Wine Ratings

wines

Eminently classic style of Cornas, with hot sand, pine needles and wild herbs. Full-bodied, very fresh, intense and focussed. The acidity is particularly marked here, and adds to the searing effect on the palate, it has a great physical impact and serious length. Freshness and intensity, this is a great vintage for Guillaume Gilles. He’s captured the tempestuous wildness of the terroir without any overripeness or excess sun, just excellent definition and freshness. His best vintage yet? Drinkable now, but wait until 2028 if you can. 40-year-old vines in lieu-dit Chaillot, whole-bunch fermented, no fining or filtration.Decanter | 97 DECSaturated ruby. Penetrating aromas of cherry, black raspberry, candied flowers and smoked meat are complemented by exotic spice and mineral flourishes. Offers concentrated dark berry and cherry preserve, licorice and olive paste flavors that are sharpened by an emerging black pepper note. Closes impressively long, focused and spicy, with mounting tannins and resonating mineral and smoke notes.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Hints of cedar and vanilla appear on the nose of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve, which is aged in demi-muids (20% new), adding a human-derived aspect to the mouthwatering notes of cherries and raspberries. It’s full-bodied, silky and even almost lacy in texture, delivering intense pleasure on the palate without excess weight, then lingering on the finish, where the red-fruit flavors come to the fore, practically vibrating in intensity. Because of the effects of mildew on the Grenache, this vintage is just over 50% Mourvèdre.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe flagship is the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Réserve and it’s an even split of Grenache and Mourvèdre that was all destemmed and was brought up mostly in demi-muids (there was a small part in larger, clay amphora. Slightly deeper hued than the Les Quartz, it has a Mourvèdre dominated bouquet of red and black berry fruits, loads of spice and dried garrigue, graphite, and a hint of mint. With full-bodied richness on the palate, it has an incredible sense of purity and finesse in its tannins and texture, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. I’d put this in the top handful of wines in the vintage and while it’s approachable today, it’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBright ruby. A highly complex and deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe, spice-tinged red/blue fruits, candied flowers, garrigue and licorice. A smoky mineral nuance builds as the wine opens up. Stains the palate with concentrated cherry cola, black raspberry, vanilla and fruitcake flavors supported by a core of juicy acidity. Conveys a suave marriage of depth and energy. It finishes extremely long and precise, with slowly emerging, chewy tannins and resonating florality and spiciness. The Mourvèdre is showing itself here.Vinous Media | 95 VMRipe and silky in feel, with waves of creamed plum, blackberry and cherry fruit gliding along, while licorice snap, rooibos tea and incense notes weave through. Offers nice persistence on the finish. Grenache and Syrah. Best from 2021 through 2033. 295 cases made, 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

