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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

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 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

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

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

The 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina is a strong candidate to be wine of the vintage. A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre, it combines scents of black truffles and black cherries with hints of cedar and vanilla (the Mourvèdre is aged in new oak, the Grenache in concrete). It’s full-bodied and concentrated, supple and almost creamy in feel, then long and velvety on the finish. Bravo.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPPossibly the wine of the vintage (at least at this early stage), the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina is a 60/40 split of Grenache and Mourvedre, with the Grenache brought up in foudre and the Mourvedre in demi-muids. Its vivid ruby/purple hue is followed by rock star notes of kirsch, blackberries, cured meats, woodsmoke, and dried flowers. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it’s an incredible effort in this challenging vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96+ JD

There’s a touch of oak on the nose and palate that helps to frame the tangy citrus notes, and lends a touch of spice, but it’s far from overwhelming. Full-bodied, classically Lirac in its breadth on the palate. Ends on a nip of grapefruit bitterness. Good acidity. Also contains Marsanne, Viognier and Piquepoul.Decanter | 92 DECBrimming with stone-fruit aromas with a touch of mango, this is a rich but very clean and crisp dry white from the Southern Rhone. Good concentration and a touch of positive tannin help it carry the generous body and 14.5% alcohol. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

The 2021 Ventoux Terrasses Blanc is a gorgeous, clean, up-front, and delicious white that’s ideal for drinking over the coming summer months. Ripe lime, chalky mineral, mint, and some garrigue notes all define the nose, and it’s pure and clean on the palate, with wonderful fruit.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

Not included in the blind tasting at the local syndicat, Tempier’s 2021 Bandol Rose nevertheless looked good when I tasted it at the estate. It’s a very fine, elegant example of Bandol rosé, with notes of passion fruit and pink grapefruit leading the way in a tightly knit, medium-bodied package that adds promising hints of white peach and anise on the lingering finish.Robert Parker | 93 RP

Limpid orange. A sharply focused, mineral-accented bouquet evokes fresh red berries and pit fruits, citrus pith and pungent flowers. Silky and penetrating on the palate, offering tangy redcurrant, pomegranate and blood orange flavors and a hint of honeysuckle. The floral note builds steadily through an impressively long, nervy finish that echoes the citrus and mineral notes. | 93 VMCall it a down year if you must, but the 2021 Cotes de Provence Rose Chateau de Selle remains one of the region’s top wines. Scents of tangerine, peach, crushed stone and lime zest mark the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is plump and juicy, finishing long and layered. The assemblage this year is 55% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Syrah.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Primarily Clairette (60%) and Ugni Blanc (30%), with bits of Bourboulenc, Marsanne and Rolle, the 2021 Bandol Blanc was still in tank when I visited early last year. It presents a striking juxtaposition of ripe pears and honeyed richness with brighter notes of fresh lime juice on the nose and medium-bodied palate, finishing with a sense of plush richness balanced by mouthwatering citrus zest and brine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPWith a higher percentage of Ugni Blanc and 10 months in foudres, this has less overt tropical fruit and more restraint. The closed nose opens to white peaches, melon and delicate tropical fruit with a hint of fresh greenness and white nuts. Citrus-pith-tight acidity gives a mouthwatering finish with a touch of chalky phenolics and smoky notes on the finish. Delicate, elegant and beautiful with an intense structure, this is still very youthful with the potential to open up with some age.Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape is a richly concentrated effort, dark-fruited and loaded with black cherries and blackberries, yet it’s not without nuance, as it includes hints of asphalt, truffle and dried spices. Full-bodied (15.4% alcohol), deep and velvety, with a long, softly dusty finish, it looks to be a real beauty, capable of aging up to two decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPThe 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape reminds me of the 2007 with its incredible sexiness and seamless, elegant texture. Black cherry liqueur, Provençal herbs, flowers, and licorice are just some of its nuances, and it’s full-bodied, with a layered mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and a great, great finish. Tasted from multiple foudre, this is unquestionably up with the finest in the vintage, and as I’ve written in the past, it’s almost impossible to have too much Clos des Papes in the cellar!Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDA touch less Mourvèdre this year, but not enough to change the profile of the wine, which is fairly classic albeit pretty bombastic in 2022. Raspberry and black cherry, ripe and exuberant. Full but not massive, the alcohol is present, slightly warming the finish. Tannins are a little grainy, so I would give this time to settle before broaching. Succulent and juicy, with a touch of liquorice. Vincent Avril believes the wine could close down quite early on. So drink young, or (even better) wait until 2030. All destemmed, aged in old foudres.Decanter | 96 DEC

In the arms race of bottle shapes and vibrant shades of pink, Jean-François Ott’s wines stand out for their restraint, even in Bandol. This wine channeled the hot, dry summer of 2022 into a silky texture that quietly undergirds a complex strawberry flavor, complete with the leafy tops. This is the first certified-organic vintage from the estate, and the health of the fruit is apparent in the elegance of the wine—lasting with mouthwatering savor, its acidity and tannins cleaning up after themselves like a neurotic houseguest. For me, elegance in rosé is defined by its ability to be simply delicious, but complex and rewarding under scrutiny—a test this wine passes with flying pink colors. Wine & Spirits Magazine | 95 W&SBoasts a beautiful core of fleshy white fruit and red currant, with mineral density and concentration on the palate. Richly textured and pure, with nice range to the dried hay, fresh chive, citrus pith and jasmine elements. Reveals a bitter quinine note, which brings focus to the long, harmonious finish. Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Grenache. Drink now through 2027. 6,100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThis is a rich wine, its Mourvèdre giving concentration and a fine structure. From one of the Ott domaines, it has spice as well as layers of red fruits. Drink from later this year. Organic. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2022 Rosé Château Romassan wafts up from the glass with a pretty blend of stone dust and savory herbs accentuating wild strawberry hints. It’s silky and pliant on the palate, showing crisp orchard fruits, sour citrus and minerals that add a more tactile feel toward the close. This finishes potent and with admirable length. Young peach and sage hints slowly fade. - Eric GuidoVinous Media | 91 VM

