A taste of the top 2022 northern Rhônes
These 40 wines are listed by commune north to south, then by score, then alphabetically by producer, and are a selection based on quality, value or interest from the 177 recommended by Matt Walls from the northern Rhône in 2022. Some are still being aged in barrels or are not yet bottled, hence some prices, stockists or alcohol levels are not yet known. Contact specialist merchants for latest availability and offers Côte-Rôtie 1 Domaine JP Jamet, Côte Brune 97
Beautiful aromas of pure rose, a touch of raspberry and thyme – this is not all black fruits. Lovely flavours, really compelling this year. Tannins are silkier than a classic Côte-Rôtie, but still quite austere, with great energy and length. Will be lovely, with great aromatic complexity and structure, but not as rich in body and smooth in texture as, say, 2020. Nonetheless excellent, but you'll need patience. Whole-bunch fermented, matured in old demi-muids. Drink 2033-2044
2 E Guigal, La Turque 97
A particularly dark, black-fruited La Turque this year, showing liquorice and smoke. Full-bodied, ripe but fresh, the oak is well integrated. Plenty of blackberry skin tannins and some oak tannin as well, it's solid and really quite dense and spicy on the palate. Powerful but fresh, for long ageing, this comes from vines on the Côte Brune, planted by Marcel Guigal in 1980 after having been abandoned since 1935 – La Turque is a central part of Côte Brune, comprising less than 1ha. This will be aged for 40 months in new French oak barriques. Drink 2034-2036
Stéphane Ogier, La Belle Hélène 97
This is a tannic wine but has great finesse. Highly elegant and fine indeed, with perfect ripeness. Dark and concentrated, and very much a Côte Brune wine thanks to its muscular, bold tannins – amazing tannic weight, in fact. The acidity is on the low side, but this is a forceful Côte-Rôtie that should have enormous longevity and will always be about power. Comes from Stéphane Ogier's oldest vines in the lieu-dit Côte Rozier, nearly 80 years old, all whole-bunch fermented. Drink 2035-2052
Domaine Rostaing, Côte Brune 96
A richer, darker, fruitier style than a typical vintage of the Côte Brune. Rounded and generous, more about black fruits than flowers this year. Concentrated and opulent, with lovely ripe, soft tannins, and lots of them. Good length. Four weeks in tank, 18 months in oak, limited new oak, natural yeasts and as many stems as possible. Drink 2029-2041 Alc 14%
Domaine Bonnefond, Dans les Vignes de Mon Père 95
Star anise, incense and forest berry fruits; detail and vibrancy on the nose. This is medium-bodied, showing precision and elegance, ripe but not overripe, with well-balanced acidity and some crispness and clarity of texture, and it’s not overextracted or over-oaked. Grown on schist with iron oxide, whole-bunch fermented, matured for 20 months in 400L barrels that have been used once previously for white wine. Drink 2025-2035 Alc 14%
UNDER THE RADAR Martin Clerc, Collet 93
Sweet earth, black cherry and damson. Medium-bodied, this has freshness and acidity, with a crispness on the palate. The alcohol doesn’t overwhelm the fruit. Long and pure. 10% whole bunch, 20% new oak. Drink 2025-2033 Alc 13%
3 TOP VALUE Pierre Gaillard 91
POA Tanners
Surprisingly fresh herbal notes on the nose, which can be lacking in some 2022s. Concentrated and ripe, but not soupy, displaying good acidity, depth and length. The alcohol is quite raised and the fruit very ripe, but it has an inner freshness. Drink 2025-2033
Condrieu 4 M Chapoutier, Coteau de Chéry 96
POA Tanners
Powerful and expressive nose, explosive. Rich, unctuous and slow-moving, but there’s well-balanced acidity. This has huge power for a Condrieu, an absolutely massive wine, with immense glycerol and a saline finish. The alcohol is high, for sure, but this is a flamboyant, extraordinary wine from a parcel within lieu-dit Coteau de Chéry at the end of the valley that enjoys more shadow than others. Biodynamic. Drink 2025-2031
5 Pierre-Jean Villa, Jardin Suspendu 96
£50 Millésima, Stannary Wine
A strong burst of violets and peach leaps from the glass. Then on the palate it's explosively flavoursome, a concentrated but fresh and intense Condrieu with intensity, huge length and massive amounts of pleasure. Great salinity, concentration and freshness suggest a long life. Fermented and matured in large, old oak barrels for 12 months. Drink 2024-2035 Alc 14%