...the 2018 Côte Rôtie Chateau D’Ampuis is nevertheless a remarkable Côte Rôtie that readers will love to have in the cellar. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue as well as awesome Côte Rôtie notes of smoked game, violets, acacia flowers, and both red and black fruits, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has polished, seamless tannins, and a layered, perfectly balanced mouthfeel. It shows the softer style of the vintage (especially compared to the more structured, tannic 2019) and already offers pleasure, but this will easily evolve for at least two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDGlass-staining violet color. Expansive black and blue fruit, licorice, incense and floral qualities on the powerfully scented nose. Smooth and expansive in style, offering palate-coating cherry-vanilla, cassis and blueberry flavors that take on smoky mineral, candied violet and exotic spice accents as the wine opens up. Finishes extremely long, sappy and appealingly sweet, with steadily building tannins and resonating blue fruit, spice and floral notes. Aged for 38 months in new oak barrels.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe very deep, smoky and spicy nose pulls you into this very concentrated, focused and elegant Cote-Rotie, with delicate notes of coconut and pomegranate adding to the very complex picture. Very long, polished finish with delicate sweetness and underplayed power. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSSmoky, briary and complex, the 2018 Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis spent 38 months in new oak, yet it still exudes notes of blackberries and blueberries, testament to the wine’s ample concentration. It’s full-bodied and rich yet silky and long, with hints of mocha and brown sugar appearing on the finish. It’s another beautiful vintage of this cuvée, which combines fruit from seven different parcels (three on the Cote Blonde and four on the Cote Brune).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThis dense, brooding red is packed with smoked meat, boysenberry, dried fig, black tea and charred cedar. Well-built and concentrated, this has formidable tannins that carry the smoky, bacony, savory finish. A complex red still approaching its prime. Drink now through 2030. 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The massively rich 2018 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes Blanc comes from the lieux-dits of Les Bessards (two-thirds) and Les Grandes Vignes (one-third). It’s all Marsanne, weighing in at 14.7% alcohol, with a pH of 3.7. Hints of toasted marshmallow mark the nose of this full-bodied beauty, which ideally should be consumed now or after 10-15 years of cellaring. It was almost all barrel fermented and aged, with just a small portion of early-picked fruit made in stainless to provide a blending component. Tasted twice (once blind), with one sample less expressive than the other but built along similar lines.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPChecking in as a blend of 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne, the 2018 Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes Blanc is blockbuster, offering tons of fat, opulence, and hedonistic pleasure while still staying flawlessly balanced and even elegant. Giving up notes of toasted hazelnuts, white flowers, brioche, quince, and white currants, it has good acidity, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. This cuvée comes from a mix of the L’Ermite, le Sabot, and La Tourette lieux-dits and sees a year on lees, in new and once-used barrels, and there are under 500 cases produced.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDLimpid yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of dried pear, Meyer lemon and tarragon pick up hints of jasmine and quinine with air. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering densely packed orchard and pit fruit flavors sharpened by a refreshingly bitter lemon pith accent. Finishes minerally, taut and very long, leaving building floral and mineral notes behind.Vinous Media | 94 VMRipe and languid in feel, with creamed melon, yellow apple and white peach flavors that spread out from the core, bleeding into acacia and brioche notes along the edges. Ends with a hedonistic feel and enough energy to stay honest. Drink now through 2026. 333 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis has some exotic, yellow-peach and green-mango aromas with mirabelles and a little spiced honey. The palate delivers a very plush, smooth core of very glossy mirabelles and chilled apple-pie to close. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS

Showing consistently to last year, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is a rich, powerful white that does everything right. Coming from a single parcel of very old Roussanne and aged in 50% new oak, it offers a stunning bouquet of honeyed pineapple and stone fruits as well as notes white flowers, green almonds, honeycomb, and a kiss of toasted bread. It’s rich yet also fresh, has flawless balance, and a great finish. It’s geared for the dinner table and should evolve for another decade or more. It’s stunning white and one of the finest examples of Roussanne out there.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDRipe and enticing, featuring creamed melon and yellow apple flavors, laced with nectarine, heather, ginger and warm brioche notes. The long and opulent finish sails through beautifully. A hedonist’s delight. Drink now through 2022. 28 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WSSourced entirely from a single vineyard of limestone soil, this varietal Roussanne offers bold white melon and apple flavors swathed in honey, vanilla cream and spice. Fermented and matured en barrique (50% new), it’s an unctuous, waxy sip etched by lingering woody tones. Flamboyant in its youth, but it should gain elegance through the next decade and beyond.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne is a not-so-subtle dark straw in hue, with obvious toast and honeyed aromas alongside hints of mocha and malt. All barrel-fermented and aged, it’s fleshed out on the full-bodied, velvety-textured palate by flavors of tangerine and pineapple, which show remarkable freshness and verve on the lingering finish. In one of my notes on this wine, I actually wrote the word "long" three times. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RP

