Alsace, Rhône & Rest of France

The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is just now starting to shed a tiny amount of its abundant baby fat that's been front and center since release. Still, it pulls no punches in its thrilling aromas and flavors of kirsch liqueur, roasted garrigue, black raspberries, incense, cured meats and licorice, and it is about as quintessential Grenache as you can find. Thrillingly concentrated, intense, perfumed and layered with incredible balance, this full-bodied beauty should hit its peak in another 2-3 years and keep for at least a decade after that.

{***}{region} Rhône{region}
{color} Red {color}                   {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2007{vintage}

{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 99/100        
{ratings} 

{***}

Inky ruby. Intensely perfumed aromas of ripe red/blue fruits, potpourri and smoked meat show excellent clarity and spicy lift. Offers deeply concentrated boysenberry, black raspberry, spicecake and violet pastille flavors. Hints of candied licorice and cracked pepper build on the back half. Finishes on a suave, alluringly sweet note of blue fruit liqueur, with slowly emerging tannins and outstanding focus. - Vinous

{***}{region} Rhône{region}
{color} Red {color}          

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2015{vintage}

{ratings}[]Wine Spectator:: 97/100
[] Wine Advocate:: 95/100

[] Vinous:: 94/100{ratings}

{***}

Nearly as good as the la Côte Blonde, the 2016 Cote Rotie La Belle Helene is plump, round and full in the mouth, yet it lacks some of the former wine's exotic perfume. It still shows lovely purity, with baskets of ripe red berries, a plush, creamy mouthfeel and a long finish. It's a terrific wine that suffers only by comparison. With its terrific concentration and balance, it should drink well for two decades or more.

{***}{region} Rhône{region}
{color} Red {color}                  

 {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}

{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 92-94/100        
{ratings} 

{***}

In Burgundy, Mounir Saouma is not a big fan of red wines made with stems, but he says he loves the effect of stems of old-vine Grenache in Châteauneuf - though other red varieties are destemmed. This pale wine is fresh, graceful and lifted, a haunting combination of sweet woodland strawberry fragrance with something much stonier, denser and meatier. The 36 months on lees have left the wine textured, juicy, full and savourous. It appears grippy under analysis, yet the tannins are so well clad that they don’t perturb. It’s an ample, searching and fine red wine, proving that width and finesse can go together in Châteauneuf.

Drink 2020 - 2030

Andrew Jefford, Decanter.com (April 2018)

Inky violet colour. Highly perfumed, mineral-tinged aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, smoky bacon, olive paste and incense, and suggestions for woodsmoke and exotic spices.
Offers palate-staining, appealingly sweet and intensely concentrated blueberry, cassis, floral pastille, smoked meat, liquorice and fruitcake flavours that show excellent concentration and are supported by a core of juicy acidity.
Finishes sweet, broad and extremely long, with resonating floral and chewy tannins that build steadily.

 Drink 2031 - 2044

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (December 2022)

Grapes are sourced from gently sloped, south-facing plains and aged 85% in concrete to retain freshness and minerality. There is a bright, blue fruit nose with some dried green herbs and black pepper. It is silky and approachable, filled with juicy blackberries and a refreshing dose of tart redcurrant acidity on the finish.

Drink now to 2029 

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This cuvée comes from the high granite slopes of the 3-hectare ancient Roman Cuminaille lieu-dit. It was Pierre’s first vineyard, planted in 1981. The nose is wonderfully fragrant with swathes of red fruits, black pepper and violets. The palate introduces blackcurrants and blueberries along with fine, firm tannins and a hint of savoury complexity on the finish. Drink 2024-2030. 

In contrast to the sullen 2018, Jamet's 2017 Cote Rotie Terrasses is more open at the moment, with attractive notes of strawberry and raspberry compote framed by velvety tannins. It's full-bodied, with enough stuffing to carry it at least another decade, probably longer.

Just a few steps up the hill and a solid stone wall apart from the old family domaine now home to his brother, Jean-Luc Jamet continues to build and expand his brand-new cellars. As it had been some time since my previous visit, we had some catching up to do, and we went through a few short verticals of the domaine's wines, as well as a quick barrel tasting of the lots destined for the 2020 Cote Rotie Terrasses.

Drink 2022 - 2035

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (January 2022)

Deep, glass-staining ruby. Deep-pitched aromas of cherry liqueur, blackberry, fruitcake and incense on the highly perfumed nose. Stains the palate with vibrant black and blue fruit liqueur, allspice and violet pastille flavors, enlivened by a smoky mineral nuance that builds with aeration. Shows a suave blend of richness and vivacity, and no rough edges. Spicy and expansive on the strikingly long, sappy finish, which features resonating dark berry character and youthfully chewy tannins.

Drink 2026 - 2038

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (April 2020)

Brilliant ruby. High-pitched, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh dark berries and pungent flowers show outstanding clarity and lift. Smooth, sweet and energetic on the palate, offering intense blackberry and floral pastille flavors sharpened by an exotic Asian spice flourish. The extremely long, focused finish is given shape by smooth tannins that sneak in slowly.

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (April 2016)

The 2011 Cote Rotie la Turque is about as seamless and sexy as wine gets, and this cuvee continues to put on weight and richness with every passing year. Offering a monstrous nose of Asian spices, kirsch liqueur, blackcurrants, pepper and smoked meats, this full-bodied Cote Rotie has layers of sweet tannin, no hard edges and a killer finish. It's already hard to resist today, but has three decades of prime drinking to go.
Jeb Dunnuck - 28/12/2016

Glistening violet. Smoke- and mineral-accented cherry and black raspberry scents are complemented by tobacco, violet and cracked pepper suggestions. Silky in texture and lively on the palate, offering gently sweet dark berry, cherry compote and floral pastille flavours firmed by a spine of juicy acidity. The spicy note returns an impressively long, penetrating finish with good clarity and subtle, fine-grained tannins.

Drink 2023 - 2031

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (September 2019)

Perennial Berry Bros. & Rudd favourite, for staff and customers alike, La Rosine is sourced from vines just to the south of the appellation, including some on the plateau above. Decomposed granite, high planting densities and careful winery treatment, where pumping over is eschewed in favour of a more gentle cap management: all these factors contribute to the silky, charming ensemble presented in the glass; its ripe and generous fruit held in check by an authoritative, gently spicy finish. Drink now to 2021.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer