Looking much improved from my previous tasting, Bertrand Gonnet's 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Lieu Dit les Combes showcases briary, herbal notes backed by black cherries, blackberries and blueberries. Full-bodied, rich and...

Deep magenta. A complex, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes black raspberry, kirsch and lavender, along with vibrant mineral and exotic spice flourishes. Incisive red and dark berry, bitter cherry and succulent herb...

Inky violet color. Heady, smoke- and spice-tinged cherry, blueberry, peony and incense aromas show excellent clarity; mineral and cured meat notes build with aeration. Juicy and energetic, especially in the context of the...

Checking in as a blend of 65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest a handful of varieties, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape was brought up in a mix of foudre and older barrels. This deep ruby/purple-hued effort...

I am loving all the perfectly ripe Mourvedre here as it imparts such a cool, peppery, meaty, full-bodied quality to the layers of plums, kirsch, black raspberries and cherries. The wine is dark, deep, opulent and rich, as...

Inky ruby. Smoke- and mineral-tinged aromas of ripe red and dark berries, pipe tobacco, olive paste, incense and vanilla, with a suave floral note building in the glass. Youthfully chewy and expansive on the palate...

Lastly, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Reserve is another magical wine, and I might have rated this cuvée a perfect score more than any other Southern Rhône. Unquestionably in the same realm as the 2017, 2016, 2010, 2005...

Brandy-soaked black cherries and crushes of basalt introduce this intensely fruity but peppery, salt-rimmed red. A blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre, it's concentrated but maintains a mineral freshness and...

(93+ points) Seemingly refined by the additional elevage since I reviewed a barrel sample last year, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a big, rich, dark-fruited and almost tarry effort, but this...

The star of the show as well as one of the wines of this great vintage, the 2019 Ermitage Le Pavillon comes all from broken granite soils of the Bessards lieu-dit and was all destemmed, vinified in concrete tanks, and...

Incredibly dense elderberry fruit with raw-meat, smoked-bacon, balsamic-vinegar, mushroom and tar aromas. But there are plenty of other nuances in this astonishing Hermitage! Gigantic fine tannins support the wide-screen...

(96+ points) More cassis, morello cherry, Asian spice, and a beautiful sense of minerality and loamy earth emerge from the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Trois Sources, a full-bodied, concentrated blend of 60% Grenache, 15%...

(93+ points) Seemingly refined by the additional elevage since I reviewed a barrel sample last year, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a big, rich, dark-fruited and almost tarry effort, but this...

The classic 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is a blend of 70% Grenache, 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, and the rest a mix of varieties, raised two years in foudre. Gorgeous and incredibly Provençal notes of ripe cherries...

Saturated magenta. Displays vibrant, mineral-accented black raspberry and cherry scents that are complemented by suggestions of olive, cracked pepper and violet. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering energetic red and...

(93-95 points) Closer in style to the 2018 than the 2017, the 2019 Cote Rotie is a big, rich, powerful Côte Rôtie that has loads of meaty, gamey black fruits, smoked herb, pepper, and chocolate-like aromas and flavors...

Deep, bright-rimmed ruby. Spice-tinged black raspberry, cherry-cola and violet aromas are complicated by suggestions of olive and exotic spices. Juicy and incisive on the palate, offering sweet red and dark berry...

Glass-staining ruby. A highly complex, expansive bouquet evokes fresh dark berries, olive paste, potpourri and incense, along with exotic spice and smoky mineral notes that build steadily with air. Sweet, focused and...

This is ripe, juicy and mouthfilling, with lots of enticing raspberry, boysenberry and fig compote flavors enlivened with anise, fruitcake and mulling spice accents. Shows good energy through the finish. Grenache, Syrah...

With loads of black raspberries, spicy kirsch, thyme and herbs the wine is soft, silky, fresh and lively. The purity in the fruits stands out here on the mid-palate and in the lush, fruit filled, elegant finish. This can...

Dark violet color. Ripe dark berries, pungent flowers, licorice and cracked pepper on the expressive nose. Juicy and broad on entry, offering bitter cherry, black raspberry and baking spice flavors and a sweetening...

More elegant, the 2019 Saint Joseph Le Clos has an incredibly granite nose of cassis, leather, ground pepper, and powdered rock. Tasting like a Hermitage from Bessards, it’s medium to full-bodied, has remarkable purity...

Marvelously complex, deeply fruited and massively concentrated yet wonderfully drinkable, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin challenges the number of superlatives that can be thrown at it. Scents of...

The inky hued 2019 Ermitage Le Méal offers up a classic, kaleidoscope-like bouquet of red and black fruits, smoked meats, crushed stone, spice, and burning embers. Full-bodied, ripe, and opulent, it has a wonderful sense...

(90-92 points) There are two Rasteau from this reference point Châteauneuf du Pape producer. Starting with the 2019 Rasteau, it has plenty of chocolatey black raspberry and cherry fruits as well as loads of minerality...

Very enticing, showing a plump core of dark currant and blackberry preserve flavors, with ganache, anise and savory hints providing nice contrast from start to finish. Nice streamlined finish. Drink now through 2030...

A decidedly smoky style that’s robust with plenty of impact, and very tannic and focused. The oak is noticeable but not excessive, and there's no excess alcohol, just great drive and freshness. Thyme, rosemary and...

The 2019 Cornas Terre Brûlée showed brilliantly, with an exotic style in its darker fruits as well as notes of camphor, balsam wood, plums, and ground pepper. It has tons of minerality on the palate and is full-bodied...

Dark violet. Displays spice- and smoke-accented dark berries and licorice on the nose, along with a floral top note. Plush and open-knit, offering sappy blackberry, cherry and allspice flavors that slowly firm up through...