A much more serious, focused effort, the 2018 Condrieu Clos Boucher has stunning notes of crushed citrus, liquid rock, white peach, spice, and flowers. Just straight-up Condrieu magic, it’s full-bodied and has a lush, opulent texture, beautiful purity, and a great finish. It has more acidity and cut than the Galopine, yet both show the ripe, upfront, plush style of the vintage. Drink this beauty any time over the coming 4-6 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDGreen-hued straw-gold. An expansive bouquet evokes ripe citrus and pit fruits, violet and honey, joined by emerging mineral and ginger flourishes. Juicy and deeply concentrated but energetic as well, offering pear nectar, Meyer lemon and floral flavors that show sharp definition. The mineral and floral notes carry emphatically through the strikingly long, penetrating finish, which leaves a suave floral note behind.Vinous Media | 95 VMWhile the 2018 Condrieu Clos Boucher isn’t the most dramatically perfumed Condrieu, it’s dramatic and opulent, loaded with honeyed apricot, peach and pineapple fruit. Full-bodied and rich, it nonetheless finishes with admirable energy, gingery spice and a lingering, crushed-stone note. Drink it over the next few years. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPRipe and showy, with nectarine, green plum and apricot flavors bouncing off each other, allied to a lush and creamy texture as they move through the anise-tinged finish. Wonderfully exotic.Wine Spectator | 94 WSWhiffs of spring blossoms and freshly laundered linen entice on the nose of this opulent but freshly balanced white. It’s a luscious, enveloping sip that floods the palate in swirls of sweet cream, honey and spice. The finish is a touch sappy in its youth but should meld out over the next decade. Enjoy now for its bold fruit and floral tones, or wait till 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis has a very attractive, fresh and smooth delivery of ripe apricots and peaches with a whiff of gingerbread. The palate has rich, smooth and fluid texture. Suave with plenty of ripe apricots. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS(Condrieu “Clos Boucher”- Delas Frères) The single vineyard Condrieu bottling of Clos Boucher from Delas hails from a south-facing vineyard that lies adjacent to Château Grillet. The wine is entirely barrel-fermented and only produced by Delas in vintages they deem exceptional. The 2018 Clos Boucher tips the scales also at an even fourteen percent alcohol and offers up a lovely, youthful bouquet of pear, passion fruit, a touch of tangerine, beautiful minerality, almond, acacia blossoms and a quite refined framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very elegant in profile, with a lovely core, fine soil signature and grip, fairly gentle acids (in the style of the vintage) and a long, complex and beautifully balanced finish. This is so well-balanced that it may end up keeping longer in bottle than I anticipate, but it has the fairly moderate acidity of 2018 and will probably drink at its finest in its relative youth. (Drink between 2021-2030)John Gilman | 92 JG

Tasted out of bottle, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Prestige Blanc offers a more Burgundian, chiseled, mineral-laced style to go with beautiful notes of caramelized peach, white flowers, crushed stone, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, and elegant on the palate, it still packs plenty of oomph and has incredible length on the finish. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA rich, alluring style, with a brioche note leading the way for creamed yellow apple, candied lemon peel, white ginger and quince notes. An accent of acacia honey lines the finish, where the brioche edge takes an encore. Showy and delicious. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Drink now through 2023. 56 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is outrageously flamboyant but hard not to like. There’s great concentration and it’s highly expressive already showing some complexity. It has a nutty macadamia note and a subtle flinty reduction with rich pear fruits that shoot through with oak spice, but it’s the fruit that has the upper hand. It’s very full-bodied but has enough pep and acidity to keep things upright and rolling. A cuvée that can be overly marked by malolactic fermentation, but not this year. Grown on sandy soils, 80% fermented in concrete, 20% in new barriques. It’s matured for 14 months in old barriques, concrete and 20% new barriques. Drinking Window 2019 - 2024.Decanter | 95 DECThe brassy-hued 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Prestige shows ample oak on the nose and palate, allied to ripe, luscious fruit. Predominantly Roussanne, fermented and aged in one-year-old demi-muids, it has developed hints of sweet corn and notes of grilled pineapple during its elevage. Opulent and lush, it’s enormously seductive now, although I suspect it will drink well for at least 4-5 years based on its impressive concentration and length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

