Along with Bordeaux and Burgundy, Rhône Valley wines are acknowledged to be among the best in the world. Situated in the Rhône River Valley in the south of France, the Rhône is comprised of two distinct regions—the north and south—each with its own viniculture and featuring wines of very different character.
The Northern Rhône (referred to in French as Rhône septentrional) produces powerful, aromatically complex and age worthy red wines, often in very limited numbers, from the dignified Syrah grape. Typically, most red wines in the northern zone have had an alcohol content in the common 12% to 13% range, but warmer-than-normal growing seasons (like in 1997, 1999, and 2003 in particular), have brought significantly richer, more powerful, and higher alcoholic content varieties.
The Southern Rhône (or Rhône méridional) yields more than 90% of the valley’s total production. A multitude of markedly more rustic and often richer blends coming from the high-alcohol Grenache grape can be identified by a more “southern” flavor. The wines offer a rich mouth feel, and more of a roasted and somewhat liqueur-ish fruit personality with spice and wild herb accents.
In the Northern Rhône Valley the apotheosis of Viognier, an exotically scented white wine, is also grown. Viognier is a variety that has been recently planted on several continents by growers hoping to capitalize on a strong worldwide demand. There are other white wines from the Rhône Valley (albeit less exciting than Viognier). The majority of these are blends based on Marsanne and Roussanne in the North, and Grenache Blanc and less interesting native varieties in the South.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 100 points: Aged entirely in barriques (25% new), the 2016 Ermitage le Pavillon shows only a hint of warm pencil shavings on the nose, beautifully setting up notes of fresh blackcurrants. Full-bodied, concentrated and plush across...
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: 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...
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...
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...
Wine Spectator, 94 points: This marries old-school Cornas notes of dark bramble, charcoal, olive and bay leaf to more modern-styled and vivid flavors of blackberry, raspberry and boysenberry. Everything flows together seamlessly through the long...
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...
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...
Wine Spectator, 95 points: Offers a solid, dark profile, with baker's chocolate, loam and warm gravel notes providing the bass line, while a core of plum and blackberry compote waits in reserve. Solidly rendered, showing ample grip, this just needs...
jamessuckling.com, 96 points: Made from 65 year old vines on the granitic Bessards section of Hermitage. Some very assertive red plum, red nectarine and orange zest. There is a wealth of spice and dark mineral-flecked interest. The palate is extremely...
Wine Spectator, 95 points: Offers a mouthfilling, brambly feel, with dark plum, steeped blackberry and mulled boysenberry fruit at the core, backed by anise, singed mesquite and black tea notes that give the finish a perfumy caste. Has depth and...
Wine Spectator, 98 points: A stunning, modern-styled version, with scintillating raspberry purée, plum confiture and blackberry reduction flavors gliding over velvety but copious tannins. Alluring warm ganache and fruitcake accents gild the...
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