Amphores 2022 Saint-Joseph Blanc 'Altitude 300'

From Veronique, Philippe and Remi Grenier at Domaine des Amphores, certified organic and Biodynamic. 80% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne on granite soils in "Le Monteillet" at 300 metres altitude. Fermented and agd in anfora and vat in 2022 rather than wood. The wine shows a bright gold/bronze color, subtle aromas of exotic fruits, apricot, white peach, citrus peel, hazelnut and wet stone. The palate is ripe, dense and elegant with a delicate character to the stone fruits and mineral flavors, textured and earthy, finishing with floral white peach, minerals and firm acidity, with a lovely freshness to the ripe fruit and stone flavors in the finish. "drink with scallops, trout, foie gras, chicken in cream sauce, blanquette of veal, raclette, Rigotte de Condrieu cheese,” say the Greniers. Lovely wine!  David Lillie

Amphores 2022 Condrieu "La Côte"

 The Domaine des Amphores Condrieu is 100% massale-selection Viognier from 0.5 hectares on poor granite-based soils at 250 metres on "La Côte" at Chavanay. The 2022 La Côte has a pale yellow gold robe. The nose offers a subtle and intriguing mélange of toasted nuts, acacia flower, apricot, honey, pear, stone and a hint of spice. The palate shades savory with a granitic spine and roasted peach, and green almond flavors on a sleek  and mineral palate. Quite ripe and unctuous but with a pleasing stony core that continues with good freshness in the long and complex finish. This is a less exotic and exuberant expression of Condrieu, but perfect for the table—think skate with brown butter, halibut or roasted chicken with fricasséed morels!

Amphores 2022 IGP des Collines Rhodaniennes Viognier 'Les Iris'

 We love Condrieu, but Viognier from other regions can often be cloying and uninteresting. This example from the Grenier family in Chavanay, however, is elegant and outstanding. It comes from Viognier vines just south of the Condrieu AOC, always tended organically, certified since 2002, and Biodynamic since 2016. .The 2022 "Les Iris" shows a bright gold color with subtle aromas of earth, citrus, white flowers, stone fruits, spice and tea, really lovely and quite complex. The palate is ripe but balanced and very mineral with apricot, earth, nectarine, lemon zest and hazelnuts. This junior Condrieu ia a real wine of terroir that beautifully expresses the granite soils. Delicious as an aperitif, or serve with a full flavored ceviche, asian foods, farm chicken.

Amphores 2021 IGP des Collines Rhodaniennes Detour Blanc

The 2021 Domaine des Amphores Detour Blanc is a beautiful blend of 60% Clairette from 50 year-old vines, with Marsanne and Roussanne grown on granit soils in Chavannay, just south of Condrieu. The nose is fresh, floral and lively with notes of grapefruit, tangerine, nectarine, white peach, honeysuckle and acacia. The palate is ripe and full but with nice saline minerals, with citrus confit, dried fruits, pear, apple and honeysuckle. There is more Roussanne in the blend this year, bringing freshness and terrific length to the clean and mineral finish, making this a lovely apéritif wine and a great combination with appetizers, full-flavored fish dishes, white meats, salads and mild cheeses. Just a delicious wine and a fabulous value!

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 VdP Collines Rhodaniennes Marsanne "Rendez-Vous"

The Barou family family makes delicious wines, and grows cherries and apricots on their mixed-use organic estate in Charnas, in the northern section of the AOC Saint-Joseph. Their 2022 Vin de Pays Marsanne is a simply superb everyday wine! Light bronze/gold color.  This needs a few minutes to open up, then shows bright aromas of pear and peach, almond, lime-flower, lemon peel, smoke and hay, really quite pretty. Ripe stone fruits on the palate, primarily peach and dried pear with lemon, spice and saline mineral flavors with refreshing acidity. Beautiful finish with white and yellow fruits and minerals. The 2022 is round and lush but nicely balanced  - serve this lovely wine as a superb aperitif or with chicken, full-flavored fish, mild cheeses and Asian foods. This is a unique and delicious wine and an extraordinary value - highly recommended! 

Gripa 2015 Saint-Peray Les Pins 1.5 Liter (Arrives 11/14)

Domaine Bernard and Fabrice Gripa is one of the top estates in Saint-Joseph and Saint-Peray, with the whites being particularly stylish and well-made. The Saint-Peray Les Pins is from 35 year-old vines on both granite and limestone soils, approximately 75% Marsanne, 25% Roussanne. It's a treat to have an older vintage of this wine in magnum, drinking perfectly now and just in time for Thanksgiving! Here's the drinkrhone review: "shiny yellow robe. The nose gives a fat aroma of flan, apricot, has a ripe fruit presence, with some of the sun’s rays in its slightly baked nature. Oak rides alongside. It’s a big start, demanding of patience. The palate is also on a large scale, is properly structured, holds abundant richness and a real wheel of gras towards the finish. There are salty late notes in with apricot, ginger fabric. This is really well presented wine for la bonne table, with sunshine length. It ends with great purity. 14.5°. Drink through 2025.

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!

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.

Amphores 2021 Saint-Joseph "Les Sept Lieux"

(Last 8 bottles) 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

Rousset 2021 Crozes-Hermitage Arrives 11/14

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.