Clos du Joncuas 2020 Vacqueyras La Font de Papier

From 80% Grenache with Syrah and Mourvedre, grown on gravelly limestone terraces, always farmed organically, whole-cluster fermention and aged in concrete vats.  Dany and Carole Chastan have made another superb Vacqueyras in 2020,  more elegant than the opulent 2019 version, showing dark black/red color and bright aromas of  blackberry, black olive and licorice with plum skin, garrigue, violet and bitter chocolate.  This young wine is showing deep black fruits with firm acidity and terrific length with chalky mineral notes, earth, citrus and olive. This will be fantastic with grilled foods, stews and tagines and will develop nicely over the next 10 - 15 years. Highly recommended and a great value!  David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2020 Gigondas

Clos du Joncuas, founded in 1920 by Pierre Auguste Chastan, has always farmed with natural methods and has been officially organic since 1980. Currently run by sisters Dany and Carole Chastan, the estate's Gigondas vines are on slopes below the Dentelles de Montmirail on soils of clay with dolomite and gypsum over the limestone of the Dentelles and average 40 to 90 years old. 80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah, whole cluster fermentation in vat with 12 months aging in large old barrels. 2020 is a great vintage at the Clos du Joncuas, a bit brighter  and more elegant than the 2019, with high-toned black fruit, mineral, spice and licorice aromas. The palate is elegant and fresh showing deep supple black fruits with hints of graphite, garrigue and brown spice. A few days after opening, the wine has deepened impressively with pure blackberry, bitter chocolate and licorice aromas, great density on the palate with black fruit liqueur, red currant, earth and anise. A beautiful wine! Drink this over the next 10 to 15 years, it will give elegant early drinking, served a bit cool. David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2015 Gigondas

(Tasted January 2023: Beautiful nose, gorgeous fruit, a bit softer and richer than the 2016, great finish, delicious!) 80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah, on Triassic clay/limestone soils, always farmed organically. Whole cluster fermentation in vat with 12 months aging in large old barrels. Although we love this beautifully old-fashioned, organic wine in every vintage, Dany and Carole Chastan have made perhaps their best wine ever in 2015! The wine shows deep aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate, prune, garrigue, musk and citrus, quite focused and elegant. The palate is pure, supple and balanced, even at 15% alcohol, with dense blackberry, tart cherry, red currant, spice, earth and minerals, with tart red fruits, minerals and citrus in the very long finish. This is a superb Gigondas that can be enjoyed immensely now with a steak, pork or lamb chops, Morrocan tagines and full-flavored cheeses. Cellar 10 to 15 years for a mature experience. This is a superb wine and a great value - thanks to Carole and Dany for their great farming and traditional winemaking!

Pierre Andre 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Magnum

(CSW price $99.99) The superb 2019 Pierre André CDP Rouge is 90% Grenache with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscadin and Picpoul. Some parcels are over 100 years old, with the average vine age around 65 years. From drinkrhone: "handsome dark red robe; the nose has depth from within, a really inviting aroma of finely sweet plums, with some cedar, gently perfumed notes around them. It’s a very good start. The palate runs with a stately roll of red stone fruits, lovely engagement thanks to its stylish gras, its spherical shape most appealing. The balance is good. This is Châteauneuf of terroir, no make-up added, is a very bonny Grenache-inspired wine, has smoky, tobacco, menthol tones late on. Much harmony here, not sure what else one could demand from it - way to go, Jacqueline!" Drink 2025 - 2050.

Pierre Andre 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Magnum

We consider Domaine Pierre André to be one of the greatest estates in Châteuneuf-du-Pape. Organic since 1980 (one of the first in the AOC) and Biodynamic since 1992. The red is 90% Grenache with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscadin and Picpoul. Some parcels are over 100 years old, with the average vine age around 65 years. Tasted with Jacqueline in January, the wine was quite remarkable, showing a relatively light red/garnet color with lovely aromas of tart cherry, red currant, rose and violet. The plate was supple, not heavy, with complex red fruits, earth and minerals with silky fresh tannins, finishing with terrific length of red currant and berries. "Un gourmandise" said Jacqueline and we couldn't agree more - but obviously built to age as well. David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2022 Gigondas Rosé

This is a beautiful Gigondas Rosé from our organic friends at Clos du Joncuas. Pretty bright pink color, aromas of raspberry, tart cherry, blood orange, peach skin and rose. Full palate with silky raspberry, peach, citrus  and mineral flavors and firm acidity, beatifully balanced and refreshing. Long finish with tart cherry, peach, earth, and citrusy acids. This gorgeous rosé is still young – it should open up nicely over the next two to three years. It's elegant and delicious now and very food-friendly – serve with grilled fish and white meats, salade nicoise, vegetarian dishes and Provençal foods. A great rosé to enjoy all year-round!

Clos du Joncuas 2022 Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Séguret Blanc

Clos du Joncuas (Domaine la Garancière) Seguret Blanc (50% Clairette, 25% Roussanne, 25% Viognier, always organically farmed, wild yeast fermentation, aged in enamel vat) Floral dried pear, apricot, hay, thyme aromas. Ripe pear, stone, caramel, lemon on the palate. A big, ripe wine with a round supple palate but with good acidity that will pair with fish stews, shellfish, pork and chicken dishes as well as full-flavored goat cheeses.  An outstanding value and highly recommended. David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2016 Gigondas

(Tasted January 2023: Lovely nose, perfect balance, great finish, more structured than the 2015, hold a few more years)  80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah, on Triassic clay/limestone soils, always farmed organically. Whole cluster fermentation in vat with 12 months aging in large old barrels. The 2016 is another beautiful Gigondas from the Clos du Joncuas, perhaps with less fat and density than the 2015 but quite elegant and more Burgundian in style. The aromas sing of black cherry liqueur, licorice, black olive and garrigue; the palate is dense and focused with blackberry, cherry, black olive, bitter chocolate and earth with nice sappy length with firm acidity. Drinking well now, decant if possible, or hold for five years, then drink until about 2035.   David Lillie

Pierre Andre 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

We consider Domaine Pierre André to be one of the greatest estates in Châteuneuf-du-Pape. Organic since 1980 (one of the first in the AOC) and Biodynamic since 1992. The red is 90% Grenache with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscadin and Picpoul. Some parcels are over 100 years old, with the average vine age around 65 years. Tasted with Jacqueline in January, the wine was quite remarkable, showing a relatively light red/garnet color with lovely aromas of tart cherry, red currant, rose and violet. The plate was supple, not heavy, with complex red fruits, earth and minerals with silky fresh tannins, finishing with terrific length of red currant and berries. "Un gourmandise" said Jacqueline and we couldn't agree more - but obviously built to age as well. David Lillie

Sang des Cailloux 2020 Vacqueyras Rouge Cuvée Doucinello

"One of the top domains in the appellation and of a benchmark for cellar-worthy Vacqueyras. Comprised of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah , 10% Mourvèdre/Cinsault/Carignan from 17 ha of biodynamically farmed plots on the Plateau des Garrigues. Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented in concrete with native yeasts and aged in foudre. An old friend if ever there was one. A bottle of the 1995 Sang Des Cailloux enjoyed in 2010 taught me that one should really cellar at least a few of these every vintage."  "Attractive red robe; there’s an inviting sweetness, an air of black berry on the nose, along with laurel-rosemary, garrigue notes, cold tea. The palate serves soft red berries, red fruit clarity, has a good, squeezy heart with a ping of late clarity, extension. It’s aromatic, precise on its aromas, well defined, a touch Nordic and engagingly accurate, perfumed. The tannins are soft, rather velvet-like. There’s an accumulation of powder tannin on a long finish. 13.75° - “that drop of 1° changes its profile, completely,” Fréd Férigoule. Enjoy this wine now and over the next 15-plus years. (Thanks to John McIlwain and drinkrhone)

Sang des Cailloux 2020 Vacqueyras Cuvee Lopy

The Sang des Cailloux "Cuvee Lopy" is one of the most distinctive wines of the southern Rhône, from this unique estate, always organic and Biodynamic since 2011. The wines is made from 80% old vines Grenache from the richest clay-limestone, galet stone soils on Les Pendants on Les Garrigues and Durandieux, with 20% of old-vine Syrah from the poorest soils on Derrière la Maison. 2020 in the southern Rhône was a vintage with lovely ripeness, but with a bit less alcohol than 2018 and 2019 bringing a bit more elegance to the wines, particularly to the beautiful 2020 Cuvee Lopy. Here is drinkrhone: "dark, bright red colour; this has a nicely profound, waiting bouquet, comes with style, an aroma of crushed berries, tobacco, sweet herbs, a touch of damp woods, forest. The palate takes a gourmand approach, is squeezy juicy, rather flattering on the outside, but holds resolute, firm gras on the inside, good fuelling. It’s intricate, not an evident wine, one for the Thinkers, shows iron notes late on. It’ll gradually take its shape, for now is a mix of soft with firm, while the finish is on strength, concentration. I find it more textured than previous Lopys, while the iron stretch into the close and aftertaste interests me – it’s as if there is a schist effect on the finish – interesting." Decant if drinking now, this wil cellar beautifully for 20 years.