TOP VALUE Château Le Devay 95
Beautifully aromatic, with jasmine and blanched almonds; a lighter and more fragrant style than many 2022s. Full, quite luxurious and unctuous but not overly heavy, showing strong apricot and nectarine fruit on the long finish: great length of fruit. Ageability is hard to judge; this could surprise with a very long life. Fermented in Stockinger demi-muids, after which it goes through malolactic fermentation and 10 months of ageing before bottling. Drink 2024-2040 Alc 13%
Rémi Niero, Coeur de Roncharde 95
Lightly floral style, with sweet, ripe peach on the nose, which flows through to the palate. Great concentration and length – a flamboyant, oak-influenced expression with real intensity and concentration, and a lovely sense of purity. This is a new cuvée for Niero since the 2018 vintage, from the granitic lieu-dit Roncharde, just above the Côte Chatillon. Drink 2024-2027 Alc 14%
TOP VALUE André Perret 93
POA Tanners
Lovely purity and precision. The balance here is better than most: great freshness despite the raised alcohol that is quite typical for 2022; a long, precise and flowing finish, however. Pure peach, silky, attractive, but richer and riper than a typical vintage chez Perret. Drink 2024-2027 Alc 14%
Clos de la Bonnette, Légende Bonnetta 93
£69.95 Lea & Sandeman
Very concentrated and opulent. A sweet richness is further accentuated by the oak, plus an inner citric bite and some noble bitters that help bring balance to this very intense Condrieu. There’s a long, saline, firm finish. No new oak, malolactic completed. Organic. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.5%
UNDER THE RADAR Hugo & Pauline Villa 92
£45 (ib) Stannary Wine
Vinous, concentrated, with even some red fruit notes such as raspberry among the pêche de vigne fruit. The alcohol is a little noticeable, but this has good concentration and freshness, with a clean, neat finish. Drink 2024-2027 Alc 13%
St-Joseph 6 TOP VALUE Domaine Coursodon, Silice Blanc 94
£31.95-£33.99 Berry Bros & Rudd, JN Wine, Uncorked
Exotic pineapple and millefeuille pastry aromas. Generous, full, bright acidity helping to provide a sense of drinkability. A serious, powerful, long, fairly majestic style of St-Joseph, and far from the most expensive. Fermented in stainless steel, malolactic completed. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.5%
Domaine Gonon, Les Oliviers 94
Quince and pear, ripe but not overripe. Silky and broad, as always for this cuvée, but with freshness and acidity, and gently warming alcohol on the finish. Very long, with good tension and a touch of honey and nougat to end on. An intense and concentrated vintage. Organic. Drink 2024-2028
UNDER THE RADAR Domaine Jolivet, Clef de Sol 93
A touch of copper to the colour. Very ripe indeed, with rich dried pear aromas. It’s full-bodied and thick, yet the acidity is somehow well balanced. The oak isn’t excessive, and the overall effect is an almost absurdly ripe and opulent St-Joseph, but somehow it remains enjoyable thanks to its inner freshness. It’s very good, almost Hermitage-like, but be prepared for a big mouthful! Drink 2024-2027
M Chapoutier, Les Granits 95
£39.17-£44 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Burnett & Herbert, Crop & Vine, Cru, IG Wines, Millésima, VinQuinn
Meaty, bloody charcoal notes, along with melted-down blackberries and a touch of damson. Full but not massive, this is a grand, savoury style that is extremely concentrated and promises great complexity. Structured with forthright acidity and bold, grippy tannins – just a bit too bold, perhaps. Not the most refined, but this is still an excellent wine. Biodynamic, and using 10% whole bunch. Drink 2029-2038 Alc 13.5%
7 Lionel Faury, Les Ribaudes 94
Gorgeous nose of violets and pink peppercorns. It’s tannic, powerful, but enjoyably strict and straight. Good energy and intensity, not as soupy as some 2022s, though certainly ripe and long, with great verve. Fermented in concrete with some whole berries; aged in barrels of various sizes. Drink 2025-2033 Alc 14%
TOP VALUE Stéphane Rousset 92
Attractive style, scented with violet and raspberry. Silky, pure and rounded, with good acidity. A fairly light, drinkable and charming St-Joseph for early drinking that is likely to be good value. Vines 60 years old, fruit all destemmed, using only 5% new oak. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13.5%
