A taste of the top southern Rhônes
Wines are listed by commune, from north to south, then by score, then alphabetically by producer. Some 2018s have not been bottled yet, hence some prices, stockists and alcohol levels are not yet known. Contact specialist merchants for en primeur tastings
Vinsobres
1 Domaine Constant- Duquesnoy,
Confidence 92
Well-managed, well-judged oak (eight months in third-use barriques), adding a touch of juniper to the bay and olivetinged black fruit. It’s full-bodied, but soft and juicy, with very ripe tannins. This has great authenticity, Vinsobres character and freshness, even with its relatively low acidity. The estate is in organic conversion. Drink 2020-2023 Alcohol 15%
TOP VALUE Domaine Jaume, Altitude 420 92
£4.92 (ib) The Wine Society
The fruit is ripe, gentle, smooth and fresh. Tannins are strict and serrated, giving robust structure to the fresh, acidulated berry fruit. It has good presence and length and the oak is very well integrated. The alcohol is a little on the high side, but that’s an aside – there’s a lot to love about this wine. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 14%
Rasteau
2 KEY PRODUCER TOP VALUE
Domaine la Luminaille, Luminaris 92 Smooth and elegant, with remarkable persistence of dark fruit for the vintage. A touch of lavender and liquorice. Grenachedominant (50%) blend, 30% whole-bunch fermented with wild yeasts in concrete, then 20% moved to old barrels for 16 months. Remarkably drinkable. In organic conversion. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 14%
TOP VALUE Domaine Combe Julière,
Tradition 91
A touch of coffee bean among dark berry fruits. Medium to full, very smooth and silky. Good intensity of fruit and well balanced. Long finish. A dry, savoury style that will age relatively well for a 2018 Rasteau. Drink 2020-2025
Domaine la Soumade, Confiance 91 Some juicy fresh raspberry and damson on the nose with a fresh pepper hint. Very smooth on the silky, yielding palate. The tannins are ripe and grippy, and although this is undoubtedly potent, it does have a remarkable degree of elegance for the vintage. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 15%
Cairanne
3 KEY PRODUCER Domaine Brusset,
L’Esprit de Papet 91
Aniseed, fennel, pear and a lifted note of jasmine. Full-bodied but with balancing acidity. A little pithy bitterness brings structure. Good length and freshness. The oak is quite present from the six months in new barrels but it works well this year, not hogging the limelight too much from the rich fruits. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 14%
KEY PRODUCER Domaine Alary, L’Estévenas 92
£ 11.67 (ib) H2Vin
The black olive and exotic spice nose screams Alary’s Estévanas. Cardamom, ➢
coffee and a smoky note of wood ash. Medium-bodied, fresh and lively – not terribly generous in fruit, and the tannins are strong on the saline, mineral finish, but they’re ripe, albeit fibrous. Longer than many this year, with acidity feeling natural. Organic. Drink 2020-2026 Alc 14%
Domaine Oratoire St- Martin, Réserve
des Seigneurs 92
Expressive dark fruits, distinctly spicy, with good depth and very well-rounded texture. Faintly flinty, reductive edge at this stage. Good sense of harmony, freshness and balance. Lively, if not terribly deep or long. From 50-year-old vines, grown on clay limestone soils, fruit all destemmed. Drink 2020-2023
TOP VALUE Domaine des Amadieu,
Garrigues 91
Real concentration of damson, blackberry and plum; not quite as overtly ripe as the 2017. There’s some sonorous depth and length, with a gentle menthol element bringing complexity. Ample, ripe tannins. Biodynamically grown, all destemmed and matured in steel for 15 months before release. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 14% TOP VALUE Domaine les Hautes Cances, Tradition 91 £ 18 Davy’s, Montrachet
Grenache-dominant (55%). Lifted aromas of menthol and fresh raspberry. Full, smooth and juicy, with a lovely sense of harmony. The alcohol is noticeable, but this is one of the more successful wines in a difficult vintage; vibrant though not for long ageing. Drink 2020-2022
Gigondas
KEY PRODUCER Domaine Santa Duc, Clos Derrière Vieille 96 £ 22.92 (ib) H2Vin
Very full-bodied and concentrated: a solid, hefty style, deep-rooted and centred, with orange peel, pomegranate and raspberry. It’s powerful and energetic with muscular tannins, though still fresh. It will impress in time. Biodynamically grown on ancient calcareous marl, all destemmed, and spends 18 months in 3,600L Stockinger barrels and 800L amphorae. Drink 2024-2035