A more reductive, meaty, backward effort than normal, the 2018 Saint Joseph Les Granits is all Syrah that comes from unquestionably one of the top terroirs in Saint-Joseph. It was vinified in concrete tanks and aged in a mix of barrels and demi-muids, 20% being new. It blossoms with air and reveals an almost Hermitage-like class and minerality, with killer crème de cassis and black raspberry fruits supported by loads of smoked game, saddle leather, crushed stone, barbecue smoke, garrigue, and violet-like aromas and flavors. Just incredible on the palate as well, with medium to full-bodied richness, awesome tannins, and a liquid rock-like minerality, this tour de force from Saint-Joseph ranks with the finest vintage of this cuvée ever made and matches the 2015, although it shows a very different style. It should be snatched up by readers. It will need 3-5 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly over the following 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA very fine-tuned wine, super sleek and refined, with cassis, plum puree and cherry coulis notes streaming through, inlaid seamlessly with a bright mineral edge and all set against a floral and red tea backdrop. The long finish ripples with subtle energy. Drink now through 2038. 57 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WSCrushed stone, cracked pepper and ripe blueberries appear on the nose of the 2018 Saint-Joseph Les Granits. Black olives show up on the palate, adding a welcome savory note. Atypically full-bodied and velvety, I expect more structure to emerge with time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPAssertively perfumed, spice-accented dark berry liqueur, floral pastille and smoky mineral scents show fine delineation and a hint of olive. Sappy and expansive on the palate, offering plush boysenberry and black raspberry flavors that deepen and become sweeter through the midpalate. Deftly blends richness and energy and finishes impressively long and floral, with smooth tannins and an echoing mineral note.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMPretty and pure berry fruits with a little smoky backbone. A very rounded and generous style, not as straight as some vintages but good tannic precision and grip, very granitic, very fine, fibrous, muscular tannins. A little touch of bitterness on the long finish. Drinking Window 2019 - 2025.Decanter | 93 DEC

From vines just next to the Coteau Vernon, the Condrieu Les Chaillées de L’Enfer is year-in, year-out one of the top examples from this appellation. The 2018 Condrieu Les Chaillées De L’Enfer reveals a light gold color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of ripe stone fruits, honeyed nectarines, and apricots intermixed with notions of white flowers, white chocolate, and truffly earth. Possessing an incredible sense of salty minerality, medium to full-bodied richness, flawless balance, and a great finish, it strikes a beautiful balance between richness and freshness and stays light on its feet and elegant. I’d drink bottles over the coming 4-6 years, but it will evolve for longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBright and nicely detailed, with a mix of green almond, white peach, honeysuckle and mango notes, backed by a subtle bitter orange thread on the finish. The rich and showy side of this white is balanced by its inner purity. Drink now through 2024. 650 cases made, 35 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSPale straw-yellow. Powerful, mineral-accented orchard and pit fruits on the nose; a suave floral nuance builds as the wine stretches out. Sappy, penetrating and seamless in texture, offering vibrant tangerine, Anjou pear and white peach flavors and a sneaky hint of honeysuckle. Shows excellent focus and emphatic mineral cut on the finish, which lingers with outstanding tenacity.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The 2019 Condrieu Chery is always a more steely, mineral-driven example of this appellation, but it packs a punch in 2019 and has powerful notes of buttered citrus, pineapple, honeysuckle, and a liquid rock-like minerality. These carry to a rich, full-bodied Condrieu with an opulent texture, moderate acidity, and a great finish. As with most 2019 Condrieu (and 2018s), it’s not going to be the longest lived, but who cares? Drink this brilliant wine over the coming 4-5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDFrom 70-year-old vines, the 2016 Condrieu Chéry is a bit more concentrated than Niero’s Les Ravines bottling, but otherwise, it’s similar in its aromas of crushed stone and pineapple. Like the other wines at this estate, it’s aged 12 months in a mix of stainless steel (60%) and oak barrels (40%), giving it a rich, slightly oily texture. It’s harmonious and long, with pineapple and melon flavors giving way to gingery spice on the finish. (JCRobert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RP

