boiron), it finishes long and velvety but also a bit warm. The always-smiling, ebullient couple of Nicolas and Jeanne-Claire Boiron have an infectious enthusiasm for wine (and, seemingly, life) that makes a visit to their cellar in Cha?teauneuf du Pape a pleasure. This year, there were a couple of new wines to look at, including a limited-production Chante le Merle Blanc and a "one-time-only" Grenache cuvée drawn from sandier sites. The wines remain fairly priced for the quality, comfortably straddling the line between modern and traditional.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes (100% Grenache) brings more opulence and sexiness, with a more unevolved vibe in its ripe black fruits, violets, toasted spice, and Provençal garrigue-like aromas and flavors. Brought up in equal parts used barrels, new French oak, and demi-muids, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, incredibly elegant texture, ripe tannins, and one hell of a great finish. This is a Grenache lover’s dream, and it should continue drinking brilliantly for another 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA strapping young wine, brimming with dark plum paste and boysenberry compote flavors that are carried by racy licorice snap and fruitcake notes. The lively back end shows a hint of bramble and a touch of tar, giving this energy and power as it courses through the finish. Best from 2023 through 2038. 300 cases made, 50 cases impoWine Spectator | 96 WSBetter balanced than the Renaissance, not so much oak with the natural power of the fruit to the fore. It’s very ripe, quite muscular and towards sweet in profile. A bright, zingy, technicolour style, polished and sleek, but will have plenty of fans. Warming alcohol. 100% old-vine Grenache from the lieu-dit Cristia sandy soils. Matured in barriques and demi-muids for 18 months, one-third new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2033.Decanter | 94 DECAll Grenache, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes matured in a mix of demi-muids and barriques, with about one-third new oak. Faint herbal notes and nuance to this wine’s cedar, vanilla and black cherry flavors. It’s full-bodied, concentrated and reasonably tannic, but it finishes silky and fine. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP

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

Quite possibly the finest white in the appellation, the 2020 Saint Joseph Les Granits Blanc is all Marsanne from what I would consider the best terroir in the appellation, the south-facing slopes of the Saint Joseph lieu-dit just south of Tournon. White currants, honeyed peach, celery seed, spice, and a wonderful sense of minerality define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied, pure, seamless, and just a heavenly white you could easily put in a lineup of Hermitage Blanc. Drink bottles any time over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA relatively brisk and fresh style of Les Granits this year, with an upright mineral spine. The acidity is spot-on, giving the wine edge and length. Oak is well-judged and doesn’t occlude the fruit. A little less fat and ripeness than some recent years, but it has a good sense of intensity if not generosity - you really feel the granite in the granular, slightly serrated mouthfeel. A return to a more classic, measured style. (Drink between 2022-2028)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2020 Saint-Joseph Les Granits Blanc is again one of the top white wines from the appellation. Sourced from the lieu-dit Saint-Joseph, it’s barrel fermented and aged, yet the oak is understated. The wine offers up hints of toasted grain, pear, melon and citrus on the nose, then delivers a palate that’s medium to full-bodied, plump and round, balanced, focused and long. Treat it like a baby Hermitage and drink it young, or put it aside for a decade or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

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

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

Glass-staining purple. Assertively perfumed cassis, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and floral aromas take on espresso, olive and smoky bacon accents with aeration. Juicy, chewy and energetic on the palate, offering densely packed, alluringly sweet black and blue fruit preserve, floral pastille, licorice and mocha flavors that become deeper and spicier as the wine slowly stretches out. The floral and mineral notes repeat emphatically on a wonderfully long, juicy and mineral-dominated finish that’s framed by building, well-wrought tannins.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMAt first this feels like you’re standing in front of a set of locked gates. Huge power and structure without that much weight, thanks to the wonderful freshness that’s intertwined with the tarry depths of this Hermitage masterpiece. As it aerates smoked bacon, menthol and licorice notes develop, but I’d need much more space to give you all the aromas! The huge tannins at the finish are finely chiseled, suggesting this has decades of life ahead of it. From 40 to 100-year-old syrah vines. From biodynamically grown grapes.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThe flagship 2020 Hermitage La Chapelle was bottled in June and, as usual, comes mostly from the Le Méal lieu-dit but also includes portions from Bessards as well. Deep purple-hued, with wonderful notes of crème de cassis, graphite, incense, and spice, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a supple, elegant texture, fine tannins, and a great finish. It doesn’t have the sheer density or power of, say, the 2010 or 2015, but it shines for its purity and balance and is a gorgeous Hermitage. While the Maison Bleue is more opulent and expansive, this is the long-distance runner. Give bottles 4-6 years at a minimum and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDAfter the past several vintages, the 2020 Hermitage La Chapelle will need to add significant richness and concentration if it is to compete at that level. That said, it is still an excellent wine, with classic aromas of crushed stone, cassis, espresso and black olives. It’s full-bodied, fine and silky, giving an impression of great elegance on the lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPMeasured, fresh and harmonious in 2020, this Chapelle is potent, fairly concentrated and quite savoury in style. Tannins are fine, plentiful, a touch dry, but they give plenty of support for medium- to long-term ageing. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2036Decanter | 93 DEC

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

At the moment, the 2020 Gigondas Hominis Fides looks to be the standout of the three single vineyards, although all three are beautiful wines in the making. It certainly offers the most power and concentration, with lots of ground pepper, Provençal garrigue, violets, and loamy soils notes, as well as a darker cassis and berry-driven core of fruit. It builds beautifully on the palate, with ample structure, incredible balance, and a great, great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDRipe, figgy blackberry fruit, with a touch of menthol. Full-bodied, rich and generous palate, quite potent and powerful. Dense, thick tannic base and the alcohol is high. Grenache planted sometime around 1902 on Miocene calcareous sand, in a single vineyard. No destemming, 12 months maturation in French oak barriques: 30% new, 30% one-year-old, 30% two-year-old. Unfiltered. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2038Decanter | 94 DEC

Plenty of rich, ripe apricot and peach fruit, with lemon thyme and lemon verbena. Not overly full-bodied, this is more measured on the palate than some, well-tailored, with plenty of salty extract and scintillating acidity. With such a long finish, it’s exceptional this year. Aged in oak barriques, 35% new. Tasted non-blind. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 96 DEC