KEY PRODUCER Moulin de la Gardette,
Ventabren 96
Deep, vinous and driving, really vibrant, with a subtle mineral seam and stalk use that works well here, lending fragrance but without contributing astringency. Generous but not excessive – don’t underestimate its ageing capacity. A selection of the estate’s oldest vines (65-115 years old), organically grown. Drink 2022-2033 Alc 14.5%
KEY PRODUCER Domaine des Bosquets,
Réserve 95
The original blended Domaine des Bosquets is now available in two cuvées: Font des Bosquets (young vines, shorter ageing, no oak) and this Réserve (older vines, 14 plots vinified separately including fruit from the top singlevineyard sites, maturation in different types of oak for 18 months). Silky tannins, deeply vinous fruit, long, shapely and tapered, with depth, freshness, seamless character. Drink 2026-2035 Alc 14.5%
4 TOP VALUE Domaine de Font-Sane,
Tradition 94
Full, broad and traditional – almost an old-fashioned style with a lovely lifted peppery and herbal nose. It has depth and robust tannins; the generous finish is dry and slightly fibrous in texture – needs hearty food but will provide enjoyment. A wine that bashes open the tavern door and laughingly slaps you a bit too hard on the back, but you can’t help but like it. Drink 2024-2029 Alc 15%
TOP VALUE Moulin de la Gardette,
Tradition 94
Exuberantly fruity, ripe, vividly aromatic, full of strawberry and raspberry fruit. The acidity is perky and bright, real lift and freshness. So approachable and drinkable with great tannic finesse and no excess. From 45-year-old Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre from clay, limestone and marl. Organic. Drink 2020-2026 Alc 14.5%
TOP VALUE Domaine du Terme,
Réserve 93
Deep and concentrated with notes of dark plum, damson, bay and juniper. It’s powerful yet fresh with good balancing acidity and a long finish. Quite a tannic style, that will take a while to come around, but will give a lot of pleasure. It’s more dramatic than elegant with a nice sense of textural relief alongside a touch of menthol. Drink 2024-2031
Vacqueyras
5 KEY PRODUCER Domaine la
Monardière, Galéjade 93
Very full, juicy and fresh, with sugared almonds, pear and apple compote. Broad, almost overly full, but does have good vibrancy, just lacks a little focus. Long and expressive, with the cut and vivacity that most others lack in 2018. Just 6,000 bottles made, from organically grown, 25-yearold vines. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13.5%
Tardieu- Laurent 93
Attractive, fresh, citrussy nose with a touch of lime and orange blossom. The oak lends a note of vanilla and cinnamon spice alongside well-balanced acidity. A really lovely wine, with all the generosity of juicy fruit and substance that you’d expect, teamed with bright freshness. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 13.5%
KEY PRODUCER TOP VALUE Domaine
la Ligière, Le Mourre de la Caille 92
Much better than most this year, this has decent concentration of mentholated berry and damson fruit. Acidity is well balanced, and there’s some tannic grip which brings interest, while garrigue herbs and sage give complexity. Very drinkable – there’s clearly some stem influence, which works well. Organic. Drink 2020-2022
KEY PRODUCER Domaine la Monardière,
Les 2 Monardes 92
Has thrust and direction, with balanced acidity and tannic grip, spicy complexity to the fruit and fulsome weight on the palate. Good definition, balance and character with a fairly long finish. An organic, Grenache-dominant (55%) blend that matures for 18 months, half in oak, half in concrete. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 14%
Domaine la Fourmone, Le Poète 91 Aromatic fruit with garrigue herbs and juniper persisting into the medium-length finish – which is better than many 2018
Vacqueyras wines. Satisfying depth of fruit and structure with ripe, gently grippy tannins. Good value. In organic conversion. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 14%
Domaine Les Ondines, Clos des Frères 91
More interest than many thanks to the gentle herbal element to the strawberry, blackberry and raspberry fruit. Not long, but has a gentle mineral undertow and good balance. Very pleasant and highly drinkable, without the clout you might expect from this appellation. Organic. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 14.5%
Beaumes-de-Venise
6 TOP VALUE Domaine Martinelle 92 Densely black-fruited, but with a real sense of freshness. Balanced and focused, with a distinctly saline, gently mineral edge that brings refreshment and textural relief. Organically grown on ancient trias soils, 90% whole bunch, vinified in open concrete tanks, then aged in foudres and concrete eggs. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 15%
Domaine de Coyeux, Alégrio 92 Perfumed lime and lime blossom. Only medium-bodied, but has lovely citrussy acidity and a tapered finish. Quite a contemporary, fresh style, and it works well. Not overly sweet or unctuous, this has cut and precision. 10,000 bottles made. Drink 2020-2026 Alc 15%
TOP VALUE Gigondas la Cave,
Terre Blonde 92
Highly perfumed sugared almonds, jasmine and pineapple. Medium- to full-bodied, its unctuous but perfectly pitched acidity gives it a lovely sense of freshness. A good-quality, great-value Muscat pick this year. Drink 2020-2024
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Château de Beaucastel, Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 95 £83.33 (ib)-£ 120 Jeroboams, Montrachet, The Wine Society
A dizzyingly complex nose encompasses notes of pear, white pepper, lychee, nougat, marzipan and white peach. Rich and unctuous, very full-bodied, but not as outrageously opulent and long in flavour as the 2017 vintage. Acidity is balanced, if on the low side. From organic Roussanne vines more than 100 years old, giving very small yields. The Coudoulet de Beaucastel Blanc scored 92. Drink 2020-2035
7 WHITE WINE OF THE VINTAGE
Château la Nerthe, Clos de Beauvenir 95 An almost menthol freshness to the nose, showing lavender, fennel and a touch of strawberry. Good energy and drive on the palate, where the oak is present but well integrated, moulding the texture more than the aromatics. The acidity is not high, but the wine has good vibrancy, ending on a gentle nutty note. Organically grown fruit was fermented and aged for six months in demi-muid, with a proportion spending six months in new barriques. Drink 2020-2026 Alc 13.5%
Domaine de la Janasse, Prestige 95 Aromas of macadamia and a subtle flinty reduction. It’s full-bodied but balanced by sufficient pep and acidity. Great concentration and highly expressive, already showing complexity. Rich pear fruits are shot through with oak spice, but it’s the fruit that has the upper hand. Outrageously flamboyant, but hard not to like. Fermented and aged part in concrete and part in new and old barriques. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 15%
Château de Vaudieu 94
Fresh, with a little inner tension. The oak is well integrated, lending a subtle nutty spice to the flavours with a long finish. Already has some complexity, with pear and apple compote notes, alongside a subtle exotic mango streak. Loads of personality and joie de vivre here. A consistently good white blend. One third of the wine is aged for eight months in new oak. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 14%
Pierre André 94
Very floral at this early stage, its talc-like perfume laced with grapefruit. Fairly full in body, correct acidity and a noticeably pithy bitter twist, with a lovely mineral freshness on the finish. The first organiccertified estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, since 1980, now biodynamic, with vines averaging 75 years old – some more than 150. Drink 2020-2025
TOP VALUE Domaine des Sénéchaux 92
Vinified in old barriques and stainless steel tanks. Fresh and floral on both the nose and the palate – not trying too hard; not overoaked, over-alcoholic or overly full-bodied. A really drinkable syle, refreshing and contemporary, but not without typicity or seriousness. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 14%
KEY PRODUCER Château de Beaucastel,
Hommage à Jacques Perrin 97
A heavy Mourvèdre fug lifted by highertoned violet aromas along with bass notes of liquorice, tobacco, blackcurrant leaf and sticky damson. Fairly full palate but without excess, showing balanced acidity and alcohol alongside grippy, gently muscular tannins. Perhaps not the most thunderous or profound Hommage, but still a great wine and a remarkably elegant iteration that is amazingly drinkable already – but wait until 2028 if you can. Organic. Drink 2024-2036 RED WINE OF THE VINTAGE
8 KEY PRODUCER Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, Réserve 97 £ 200 (ib) H2Vin
Exuberantly fruity with plum, prune and blackberry coulis aromas. The full, mouth-coating palate is not quite as flamboyant as in previous years. Despite the conditions in 2018, this is a relatively restrained vintage for this cuvée, but ➢
