Wine from Northern Rhone

Wine Spectator, 91 points: Solidly built, with a tarry frame that integrates nicely into the core of steeped plum and blackberry fruit. A melted licorice edge drives through on the finish, while the fruit wins out easily. Best from 2018 through...

Decanter, 97 points: Dark and brooding with a black fruit core and intense coffee bean notes; abundant toasty oak, spice and lovely black olives; very concentrated, powerful and generous with big, grainy tannins and a long spicy finish.

jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: The top cuvée from Delas is the 2015 Hermitage Les Bessards, and it's always 100% Syrah from the steep, broken granite soils of the Bessards lieu-dit. Aged 18 months in 30% new barrels, its purple/plum color is followed...

jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: Deeper and richer than the Champelrose, the 2015 Cornas La Sabarotte comes from a great vineyard in the middle of the appellation and was raised in new barrels. Its huge nose of black raspberries, cassis, licorice, and...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: On another level, the 2014 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée is a perfumed, incredibly layered and even sexy 2014 that has lots of black raspberry fruits, flowers, potpourri, and spice aromas and flavors. It’s a deeper, richer wine...

jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: (98-100) Leading off the three single vineyard whites, the 2016 Ermitage Cuvée De L’Orée is a huge, unctuous white that delivers the goods. Orange marmalade, buttered citrus, honeycomb and brioche all soar from the glass...

jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: Just a step behind the Sainte Epine, the 2012 St Joseph Cuvee Francois de Tournon exhibits classic black raspberry, cassis, spiced meats and hints of licorice in its ripe, supple and beautifully pure profile. Aged 16...

jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: A new cuvée that’s replacing the Petit Chapelle, the 2015 Hermitage La Maison Bleue comes from grapes on the eastern side of the appellation, which is more limestone, clay, and sedimentary soils. Brought up in 20% new oak...

jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: (JD94-96 points) One of the finest Crozes out there is the 2016 Crozes Ermitage Les Varonniers, which comes from the northern part of the appellation (right next to Hermitage) and broken granite soils. It’s a...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: 98+ The star of the show in 2013 is the 2013 Ermitage le Pavillon. Coming from the west and eastern edges of the Bessards lieu-dit and aged in 30% new French oak, its sensational black/blue color is followed by the...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: 98+ As expected, the 2011 Ermitage l’Ermite, which comes from the lieu-dit of the same name, is more backward and focused, with a slightly closed, tight profile. Slowly giving up ample cassis and black raspberry fruit...

jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: The 2015 Saint Joseph Les Royes offers a similar, if not slightly darker purple color to go with additional minerality, tons of cassis, graphite and charcoal aromatics, building tannin, and a great, great finish. Like a...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 points: The 2012 Côte Rôtie La Mouline reminds me of the 2011 with its upfront, incredibly perfumed nose of spring flowers, cured meats, roasted herbs, olives and sweet cassis fruit. Full-bodied, beautifully textured...

Wine Spectator, 94 points: Very focused, with a lovely beam of lightly steeped red currant, bitter cherry and plum fruit flavors that glides atop singed cedar, black tea and dried star anise notes. The long finish is very fine-grained. A gorgeous...