Bosquet des Papes 2019 Chateauneuf-du-Pape A la Gloire de Mon Grand-Pere

This is a crowd-pleasing big and brawny Chateauneuf-du-Pape made from 70 to 100 year-olld grenache vines. "very dark red, black-hued robe; the bouquet is bold, up front, carries a savoury intensity, a handsome swirl of blackberry and black cherry fruit, discreet floral undertones. The palate shows instant richness, a juicy, fulsome nature, with its sweetness nicely judged. It rolls along well, and finishes with a sympathetic curve, lightly powdered tannins, is a genuine, expressive Châteauneuf with the plump virtues of the Grenache well on display. Its openness will please." Drink until 2045, decanting advised..

Moulin-Tacussel 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Moulin-Tacussel produces great examples of traditional CDP with whole-bunch fermentations and aging mostly in concrete vats and old 600-liter barrels. While the estate is a bit under the radar, the quality has remained reliably  excellent and the 2020 Tradition is a really outstanding wine. It's made from 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 2-3% Cinsault, 2-4% Counoise, 2-5% Muscardin & Vaccarèse from 9 plots across the appellation, average age about 45 years-old. "It’s a very genuine garrigue inspired wine, traditional, Châteauneuf of terroir with robust, persistent length" says drinkrhone. Decanting advised, drink until 2045.

La Florane 2020 CDR Villages St Maurice Echevin "Rouville" Syrah

The 2020 La Florane is 85% Syrah, 15% Grenache grown at 1200 ft of altitude in the village of Saint-Maurice - it's a Southern Rhone Syrah with Northern Rhone style and superb elegance and length. Mostly old vine Syrah in Biodynamic farming on clay/limestone and galets roulés soils. "full red robe; the bouquet is wide, well sustained, serves an aroma of incense, spiced plum, cloves in the picture. There is freshness through the palate, which runs directly with crisp plum fruited content, sustains its firm richness well, finishes with some good mineral thrust.  Drink from 2023, allowing time for the rocky late notes to infuse a little more. It carries very good ferrous-iron minerality, typical of its terroir" says drinkrhone.

La Florane 2021 CDR Villages St Maurice Echevin "Rouville" Blanc

The "Guillaume de Rouville" from La Florane is made with Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Clairette and Bourboulenc grown in Biodynamic farming in the village of Saint-Maurie at 1200 ft in altitude. This is a Rhone white of great elegance that really impressed at our recent tasting with subtle herbal and white fruit aromas and a silky subtle palate with fabulous balance and length - this will pair beautifully with a full-flavored fish preparation, white meats as well. "a good ensemble of stylish gras and fresh length, very accomplished, a wine for a bonne table" says drinkrhone - well worth trying!

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!

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

Barou 2022 Saint-Joseph "Un Autre Monde"

Domaine Barou has been organic since the 1970s and also produces cherries, apricots and peaches. The Saint-Joseph vines are in Limony, on thin soils of decomposed granite over the bedrock. Shallow plowing ("griffage") is done in the summer, with rye and clover growing between the rows in winter. The grapes are 80% de-stemmed, fermentations are with wild yeasts, aging is primarily in old barrels. .The 2022 Saint-Joseph shows a deep black/red color with bright rim and gorgeous aromas of blackberry and blueberry liqueur with violet and earth, very floral and pretty. The palate shows a beautiful melange of red and black fruits - very lush, and supple and framed in perfect, bright acidity. The finish is soft and sapid and shows bright acidity, herbal and mineral flavors. This is absolutely delicious now but has the structure to age nicely for five to eight years. A sensational value and highly recommended! David Lillie

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

Charvin 2021 Côtes-du-Rhone Le Poutet

The Laurent Charvin "Le Poutet"  is made from average 50 year-old vines (some are 90 years-old!) of 80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Syrah and Carignan in vineyards that abut Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Maucoil in the northwest and Campovin and Boislauzon in the northeast. The soils are sandy clay/limestone with galets stones. The grapes undergo a 15 to 20-day whole bunch fermentation with daily pumping-overs, the wine then spends 18 months in concrete vat and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The resulting wine is equal to many Châteauneuf-du-Pape, offering complex aromas of garrigue and spicy red fruits with the structure to evolve and drink well over ten to fifteen years. The 2021, tasted at the store, is really lovely with gorgeous floral aromas of strawberry and blackberry and vibrant, supple black fruits on the palate with round juicy tannins - delicious already but with enough brightness and structure to provide beautiful drinking over the next five to ten years. This is truly "gouleyant" and should be purchased by the case!

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.

Chapelle St. Theodoric 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Sablons

Chappelle St. Theodoric - a project of winemaker Bapiste Grangeon and Peter Weygandt - has quickly become one of our favorite Southern Rhône producers. The domaine is comprised of two parcels of Grenache vines (each ranging in age between 50-100 years): La Guigasse, a soil of pure sand, and Le Grand Pin, a terroir of pure sand at the top of Pignan - and famously neighboring Château Rayas. "Les Sablons" is Grenache from both parcels, and is not produced in every vintage - we loved the 2014 and 2016 which were very much in the style of Guigasse and Grand Pin and we loved the price as well. Here is what Livingstone-Learmonth has to say about the 2019  "dark red, a little pale at the top. The bouquet carries well weighted raspberry, ripe red berry fruit with a distinct note of iodine, seashore and its freshness, a touch of licorice. The palate presents a steady run of spiced red fruited content, has a crisp edge in the tannins, its middle tasty, raspberry-fruited, the finish dark, almost tarry. It’s a naked style of Châteauneuf, unadorned, carries potential to fuse, and retain sound clarity as it evolves. Late intensity reveals the inner strength of the vintage. Drink from 2023-24 until 2043-45."  Sounds good to me...