all the more drinkable for it, with less noticeable alcohol than in other hot years, plus real texture, finesse, mineral drive and a very long finish. Has real elegance. Will be really exceptional in time. Biodynamic. Drink 2023-2035
Château de Beaucastel 96 £45 (ib)-£69.96 BI Wines & Spirits, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Jeroboams, Montrachet, The Wine Society
A towering, muscular Beaucastel with depth, intensity and blackcurrant fruit. It’s very dense and extremely concentrated on the palate – more than most in 2018 – but has the energy and vibrancy to thrust it forward, ending with a saline finish. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre; all organic. Drink 2026-2036
9 Clos des Papes 96 £ 55.33-£ 59 (ib) BI Wines & Spirits, The Wine Society
More Mourvèdre than an average year, as the Grenache was hit relatively hard, and it shows in the aromas of damson, plum skin, mashed blueberry and liquorice. There’s also a floral element and a cinnamon kick on the finish. The tannins are silky, and the acidity balanced. Resembles the 2015 but more concentrated, ripe, mulled and butch than a classic year. Drink 2026-2040
Domaine de Beaurenard, Boisrenard 96 A vivid style without excesses, but with tannins that are gently grippy and give a sense of persistence. The use of oak is adept, and helps to accentuate the ripe, bright plum, damson and raspberry fruit. A real joy! Made with biodynamically grown Grenache (66%), plus 17 other red and white varieties. Vinified mostly in tronconic wooden vats, then aged in barrels of various sizes and ages, including 10% new oak. Drink 2021-2030 Alc 15%
Domaine de Cristia, Renaissance 96 Intense, organic, old-vine Mourvèdre presence (40% of the blend, plus 60% Grenache). Deep, dark fruits and dense, ripe tannins that remind me of well-worked vintage leather. Great vinosity and real depth – not always easy to find in 2018. The oak ( 18 months, one-third in new barriques) is noticeable now, but will benefit the wine both texturally and aromatically in time. Lithe and muscular – a shark of a Châteauneuf. Drink 2026-2036 Alc 15%
Domaine Roger Sabon, Le Secret des
Sabon 96
Laudable depth and freshness. Rounded and plush with black fruits, good length and well-worked, supple, fine-leather tannins. The acidity is low, but it’s still a satisfying, authentic Châteauneuf. From vines mostly grown on sand, fermented in stainless steel, then aged in tronconic wooden vats. Drink 2022-2030 Alc 15% Le Clos du Caillou, Les Quartz 96 £43.33 (ib) H2Vin
Dark, savoury, potent and concentrated. Great vibrancy of fruit coupled with real depth of integrated structural tannins and a gently throbbing acidity. It’s very ripe but not over-sweet, and the finish is very long. A real essence of Châteauneuf: very silky and clearly a very crafted expression rather than a natural one, but done with consummate skill. Drink 2021-2033
10 KEY PRODUCER La Bastide
St- Dominique, Secrets de Pignan 95 Joyful, lifted, aromatic expression of ripe, organic, near century-old Grenache. Marked but balanced acidity with fine, sandy tannins on the finish. Expansive notes of violets and damson juice are polished and fresh, and while the alcohol is high it doesn’t stick out. Destemmed, fermented then aged in tank for 18 months. Drink 2020-2030 Alc 15%
KEY PRODUCER TOP VALUE
Pierre André 95
Round and generous cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper over cherry and blackberry fruits on a remarkably vibrant palate, with gorgeously fresh acidity and tingling, sandy tannins. Whole-bunch fermented, except for the dried-out, mildew-affected grapes that were cut out by hand with scissors – like ‘hand-to-hand combat’, said Jacqueline André. Drink 2022-2030
TOP VALUE Domaine de Ferrand 93 From an old family domaine of 7.5ha, this was matured in stainless steel and concrete. Floral, pretty, pure on the nose; silky-textured palate, with ripe, flowing, generous fruit. There’s a lot to like here – it’s considerably more charming than most of the 2018s. Drink 2020-2026
TOP VALUE Vignobles Mayard,
Clos du Calvaire 93
Organic, grown on galets roulés and limestone. Destemmed, fermented and aged in concrete. Distinctly spicy aromas of nutmeg and potpourri then a soft but vibrant, precise palate with convincing acidity. Well balanced: no excesses and real drinkability and complexity. A slightly bitter finish, but not enough to detract from what is an otherwise compelling wine. Drink 2022-2034 Alc 15%