Hermitage NORTHERN RHONE WHITE OF THE VINTAGE M Chapoutier, Le Méal Blanc 99
£131-£160 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Burnett & Herbert, Crop & Vine, IG Wines, Millésima, VinQuinn Decidedly rich. Quite marked oak. Notes of baked pineapple, lemon verbena and lemon thyme. This is big, assertive and powerful, but with freshness and energy. Flinty, smoky elements and a long, salty, mineral finish. Pure Marsanne, vines are more than 50 years old, planted on pebbles, clay and some loess, facing south. Whole-bunch pressed, half fermented in demi-muids, half in vats. Biodynamic. Drink 2025-2050
M Chapoutier, L’Ermite Blanc 98
£320-£330 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Burnett & Herbert, Crop & Vine, Cru, IG Wines, Millésima Surprisingly full-bodied and rich for L’Ermite, this is precise and fine, with notes of lemon verbena and struck flint. Reductive now, but there’s great drive and focus, and high acidity, which is rare for Marsanne. From east-facing vineyards situated around the chapel – the only white vineyards on the granitic part of Hermitage other than Dard & Ribo’s plots. Biodynamic. Drink 2025-2055
8 TOP VALUE Laurent Fayolle, Les Diognières Blanc 95
Beautifully expressive already, full-bodied, rich and opulent, with a touch of millefeuille pastry and poached pear on the finish. Well balanced and long, alcohol and oak present but in check. I would drink this young as it has a wonderfully drinkable side to it that others lack in 2022. From a 0.18ha plot of 70-year-old Marsanne at the foot of the Hermitage slope. Malolactic completed. Organic. Drink 2025-2033 Alc 14%
TOP VALUE Cave de Tain, Blanc 94
Precise, citrussy aromas, then a full-bodied palate showing mango and pear. Acidity is quite low, but the amount of dry extract makes up for it, creating a powerful, rich style. The oak, while liberal, is well integrated and doesn’t overwhelm the fruit. Aged in barrel, 30% new, the rest one or two years old. Drink 2025-2036
9 NORTHERN RHONE RED OF THE VINTAGE JL Chave 98
A tasting of the different lieux-dits showed how the different soil types reacted to the drought. Granite-based parcels (Ermite, Les Bessards) suffered blockages in ripening and finished at 13% alcohol; the clay-based terroirs (Le Méal, Les Beaumes) didn’t stop ripening and finished at 15%. The overall blend will be powerful but fragrant and complex. Stylistically it sits within other recent dry and hot vintages, and isn’t outside the current norm (it’s nothing like the similarly extreme 2003). Picking started at the end of August. Organic. Drink 2030-2047
M Chapoutier, L’Ermite 98
£221-£232 (ib) Berry Bros & Rudd, Burnett & Herbert, Crop & Vine, Cru, IG Wines, Millésima, VinQuinn
Smoke, flint and petrichor notes: very L’Ermite. Remarkably round and full for this cuvée considering the fairly low alcohol. Intense, zingy acidity and great mineral drive. A crunchy, mineral and long finish, with enjoyably angular tannins. Huge energy and verve, undulating like a soundwave. Almost a caricature of L’Ermite, and will last for decades. Biodynamic. Drink 2037-2060
E Guigal, Ex Voto 97
Exuberant, the fruit jumps out of the glass before the oak. Star anise, incense, fullbodied but fresh and powerfully fruited. It has swallowed its oak particularly well so far, though it’s only at the start of its long barrel maturation. Good concentration, tension and intensity; this seems to be a very fine vintage of Ex Voto. Drink 2032-2046
Domaine Marc Sorrel, Le Gréal 96
POA Gauntleys of Nottingham
Lovely nose – very Hermitage in its meaty, smoky, roasted notes. Surprisingly fresh and lively for such a hot, dry vintage. Powerful, with marked acidity and robust, slightly fibrous tannins that will take time to soften. The finish is long, with great vitality. This is an authentic Hermitage and doesn’t even feel like it comes from a hot vintage. There is a slight green note to the tannins, which arguably aren’t as elegant as in some years, but it’s a wine that speaks strongly of terroir. From lieux-dits Le Méal and Les Greffieux; 7% Marsanne and Roussanne co-planted with the Syrah in Le Méal. Drink 2040-2062
TOP VALUE Domaine du Colombier 93
POA Tanners