Chapelle St. Theodoric 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape "La Guigasse"

100% Grenache (75 to 95 year-old vines) from yellow sand with a little clay on 1.7 hectares on Guigasse in the northeast of CDP near Pignan. Organic farming and old-school winemaking with 2-3 week whole bunch concrete vat vinification, natural yeasts only, minimal extraction, aged in 4-10 year-old 600-litre oak casks for 24 months, bottled unfined, unfiltered. "fine red robe; the bouquet has some inner charge, a brambly, hedgerow fruiting, with herbs, thyme, nutmeg, spiced seasoning. It’s a little tight, taut for now. The palate is soft and flowing, comes with a perfumed outer layer, sweet red berry fruit, like fruit on the inside. The tannins are refined, the aftertaste on cigarette ash, smoke. It’s an orb-like Châteauneuf, serve in a large balloon glass."  Hold this beautiful wine for a few years, then enjoy until 2045.

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

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.)

Ferrand 2019 Chateauneuf-du-Pape

The Ferrand 2019 CDP is from 7.5 hectares of very old vines in the northern sector on sandy and galets roulets soils. Primarily Grenache, with small amounts of Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Bourboulenc. Farming here has always been with organic methods, though not certified, and vinification and aging is in concrete vats, with minimal use of SO2. We haven't yet tasted the 2019 but apparently it's on the mark this year: "Full red colour; the nose has a biscuity, crushed nutshells air, red berry and plum fruit at its centre, with a discreet floral, scented presence that appeals. The palate bustles with vigour on the attack, mixes its thrusting content with live tannins that need time to refine. There is a lot in the locker in this very genuine Châteauneuf, and it represents its place well, this quartier near Orange. There is implicit power and strength on the persistent finish. Drink from 2024 uuntil 2047." - drinkrhone.com

Charvin 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Judging from the 2020 CDPs that we've tasted, the vintage appears to be one of lovely, pure fruit, elegance and balance, not as "big" as the 2019s but having the ability to drink smoothly as young wines and to age for 20 to 30 years as well. Here is drinkrhone on the Charvin 2020: "dark red; an elegant curve runs across the nose, mulberry, raspberry jelly, laurel, thyme, dried herbs, the fruit very pure. The palate is sensuous, flows well, is articulate, bears Burgundian refinement, velvet tannins, is very stately. There’s a serene, gossamer, real stylish increase in depth, essence, running into a really good finish where the juice circulates freely, is bursting with life, energy, blood-iron, herbal notes, local ID on the aftertaste. This is pure, feathery, with good inner content, good balance, gives great access to its terroir, is STGT wine (Soil To Glass Transfer) 'It does things softly; I am happy because the impression that it accentuates is the living side of the wine in the last few years,' Laurent Charvin. Drink from 2025 - 2048/2050."

Chapelle St. Theodoric 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Le Grand Pin

The 2020 Le Grand Pin is all Grenache from the top of the Pignan vineyard  literally adjoining the vines of Chateau Rayas on sandy soils. Whole-cluster fermentation in concrete vat with wild yeasts, minimal extraction, aged in 4 to 10 year-old large casks. The terroir here gives a relatively light-bodied, very fine style of Chateauneuf. The fruit profile here is the brightest and freshest of the range. "...the bouquet is intriguing thanks to a myriad of small prompts, pot-pourri dried flowers, tobacco, cedar, a firm stream of strawberries, rosemary – a way to go bouquet here. The palate is scented throughout, a floral-rose petal covering gracing it, the strawberry flavour accompanied by violets, a sweep of perfumes late on, a really precise little uptick in depth on the finish, powdered, aromatic tannins there. Much finesse here, Burgundian, apart from the semblance of late power. Drink until 2050" drinkrhone

Charvin 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

(An open bottle of this showed up at the store a few weeks ago - it was fabulous...go for it!)  What a treat - one of the top CDPs of 2010, now reaching maturity! What follows is our review from 2015. "The 2010 Charvin is indeed a beautiful Chateauneuf that shows a bright black/garnet color with very floral and sweet aromas of crushed  blackberry with a bit of tart plum, quite pure and pretty with hints of  black raspberry, brown spice, garrigue, licorice, earth and roast meat emerging with aeration. The palate is dense and sapid but beautifully balanced with sweet blackberry and black cherry fruit with game, spice, earth, tea and citrus. The finish is firm and long with dense red currant fruit, licorice, spicy citrus and earthy flavors that linger on the palate. This is a superb Châteauneuf-du-Pape that can be enjoyed immensely now or cellared until 2032 - 2035."  David Lillie (2015 tasting)