Creve Coeur (Pablo Hocht) 2022 Côtes du Rhône

This beautiful Cotes du Rhone from Pablo Hocht at Creve Coeur is made from 60 to 70 year-old vines of Grenache, with an interesting mix of semi-carbonic and traditional fermentations with whole-cluster and de-stemmed grapes. The 2022 is a deep crimson/purple with some dense plum and blueberry fruit but still lifted and fresh, with a hint of black cherry and cooling herbs. The palate is broad and supple with fine tannins and some good spice, a perfect companion with roasted meats or stews. On day two it was holding up well, even more integrated and showing beautifully for such a reasonably priced wine! It's certainly a crowd-pleaser and an outstanding value.

Ferme Saint-Martin 2022 Côtes du Rhône Les Romanins

Made from hand-harvested young vines of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, the "Romanins" is singing in 2022! Notes of crushed raspberries and currants on the nose, with lively acidity on the palette with a touch of red apple skin. There are some predictable Rhone  characteristics of blackberry, garrigue and leather, but these are all flavor profiles that are quite subtle and playing the background to the fresh and balanced red fruits and acidity. This lovely, great value Côtes-du-Rhône would be terrific with a wide variety of foods, as the hearty Rhone flavors and the balanced alcohol (13.5%) make it extremely versatile. Serve slightly chilled. (Bottled with minimal SO2, not fined or filtered.)

Ferme Saint-Martin 2022 Ventoux Les Estaillades

At about 900 ft elevation in the Ventoux, the Julliens have Grenache and Counoise in a parcel sheltered from the mistral surrouded by pines and garrigue that yields this delicious, supple wine that's a fabulous pairing with any grilled meat or stews. The sandy clay limestone soils are plowed only around the foot of the vine with vegetation maintained between the rows. The grapes are hand-harvested and ferment naturally with no additives, aging is in concrete vat, minimal SO2 is added before bottling without fining or filtration. The 2022 "Estaillades" is deep and dense with aromas of garrigue and red/black fruits, with blackberry and cherry liqueur and a bit of licorice and menthol on the full, chalky palate. Delicious now and will drink beautifully over the next 3 - 5 years. This serious Rhone red is a great value! David Lillie

Ferme Saint-Martin 2021 Beaumes-de-Venise Terres Jaunes

An excellent value from Beaumes-de-Venise, 'Les Terres Jaunes' is a blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah both from 30+ year-old vines grown on a unique terroir of Triassic limestone/clay soils. Organically farmed with vegetation maintained between the rows; fermented naturally with no additives, aged in concrete with very little sulfur added at bottling, this is a truly terroir-focused wine. I love the rich texture with powdery tannins, and after some time decanting, it definitely softened and opened up. Full of ripe black cherry, plum, and preserved raspberries with more savory undertones of olive, oregano, dried tobacco and a touch of dark chocolate.  The wine is dense and long with delicious supple fruit - plenty of complexity in this deep Southern Rhône wine to sit and contemplate, and would be excellent with heartier or gamey fare.

Ferme Saint-Martin 2019 Beaumes-de-Venise Costancia

A great Beaumes-de-Venise from Guy and Thomas Jullien at La Ferme Saint-Martin. The estate has been working with organic methods for many years, with natural fermentations and minimal use of sulfur. The Costancia 2019 is from old vines of Grenache and Syrah grown at 1,500 ft in Suzette, on limestone/clay soils. Deep red/black color. Blackberry aromas with red currant, earth  and bitter chocolate lifted with cool menthol and floral notes. The palate is deep and ripe with blackberry, coca, citrus and earth with firm acidity and ripe tannins. This is a beautiful Rhône red to serve now with grilled foods, stews and tagines - or hold for 5 years then drink until 2032, as this will age beautifully. A fantastic value and highly recommended.

Amphores 2022 IGP des Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah "Les Iris"

The 2022 Domaine des Amphores Syrah "Les Iris" is from vines in Chavanay, just outside the Saint-Joseph zone, tended organically since planting, in the early 90's, and now  Biodynamic as well. The wine shows a deep red/black color with bright rim, with complex aromas of blackberry, black raspberry and blueberry, ripe and lush with hints of violet, black olive and licorice, but with nice freshness as well. The palate shows dense black fruits, plum skin, licorice and smoke, deep but fresh and balanced at 13% alcohol. Terrific length of black and blue fruits, minerals and firm acidity - a beautiful wine at a bargain price! Serve a bit cool with grilled meats, chicken, lentil stew, full-flavored cheeses. David Lillie

Domaine des Amphores 2022 Vin de France Mornen Noir

And now for something completely different... While tasting at Domaine des Amphores with Philippe and Véronique Grenier a few years ago, we noticed a small barrel with "Mornen Noir" scrawled on the front in chalk. A grape apparently native to the area between the Rhone and Loire rivers south of Lyon, it had been grown by Philippe's grandfather Louis - now the Greniers and a few other growers in Chavanay are once again making wine from this ancient variety. Possibly related to Chasselas and/or Mondeuse, the grapes yield a bright vibrant wine with black fruit flavors and low alcohol. The 2022 is fascinating, showing vibrant aromas of blackberry and blueberry with violet and stone. The palate is a bit lighter than a Syrah, and very mineral, with bright flavors of blackberry and red currant that blend nicely with earth, licorice and stone flavors in the sapid finish. Beautiful wine!   We've just received 60 bottles of this rare juice, guaranteed to stump your sommelier friends in a blind tasting!

Amphores 2021 Saint-Joseph "Les Sept Lieux"

Philippe and Veronique Grenier have always farmed organically and are now certified Biodynamic as well, bringing the quality even higher at this wonderful small estate. The 2021  "les Sept Lieux" shows great freshness and purity, and a bit less alcohol than the previous 3 vintages. The wine features subtle aromas of blackberry, black plum, blueberry, violet, mint and spice with meat, earth and mineral notes. The palate is dense but bright and well balanced, not a fruit bomb, but with a core black fruits, earth and citrus with a long cool finish of earthy black fruit and firm acidity. While it's delicious now, it should open up nicely over the next few years and drink well until 2030. This is a great value in Saint-Joseph from the northern zone and is highly recommended!  David Lillie

Amphores 2022 Vin de France Sphé-érique

The 2022 Vin de France "Sphé-érique" from the Grenier family in Saint-Joseph is a lovely Syrah from Biodynamic farming that is fantastically delicious! The wine is from young massale-selection Syrah vines on granite with shallow clay soils in the Richagnieux vineyard  at Chavanay, just outside the Saint-Joseph zone. It ferments and ages in a unique round "egg.". The wine shows  superb very bright pure strawberry, raspberry and blueberry fruit, really lovely, which continue on the palate that is fresh, refreshing and pure with great focus and length. There is almost no added SO2 which allows the fragrant, floral aromas and fruit flavors to be fully expressed. Serve this beautiful Syrah cool with charcuterie, grilled lamb and pork, roast chicken and mild cheeses. It's lovely wine and a testament to the great farming and winemaking by Véronique and Philippe Grenier and family.

Creve Coeur (Pablo Hocht) 2022 Côtes du Rhône Seguret Blanc

Wow, Pablo Hocht's new Seguret Blanc is a classy and delicious wine! Made from Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier, Biodynamic farming, vinification and aging in old barrels. The aromas are subtle and complex with almond, citrus, pear, stone, exotic fruit, all in a bright and balanced style. The palate is ripe and really pretty with the Picpoul providing firm acidity underlying the lovely fruit and mineral flavors, finishing with nice ripeness, refreshing and delicious! This is a delightful wine, serve quite cool, enjoy! David Lillie

Creve Coeur (Pablo Hocht) 2022 Côtes du Rhône Rosé du Coucou

The young Pablo Hocht makes beautiful wines at his Biodynamic estate in Seguret (southern Rhone) - his "Rosé du Coucou" is a  refreshing direct-press rosé made with  old vines of 60% Grenache and 40% Cinsault. The 2022 shows a very pale rose skin color with floral aromas of raspberry, peach, citrus and stone. The palate is very light, silky and elegant with subtle raspberry fruit with hints of melon, orange rind, spice and earth, finishing with terrific length of mineral flavors and refreshing acidity. This is a very lovely wine at a great price! 

Rousset 2021 Crozes-Hermitage

From hillside vineyards in Erome, Gervans and Crozes, mostly granite with some limestone/clay, average age 45 years, aged 30% in vat rather than wood in 2021 to preserve the fruit. This is no "ordinary" Crôzes-Hermitage, but a real wine of terroir from great vineyard sites, all on hillsides. Domaine Rousset is blessed with excellent terroir and the good sense to get that into the bottle with as little interference as possible. Redolent with black cherries, plums, wet earth and stony minerality, the palate follows through with dark chocolate covered cherries, blackberries and  tobacco leaf with bracing acidity and a long finish. This is lovely stuff and positively sings in concert with a plate of poulet aux olives, but a bit of saucisson or terrine wouldn’t suffer for this; and come to think of it, if you have a wild mushroom pasta recipe tucked away, this pretty Crôzes would offer good company indeed.

Rousset 2021 Saint-Joseph

The 2021 Rousset Saint-Joseph is from a one-half hectare parcel of 35 to 70 year-old vines in "Les Rivoires" on the lower slope in Tournon, a cool, very steep, late-ripening terroir with clay, sand and stones over firm granite. Aged 12 months, 30% foudre, 70% 1 to 5 year-old barrels.This is prime Saint-Joseph terroir (the Gonons have vines in "Rivoires" as well) giving a dense well-structured wine that is enjoyable young, as most of the grapes are de-stemmed, and that will drink well over the next ten+ years. The 2021 vintage has produced a brighter more floral style than the 2020, with a nicely balanced 13% alcohol. We love the review in drinkrhone: "quite a dark red; this has a country style aroma, wild blackberry, licorice, black pepper, is genuine. The palate gives a cool stream of black cherry fruit, is tasty and natural, with appealing purity, feels hand made, and is silky, elegant on the finish. It’s very fine, very bonny, aromatic St Jo, the balance good - most joli it is."  Yes, most joli it is - quite delicious now, but put a few away to drink in 8 to 10 years as well.  David Lillie

Rousset 2021 Crôzes-Hermitage Les Picaudières

Les Picaudières is perhaps the best vineyard in Crôzes-Hermitage, formerly owned by Raymond Roure and now tended by Stéphane Rousset. It's a steep slope of granite terraces, isolated in an oak forest facing due south and protected from the wind. (In the opinion of Livingston-Learmonth in "Wines of the Northern Rhône" wine from Les Picaudières is "certainly better" than many Hermitage from the eastern part of the hill.) The vines range from 20 to 80 years-old. The grapes are hand-harvested and mostly de-stemmed. The wine ages 16 months, 40% in foudre, 60% in burgundy barrels, 1 to 5 year-old. (no newer oak for the 2021)  In the Northern Rhône, this ranks near the top for bang for your buck, and for terroir expression. The 2021 shows a medium-dark red/garnet color with vivid aromas of black cherry and blackberry with violet, citrus, blueberry and game. The palate shows nice weight and density but remains bright and balanced at 13% alcohol with a core of earth and mineral flavors blending with the fruit - black cherry, blackberry, boysenberry. There is darker fruit with floral notes in the finish, ending with all earth and minerals. Classy and delicious now, but it should be really singing in ten years - as was a 2012 we drank last year. Serve very slightly cool and enjoy! David Lillie

La Florane 2022 Cotes du Rhone À Fleur Rouge

Adrien Fabre (partner of Claire Michel of Le Vieux Donjon in Châteauneuf-du-Pape) is making lovely wines at his small estate in Visan (Côtes-du-Rhône Villages). Organic and Biodynamic farming on clay soils. The "Fleur de Pampre" (vine flower) rouge is made from Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan. The 2022 is a beautiful Rhone red and a great value showing really pretty bright red fruit aromas, floral and fresh. The palate is silky, with nice freshness and density with distinctive cherry/plum fruit and good length. This is a lovely and verstile red to serve slightly cool.