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.
jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: This terroir always delivers a wild, opulent, gamey style of wine, and the 2017 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert doesn’t disappoint. Loads of chocolaty black fruits, ground pepper, truffle, and smoked game, as well...
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jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: Moving to the two 2017s, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes checks in as 100% Grenache coming from a single parcel in the Cristia lieu-dit, in the heart of the appellation and was brought up mostly in old...
jebdunnuck.com, 95 points: (93-95+ points) The flagship cuvée, which comes from older vines on the lower plateau around the estate, the 2017 Gigondas Hautes Garrigues has a big chunk of Mourvèdre in 2017 (60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre brought up...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 97 points: Garrigue, pepper, black cherry and kirsch are impossible to ignore. Layers of sweet, supple, silky-textured, elegant fruits with an incredible sense of purity, this is a fabulous expression of Gigondas. The approximate...
Decanter, 92 points: From Caroline Frey, also of Bordeaux’s Château La Lagune, this has a savoury nose and a lively blackcurrant and berry palate boasting black pepper spiciness. Serious, but smooth and supple, and ever so easy to drink.
jebdunnuck.com, 95 points: (95+ points) The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Renaissance from Cristia is a beauty! A normal blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre that comes from old vines planted in sandy soils, it reveals a medium ruby/purple color as...
jebdunnuck.com, 99 points: Reminding me of the 2009 La Chapelle (which is a personal favorite), the brilliant 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle knocks it out of the park with its massive, opulent personality. Notes of smoked black fruits, scorched earth...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: Old-vine Grenache (80+ years of age) from sandy soils in the named lieu-dit has been translated into a remarkably elegant 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau Ouest. Lively strawberry and raspberry fruit almost vibrates with...
jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: (96+ points) The 2017 Cornas Pur Granit is a smaller production release that's all from granite soils and was brought up in used demi-muids. It offers more iron and bloody notes (which is classic Granit) intermixed with...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: Vernay's 2017 Cote Rotie Blonde du Seigneur features attractive hints of mint and red berries on the nose. It's only medium-bodied, but it's admirably concentrated, with a silky-creamy texture on the palate and charming...
Decanter, 94 points: Black cherry, and soaring raspberry perfume. This is medium-bodied, very fresh and lively for the vintage despite fairly low acidity. It has perfect balance, so easy and fresh. Between 25% and 50% stems depending on the...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a bigger, richer, more opulent wine. Beautiful notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and crushed violets, all flow to a full-bodied, Châteauneuf Du Pape that has...
Decanter, 97 points: Fermented in concrete and aged for 14 months in new or one-year-old barriques, this wine is aerial and lifted with precisely delineated, resinous blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. It's not overly full in body, with a...
Decanter, 93 points: This is a pitch-perfect, fresh and balanced Crozes with a mineral core. Really drinkable but a serious wine, this is a weekend-quality Crozes-Hermitage from a domaine that deserves to be better known. Organic producer...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 97 points: Deep, dark and spicy, with lush, fresh, dark cherries, earth, herbs and peppery kirsch. The wine is fresh, concentrated, lush and full, with layers of dark spicy, earthy, peppery fruits in the finish. The wine is produced...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: (WA 91-94 points) Robert owns four hectares in Cornas, divided into many small parcels along the slope. My projection for his 2017 Cornas is based on tasting a few components from barrel, which expressed varying elements...
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