Very discrete on the nose at this early stage. Rounded, very generous on the palate, plenty of fat. This is balanced by great driving intensity, citrusy acidity and a seam of salinity. The overall effect is bombastic and flamboyant, but fresh and balanced. The oak use is also generous, but it works with the wine. The alcohol is just a touch on the high side, but it’s entirely forgivable in the grand scheme of things. Incredible length. Drinking Window 2021 - 2032.Decanter | 97 DECA tiny production, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Fontaine Blanc is beautifully done and certainly ranks with the top wines of the vintage. Based on 100% Roussanne, it has a smoking bouquet of buttered citrus, caramelized white currants, toasted bread, and a touch of nuttiness to go with a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated style on the palate. With bright acidity, good mid-palate depth, and a great finish, this serious Roussanne can be enjoyed now or cellared for 10-15 years, if not longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis is 100% Roussanne vinified in oak. A perfumed, smoky sip, it balances notes of sweet spice, vanilla and tobacco leaf against a core of honeyed tangerine and apple flavors. Luscious and leesy on the palate, it’s held upright by a fresh streak of lemon and hints of white pepper on the midpalate. Inviting young, the wine should hit a second peak after 2030. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPlump and open, with warmed brioche, peach and melon notes backed by heather and salted butter on the finish. Shows a late hint of macadamia nut. This is for fans of the flattering style. Drink now through 2023. 15 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

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+ JDThe 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 RPDeep, 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 VMA 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

The star of the Delas whites is the 2019 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes Blanc, based on Marsanne from L’Ermite, Le Sabot (the bottom portion of Les Bessardes) and La Tourette. Barrel fermented and aged in approximately one-third new French oak, it offers scents of crushed stone, pencil shavings, toasted coconut, ripe pear and melon, plus hints of citrus. Full-bodied and rich, it’s creamy in texture and weighty on the palate, yet with great persistence and lingering flavors. Delicious now, I suspect it will close down within the next year or two, yet it should be capable of aging for up to two decades, adding layers of richness and truffled complexity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPStill a bit youthfully compact, but there’s focus and drive to the mix of salted butter, acacia, quince, lemon curd and white peach flavors. This has polished edges offset by a racy spine through it all. Cellar for maximum effect. Marsanne and Roussanne. Best from 2022 through 2032. 475 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA fresh, fine, direct fragrance - quince, pear and plum. Very rounded and generous on the palate, a little on the fat side. This has real depth however. There’s a vein of acidity buried in the wine which will help give it some freshness, but it’s not as fresh as some this year, it’s very full-bodied, but still very good. Fermented and aged in new and recent barriques, partial malolactic. Drinking Window 2021 - 2029.Decanter | 95 DEC

Ripe, 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 WSAs 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 JDThe 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

As with the 2018, the Marsanne-dominated 2019 Hermitage Le Chevalier De Sterimberg Blanc includes 30% Roussanne. Lots of buttered citrus, toasted bread, white flowers, and a touch of pineapple all emerge from this young, unevolved, medium to full-bodied Hermitage Blanc. With remarkable purity, bright, integrated acidity, and a great finish, it’s very much in the elegant, vibrant style of this cuvée and is beautifully done. Give bottles 2-3 years and it should keep for 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDSliced green-apple and melon aromas with lychees and citrus fruit follow through to a medium body with plenty of fruit in the center palate and a layered, mineral finish. Light notes of almond paste. A little tight now. From organically grown grapes. Give it two or three years to come together. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Hermitage Blanc Le Chevalier de Sterimberg is just a bit flinty and smoky on the nose, then bursts with ripe pineapple and pear notes and hints of melon and white peach. Medium to full-bodied, it’s almost crystalline in its fruit purity and dimension, with clean edges and ample length capped by an attractive hint of bitterness on the lingering finish. As usual, this is roughly two-thirds Marsanne and one-third Roussanne.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 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 massively rich effort, the 2019 Hermitage Cuvee Emilie Blanc—made almost entirely of Marsanne from the Maison Blanche lieu-dit—boasts scents of crushed stone, pencil shavings and ripe melon. Full-bodied, expansive and plush in the mouth, it showcases the power of white Hermitage without being overwhelming, and it finishes long, with robust hints of licorice that provide a refreshing note. Drink it now or forget it for a decade and drink it from 2031-2040.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA step up over the 2018, the 2019 Hermitage Cuvée Emilie Blanc is young and unevolved yet has promising notes of honeyed peach, orange marmalade, raw oak, and citrus pith. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, it has plenty of texture, good concentration, and a clean finish. It needs 2-3 years of bottle age and should keep for 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JD