The 2022 Rosé M de Minuty wafts up with a pretty yet understated mix of rose petals, apricot and wet stones. This is silky-smooth and pliant. Saline minerals and savory spice hints complicate ripe orchard fruits. Residual acids maintain a lovely inner freshness, as the 2022 finishes slightly grippy with a flourish of florality. Vinous Media | 90 VM

Light coral in hue. Bursting with lively aromas of ripe strawberries, zesty blood oranges, and delicate floral notes, intertwined with hints of aromatic herbs. On the palate, it is crisp and focused, showcasing dynamic flavors of red berries, tangy tangerines, and subtle florals, which evolve gracefully towards the finish. Sokolin Tasting Panel | 92 SP

Made from 40% each of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne and the rest Clairette, brought up all in wood, (2/3 demi-muids and 1/3 barrels, 5% new), the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Grand Vin Blanc is one of – if not the – white of the vintage. White peach, citrus oil, green almonds, brioche, and toasty notes define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, with a layered, concentrated yet focused mouthfeel, good acidity (pH 3.4), and a great finish. It’s a stunning white from the south that I wish every reader could taste. It will evolve for 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe Guigal team have done much to resuscitate this estate, and this 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Vin Blanc is indeed a great wine. Scents of ripe pears, pineapples and tangerines are accented by hints of pencil shavings on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is honeyed, silky and harmonious, concentrated, elegant and long. It’s mainly Grenache and Roussanne, with close to 20% Clairette and tiny amounts of Picardin and Picpoul Blanc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA full-bodied expression, the generous fruit is further accentuated by flowing, silky oak – all cut through, thankfully, by a line of acidity and a long finish. Plenty of impact, no lack of intensity or concentration. Give it a year or two for the oak to fully integrate.Decanter | 94 DECIn spite of the full body and richness of this wine, this has a clarity and coolness that make it very satisfying. Plenty of ripe apricot and melon character. A cuvee based on roussanne with a good amount of grenache blanc and some clairette. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2022 Rosé et Or is impossible to ignore with its platinum pink color. Its dazzling bouquet blends crushed pears and nectarines with sweet smoke and a lifting hint of fresh mint. It’s deeply textural yet full of zesty energy. This smoothes over the palate in silken waves. Ripe orchard fruits and sweet inner florals find contrast in a touch of sour citrus toward the close. The Rosé et Or finishes long and fresh. Young peach traces and a salty singe call the taster back to the glass. - Eric GuidoVinous Media | 92 VMA rich wine, full of ripe red berry fruits and spice, this is balanced and perfumed. With a rounded character and plenty of acidity, the wine is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle (Vermentino), the 2022 Cotes de Provence Rose Rose et Or has a vibrant, lively bouquet with aromas of lime, grapefruit, red berries, spices and menthol. Medium-bodied, juicy and tense, the palate is pure and crystalline with a charming, delicate and fruity finish. Very classic but perfectly crafted.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPMatch this wine’s sweet pink-citrus fruit with grapefruit granita. With its slick power, this feels satisfying on its own, as well, if you’d prefer to skip the work of ice-scraping. Wine & Spirits Magazine | 91 W&S

The 2022 Rosé Château de Selle Cru Classé opens with a striking bouquet, blending dusty dried flowers with ginger, a spritz of lemon and crushed apples. It’s supple and soothing to the senses, with a textural wave of white strawberry, candied orange and sweet inner florals. A core of brilliant acidity maintains a fantastic balance as this tapers off long and potent. A mineral staining and citrus hints tease the taste buds. Please pour me another.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2022 Rosé Clos Mireille Cru Classé is dreamy, wafting up with a perfumed blend of nectarine, sweet white flowers and white strawberry. Like pure silk on the palate, this soothes with its ripe orchard fruits, which are gently contrasted by a bitter tinge of sour citrus as juicy acidity adds fleshy depths. The 2022 cleans up beautifully as inner florals and confectionary spice echo throughout. This is a gorgeous Rosé today, yet it should evolve beautifully for years.Vinous Media | 93+ VMInstantly brilliant in the glass, the 2022 Cotes de Provence Rose ClosMireille, a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault and the balance of Rolle (or Vermentino), exhales aromas of red berries, lemon, peach, guava and hints of curry leaf. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, combining fineacidity and a salty, penetrating, mouthwatering finish. It’s one of the moregourmand, fleshy, generous wines in the Domaines Ott range.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 2022 Rosé BY.Ott is such a complete wine. It’s just so elegantly put together. Orange oil, strawberry fruit, strawberry top (yes, the leafy part), ruby red grapefruit and fresh mint form an intoxicating bouquet as the 2022 puts on weight in the glass, especially in the mid-palate. Fresh, lively, juicy, salivating—all of these apply. A satisfying mineral bitterness tugs at the tongue as the wine exits the mouth, lingering with the subtlest hint of fruit sweetness. The finish is long and measured. Very well done. - Billy NorrisVinous Media | 92 VM