Good purity of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Smooth and silky, with measured tannins and balanced alcohol. Tannins are fine and ripe, the extraction has been well managed. A long, tapered and elegant Hermitage, not powerful, but charming and drinkable. Spends 18 months in demi-muids, 30% new, the rest one year old. Drink 2029-2037 Alc 13.5%
Crozes-Hermitage 10 Domaine du Murinais, Cuvée Marine 92
A lovely, authentic and easygoing style of Crozes, showing freshness and drinkability despite the rich, ripe fruit and fairly low acidity that this vintage has delivered. A long finish, sunny and appetising. No malolactic fermentation, and matured in concrete eggs. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13.6%
TOP VALUE David Reynaud, Beaumont 93
Gorgeous nose, really bright and complex, archetypal Crozes, with woodsmoke, cassis, blackberry, bacon and woody herbs. Full, with soft, ripe fruit. Powerful, but with supple tannins, good acidity, warm but not excessive alcohol and a bright demeanour. Really excellent and likely to offer good value. Organic. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 12.5%
TOP VALUE Domaine Combier, Laurent Combier 92
£24.15-£27.34 Shelved Wine, The Fine Wine Co, The Great Wine Co
Light, attractive, perfumed and fresh. Silky smooth tannins with lovely soft and ripe fruit. Good acidity and sense of precision – this is one of the more elegant and balanced Crozes-Hermitages this year. Beautiful now, and offering good value. Drink 2024-2027 Alc 13%
TOP VALUE Domaine Mucyn, Les Entrecoeurs 92
POA Tanners
Really attractive, lovely sense of purity to the plum and blackberry fruit. Good acidity, expressive and lively, without any oak getting in the way of the succulent berries. Drinkable and well balanced. Likely to offer good value. All destemmed fruit, and organic. Drink 2024-2028 Alc 13%
Cornas 11 Franck Balthazar, Chaillot 97
Aromatically quite reductive when tasted, but on the palate this is very promising, with surprisingly rounded and succulent tannins for a 2022. Long, direct, fresh and focused, this is the most powerful of Franck Balthazar’s Cornas this year. From a parcel of vines more than 100 years old in lieu-dit Chaillot that previously belonged to Noël Verset. Organic. Drink 2027-2035
Domaine Clape 96
A tasting of various barrel samples suggests that the 2022 vintage here will be very good, if not necessarily the most powerful year. The fruit is quite dark in character and there’s a good sense of purity, if not the same freshness as 2021 or 2020, or the grandeur of 2019. Nonetheless, an excellent wine and a fairly typical expression of Clape Cornas. Tannins are ripe and elegant. Organic. Drink 2030-2034
Vincent Paris, La Geynale 95
£36.67 (ib) IG Wines
Has good weight of fruit, though not huge concentration as in other vintages. Ends on quite firm tannins, but they have a certain suppleness compared to the harsher green tannins elsewhere in Cornas this year. Classic style, with grip and presence. Should age with interest, though will always be one for fans of more ascetic Cornas. Whole-bunch fermented, from 100-year-old vines grown in Reynard. Aged in used barrels; no new oak. Drink 2028-2036 Alc 14%
TOP VALUE Domaine Mucyn, Hypsos 93
POA Tanners
Black olive, black pepper and menthol. Fullbodied yet silky smooth; the oak treatment has helped to build a rounded and elegant wine with well-worked tannins. This needs time but will offer more satisfying drinking than many of the scrawnier, more tannic 2022s. Likely to offer good value. Organic. Drink 2027-2032 Alc 13.7%
TOP VALUE Guy Farge, Harmonie 91
Thyme and bay leaf over blackberry and raspberry fruit. Good concentration, with bright, firm acidity and grippy tannins that aren’t as raw as many other 2022s. Medium length. Quite old-school, almost feels like it’s from a cool vintage, rather than a hot one. Drink 2025-2030 Alc 13%
St-Péray 12 TOP VALUE Julien Cécillon, Gemini 93
Gorgeous, exciting nose combining struck flint, rich mango and apricot. Full-bodied, but not excessively so, with richly ripe stone fruit and well-integrated oak work that adds complexity and length. Excellent. Smart winemaking. Drink 2024-2028
UNDER THE RADAR Marc & Marlène 92
Apples and pears on the nose, floral and fragrant. Well balanced, fresh on the palate and ending neatly in a very drinkable style. 70% aged in stainless steel, 30% in old barriques. Drink 2024-2025 Alc 14%