Fresh and easy-going aromatics, tarragon and violets beneath the fruit. Full-bodied, a little gummy in texture, but there's a good sense of fluidity to the wine. Clearly defined confit citrus on the finish. Not quite as grand as a typical Châteauneuf perhaps but very good. Very drinkable, with a saline finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 96 DECShows a creamy edge, with a mix of lemon curd, white peach and yellow apple fruit flavors, backed by hints of brioche and macadamia nut. A subtle stony underlay gives it spine on the very stylish and lengthy finish. Drink now through 2026. 300 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe only 2019 white I was able to taste (the 2018s were also reviewed last year), the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Boisrenard Blanc is a richer effort, yet still stays chiseled and focused, with classy notes of pear, white flowers, crushed citrus, and hints of honeysuckle. It shows a kiss of salinity on the palate and is medium-bodied, has bright acidity, and a beautiful finish. This is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and will keep for a couple of decades or more in cool cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDThere are just 4,000 bottles of the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Boisrenard, which comes from 70- to 100-year-old vines. It's mainly Clairette and Roussanne, but includes the other four white varieties authorized in the appellation as well. Vinified and matured in large-format oak, it does show some classy hints of cedar shavings on the nose and a wonderfully slinky, silky texture on the medium to full-bodied palate, both serving to highlight the wine's restrained melon and citrus flavors. Impressively concentrated and balanced, I'd expect this to drink well for up to a decade, at which time it should be nicely truffled and almost decadent.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

The 2019 Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes is similarly inky colored and has a classic nose of plums, Asian spices, sandalwood, and iron. Medium to full-bodied, with good acidity and ripe tannins, it doesn’t have the sheer weight, richness, or girth of the Vieilles Fontaines, yet it’s certainly a more classic Cornas that will be approachable with just 3-4 years of bottle age yet evolve for twenty years if you’re so inclined.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is packed with succulent cherry, plum paste and blackberry fruit flavors that show hints of mulled spice, dried anise, singed tobacco and sweet tapenade as they move through. A mouthwatering mineral edge extends the lengthy finish. Cellar patiently, then serve with game for the full seduction. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,265 cases made, 225 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSVivid purple. Displays expansive, finely detailed aromas of blueberry, kirsch, black pepper, violet and exotic spices, with hints of olive and cola in the background. Fleshy and broad in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated black and blue fruit preserve, smoky bacon and floral pastille flavors that are lifted and brightened by a building mineral nuance. Chewy and appealingly sweet on the strikingly persistent finish, which features youthfully chewy tannins and resonating florality.Vinous Media | 95 VMRipe fruit on the nose with a touch of roasted spice embedded into the fruit. Full-bodied, mouth-coating ripe fruit and ripe tannin. The acidity is remarkably high and well balanced. The alcohol, however, does peep out just a touch. Tannins are not quite as velvety as the 2020, and there’s a touch of dryness. But nonetheless this is very good for the vintage. From lieux-dits Combe, Patou, La Côte, Tézier, Mazards, Chaillot, old vines of Chapelle St Pierre (the same plots for the cuvée Les Chailles, but further up the slopes). Racked in May, bottled in June, released in the autumn. 20% whole bunch, three weeks maceration, 20 months in oak, 10%-15% new.Decanter | 93 DECNow, this is more like it. A big step up from the disjointed Les Chailles, the 2019 Cornas Vieilles Vignes is a classic rendering of Cornas, with hints of crushed stone, mint, blueberries and red berries on the nose. It’s medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated enough, yet it’s not overbearing or heavy; it’s just deliciously drinkable and will drink well for more than a decade. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2019 Côte Rôtie Lancement is beautiful and a classic representation of this great terroir. Exotic flowers, bacon fat, spice, and red and black fruits define the bouquet, and it’s as Côte Rôtie as it gets, offering medium to full body, a seamless, elegant, yet also structured mouthfeel and a great finish. Beautifully done, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have upwards of two decades of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDDeep violet color. Mineral-accented dark berries, cherry-cola, candied flowers and exotic spices the highly energetic nose. Juicy and seamless in texture, offering concentrated black raspberry, bitter cherry and boysenberry flavors that are underscored by a vein of smoky minerality. Deep but vibrant as well, with fine-grained tannins building slowly on a very long, floral-driven finish that leaves resonating blue fruit and spice notes behind.Vinous Media | 95 VMAnother tiny-production wine, with just 1,200 bottles made, Garon’s 2019 Cote Rotie Lancement is built along similar lines to the family’s Les Cochins bottling, utilizing 20% whole bunches and 30% new oak. The Lancement shows more violets and raspberries on the nose, giving it a greater sense of charm, but it still retains a touch of coarseness on the palate, with a rough, open-knit feel; hints of mocha emerge on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Gorgeous nose, with dried rose, nutmeg and tobacco leaf. Enjoyably rich and generous on the palate, rounded and soft. There’s a tangy balsamic touch to the berry fruit, that’s ripe but not excessively so. Fairy opulent but not excessive, with a long finish. Aged in barriques for 18 months.Decanter | 95 DECSaturated ruby. High-pitched red and blue fruits, candied flowers and botanical herbs on the highly fragrant nose. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering appealingly sweet boysenberry and black raspberry flavors that are complemented by suggestions of licorice, vanilla and smoky bacon. Finishes very long and smooth, with repeating florality and rounded tannins lending subtle grip.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2019 Côte Rôtie Le Combard comes from a terraced lieu-dit in the southern part of the appellation. It’s another elegant, medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated wine from this family estate that shines for its balance, purity, and length. Offering more blue fruits as well as ground pepper and some obvious minerality, give it a few years and enjoy over the following 10-15.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThere are just 1,200 bottles of the fine, elegant 2019 Cote Rotie Le Combard. Marked by scents of violets, alpine strawberries and ripe cherries, it’s medium to full-bodied, silky and charming, with a lovely hint of black tea emerging on the lengthy finish. It should drink well for at least the rest of the decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

