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, 96 points: Now that it has been in bottle a while, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee is looking even better than I projected based on last year's prebottling sample. It's all violets, cherries, subtle allspice and clove...
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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...
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, 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...
Vinous, 94 points: Bright purple. Vibrant blackberry, cola and smoky mineral aromas are complemented by an exotic spice accent. Deeply concentrated, palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur flavors show excellent depth and clarity, and...
jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: (94-96 points) Belle's inky colored 2015 Hermitage looks to be a stunner. This cuvée comes all from the more sandy, limestone soils of the Les Murets lieu-dit and will see 26 months in barrel. It has a gorgeous bouquet of...
Wine Spectator, 93 points: Fresh and very lively in feel, with nicely embedded acidity driving the delicious plum, cassis and blackberry fruit flavors along, Lots of bright bay leaf, savory and iron notes stream through the finish. Shows solid cut...
jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: The 2015 Côte Rôtie Les Pierrelles shows its southern roots (it’s from the more granite portions of the southern end of Côte Rôtie) with a pure, elegant, silky style that’s hard to resist. Black raspberries, spiced meats...
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...
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...
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...
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, 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...
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