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.
Decanter, 96 points: 2015 is the first vintage of this cuvée, which replaces the Petite Chapelle. There's a certain meaty aspect to the nose, a savoury note that brings aged Pinot Noir to mind. It has a minty freshness, crisp and well-defined...
Vinous, 95 points: Opaque ruby. An assertively scented, complex bouquet features mineral-accented boysenberry, cherry liqueur, licorice and smoky mineral aromas that expand with air. Stains the palate with sweet, dense black and blue fruit...
Vinous, 94 points: (92-94 points) Bright violet. Highly perfumed blue fruit and floral pastille aromas, along with suggestions of allspice and candied licorice. Velvety and expansive on the palate, offering juicy boysenberry and black...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 98 points: There is no better Cote Rotie for the money produced today in the appellation. If that is not enough to get you to run out and buy this wine, picture the wealth of fresh, bright, pure, energetic, peppery cherries that...
jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: (96+ points) The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is more backward and structured, yet offers serious amounts of darker fruits, currants, smoked herbs, roasted meats and licorice aromas and flavors. Like...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 94 points: Produced from 100% old vine Syrah, planted in Cote Blonde, the wine pops with scents of flowers, smoke, earth, cherries, thyme and earth. Power and elegance, length, finesse and complexity that does not finish until you...
jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: The 2015 Ermitage Les Greffieux comes from vines located at the base of the hill, just under the le Méal Vineyard. Blackberries, blueberries, liquid violet, dusty minerality and hints of beef blood all flow to a ripe...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: The 2015 Saint Joseph Les Granits is another knockout wine, and if it wasn’t for its Le Clos counterpart, it would be the wine of the vintage. Coming all from the namesake vineyard of the appellation (the lieu-dit Saint...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 points: A wine I’ve always loved, the 2015 St Joseph Les Granits Blanc is, I suspect, the greatest white to ever come from this appellation. Made from 100% Marsanne all from the St Joseph lieu-dit, aged 80% in demi-muids (15%...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: The 2015 Lirac Secret de la Grange is just as good as the 2016. It’s the same blend (90-10 Grenache-Syrah), made the same way, without any wood. The fruit is a bit more evolved toward cherries and spice rather than the...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Chimère is a selection of Mourvèdre made by the Maurel brothers of Clos Saint Jean, oenologist Philippe Cambie, and Sine Qua Non genius Manfred Krankl. I believe there’s a touch of Grenache in...
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...
Vinous, 96 points: Deep brilliant crimson. An expansively perfumed, expressive bouquet evokes ripe cherry and raspberry, incense, lavender and Moroccan spices, and a smoky mineral flourish adds urgency and lift. Shows impressive depth as...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 90 points: Earthy, with plush, polished, ripe tannins, fresh, sweet, ripe, red fruits and a nice, purity in the soft textured, pure, kirsch finish. Read more...
jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: One of the gems of the vintage is the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina which is as always, a 60/40 split of Grenache and Mourvèdre. It offers sensational notes of blackberries, ground herbs, white chocolate and an...
jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: A perfect wine in every way, the 2015 Côte Rôtie La Turque comes from an incredible terroir on the Côte Brune and includes 7% Viognier. Stylistically, it normally fits between the more ripe, exuberant La Mouline and the...
Wine Spectator, 95 points: Offers a delicious core of gently mulled blueberry, blackberry and black currant fruit that is matched by a mix of floral, mineral and singed spice notes throughout. The long chalky spine is well-buried on the finish...
Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: Smoky tones of charcuterie and dried garrigue meld into ripe, luscious black plum and cassis here. A rich, densely concentrated Syrah, it's keenly balanced by crisp acidity and firm mineral tones. The finish is endless...
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