I loved the 2019 Gigondas Les Hautes Garrigues, one of the finest vintages of this cuvée under the helm of Benjamin Gras. Medium ruby-hued, with gorgeous meaty, peppery, Provençal aromatics, it needs plenty of air, and while it started out closed and reticent, it blossomed with time and shines for its purity and complexity. Full-bodied on the palate, with a concentrated mid-palate, flawless balance, and a great finish, it’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDDeep ruby. Displays intensely perfumed red and blue fruit preserves, licorice, exotic spice, potpourri, smoky minerals and cured meat scents. Stains the palate with sweet boysenberry, cherry-cola, fruitcake and black cardamom flavors that smoothly meld depth and vivacity. Round, even tannins lend shape to the impressively long finish, which strongly repeats the floral and mineral notes.Vinous Media | 96 VM

This is pretty gorgeous, with a remarkably pure display of cassis, cherry puree and plum reduction flavors laced ever so gently with threads of leather, alder and dried garrigue. The sleek iron spine is buried deeply on the finish, and there’s a lingering hint of warm stone as the fruit echoes through. Built to last. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Picardan and Roussanne. Best from 2024 through 2040. 7,000 cases made, 1,700 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is the usual blend of roughly 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties that was brought up in foudre. It offers a vivid ruby/purple hue as well as stunning aromatics of blueberries, violets, peppered beef, leather, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant, it has just a kiss of classic Beaucastel wild, sauvage nuances, ripe, silky tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe dark-fruited, plummy and cola-scented 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape is a rich, full-bodied effort reminiscent of the 2007 or 2009. Dense, powerful and savory, it may drink well for a short time on release, but expect it to close up shortly, only to reemerge in several years. There’s ample concentration and sufficient tannins for the long haul, with a long, dusty finish and hints of licorice that bode well for the future.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSaturated violet color. Powerful, mineral-accented cherry, blackberry, licorice and -garrigue- scents, along with a hint of candied flowers. Deep, penetrating and alluringly sweet, offering cherry liqueur, dark berry, lavender, exotic spice and cola flavors that are given spine by a core of juicy acidity. In a concentrated yet lively, fluid style. Finishes extremely long and precise, with building tannins and a powerful echo of spiciness and florality.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Château de Beaucastel, Grenache / Garnacha, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, Red) Restrained nose showing fruitcake aromas. Firm on the palate with an assertive tannic structure and plenty of fruit. (Drink between 2022-2032)Decanter | 91 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