TOP VALUE Château Mont-Thabor 92 Fermented mostly in concrete before maturing for 12 months in old barriques
and demi-muids. Lifted, fresh aromas of black pepper and nutmeg; lively, defined palate of good textural grain and relief. Will gain complexity in time. The stems have worked wonders – a successful year here. Drink 2021-2026 Alc 15.3%
Lirac
TOP VALUE Domaine des Carabiniers 92
POA (ib) Davy’s
White pepper, violet and pear fruit. Full but not overly so, with a brisk freshness to the palate and a good sense of focus and direction. Great energy, in what can be a lethargic year for southern Rhône whites. Biodynamically grown and harvested at night to retain freshness. Fermented with wild yeasts in cement tank, with bâtonnage. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 13%
Domaine des Maravilhas, Pradau 92 Biodynamic. Very curious aromatic profile of blanched almonds and fleur du sel. Very full-bodied, long and saline palate – a strange but oddly pleasing combination. Not much fruit as such, but great mineral drive. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 12.5%
TOP VALUE Mas Isabelle, Blanc Roc 92
Almond nougat and apple compote aromas. Full-bodied and full of energy, with lovely freshness and a saline mineral kick. Long, tight and taut finish. 3,800 bottles made by this 12th-generation winemaker. Drink 2020-2026 Alc 14%
11 KEY PRODUCER TOP VALUE
Château de Montfaucon, Baron Louis 92 Full-bodied, savoury Grenache-dominant (50%) blend with notes of pepper and juniper. The tannins are just ripe and it’s balanced, with a long finish – tension and power rather than concentration of fruit. It will take a while to really reveal itself. Drink 2022-2028 Alc 14.5%
KEY PRODUCER Clos du Mont- Olivet,
Marie-Jausset 92
First vintage. Red-fruited and fragrant with cherry stone and almond at its core. Generous palate with subtle tannic grain – in no sense heavy, with a gently meandering finish. It has length and presence, but remains light and drinkable. Discreet and disarming, with real finesse. Drink 2020-2021
KEY PRODUCER TOP VALUE Domaine de la Mordorée, La Dame Rousse 91 £ 11.83 (ib)-£ 12.95 H2Vin, Lea & Sandeman
A smooth, svelte, shapely style with pleasing peppery black fruits. It is ripe, with good acidity and well-managed tannins. Not particularly complex but successful for this vintage. Organic. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 14.5%
KEY PRODUCER TOP VALUE
Château de Bouchassy, Quatuor 90 Reductive nose but the palate is flowing and juicy. Remarkably ripe tannins compared to its peers, with dark plum and blackberry fruit and a spicy liquorice hint. Rounded, generous and authentic. There’s depth even if not great length. Deliciously drinkable. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 14.5%
Tavel
12 Domaine de la Mordorée, La Reine
des Bois 92
£ 22.95-£ 23.95 Jeroboams, Lea & Sandeman
Deep pink hue. Very full-bodied, very Grenache (60%, from old vines), with mouthfilling red fruit flavours, raspberry and strawberry, and blackberry. The acidity is on the low side and the alcohol is high, but there’s depth, ripeness and great persistence of delicious flavour. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 14.5%
Château d’Aqueria 91
Very clean, bright and vibrant with a touch of pear to the redcurrant fruit. Very full-bodied, with a cheeky touch of sweetness giving roundness to the medium-length palate. A smoothly elegant style. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 14%
Château Trinquevedel 91
Relatively pale. Rose florality on the nose and a touch of bitter orange on the palate with a good sense of vibrancy and purity of sweetly ripe redcurrant fruit. Precise, focused and not excessive. Juicy, balanced and fresh. A very drinkable Tavel. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 14%
Vin de France
Definitely Red 92
A 100% Grenache, fairly transparent in colour, with bright raspberry, cinnamon spice, balancing acidity and a buzz of energy. Really drinkable: energetic with no excesses and a little mineral edge. Lacks the depth and length to really age, but highly enjoyable. Drink 2020-2022
E Guigal 91
50% Syrah, 45% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre aged in foudre. Philippe made a much smaller selection of wines in 2018 due to sourcing difficulties. He mostly bought from sectors with more Syrah and Mourvèdre as they tended to perform better. Intense, sappy nose, bright, juicy, open palate. Balanced and fresh. Very successful for such a large-volume blend, especially in 2018. Drink 2020-2022 D