After tasting more than 1,200 wines for his Rhône 2022 en primeur report, Matt Walls has given his full verdict on the new vintage.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for the 93 red Rhône wines that scored 94 points and above.
Wines are listed in score order.
| Producer | Appellation | Colour | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Château de Beaucastel, Hommage à Jacques Perrin | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 98 | Notes of cooked blueberries and liquorice on the nose. This has great palate weight and density, it’s so savoury. The tannins are really searching, and the acidity is driving. A big tannic seat, and a lovely sense of vibrancy and freshness to the fruit. This has enormous presence, it's a big, powerful, dense vintage of Hommage that will age for a very long time. Around 60% of the blend comes from old-vine Mourvèdre from the Courrieux vineyard. Grapes are destemmed, fermented in tronconic wooden vats using natural yeasts after a brief cold maceration, with regular punching down. Drinking window: 2034-2055 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Cristia, Chapelle Saint Théodoric La Guigasse | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 98 | Herbal notes flow throughout the juicy strawberry fruit. The alcohol is present but it doesn't feel excessive, the balance is good. It’s exceptionally long indeed, with vibrancy and freshness. The tannins are incredibly fine, plentiful and mouthcoating. A very complete wine that's hard to fault, showing whole-bunch southern Rhône winemaking at its best. This is pure Grenache grown on sand at the lieu-dit La Guigasse, aged for 24 months in demi-muids. 4,800 bottles made. Drinking window: 2030-2039 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Janasse, Chaupin | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 98 | Rich black cherry and strawberry fruit, with impressive density and palate weight. The balance is good, with fur-coat tannins and admirable freshness. Yet again, this vintage turns out a wine seemingly far too good for the climatic conditions – but the evidence is here. Will be ready much sooner than the Vieilles Vignes cuvée, and is very close if not equal in quality, but just in a less robust, structured style. Parcels of Grenache planted on lieux-dits Chapouin, La Janasse and La Crau, the oldest planted in 1912. Drinking window: 2030-2043 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Janasse, Vieilles Vignes | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 98 | Full, lush and powerful, with a wall of intense tannin – this is an enormously powerful wine that will take many years to approach a state of drinkability. Huge concentration and huge intensity, in many ways this fits the Châteauneuf archetype of statuesque wines for very long ageing. Be prepared for a long wait, followed by rich rewards. Partly destemmed, fermented in concrete, matured for 12 months in foudres and demi-muids. Drinking window: 2034-2047 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Mordorée, La Reine des Bois | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 98 | Huge and powerful, but so fresh. This has great driving intensity, with even bigger, more structural tannins than the domaine’s other cuvée. A rampaging Châteauneuf that will take time to settle, and will always be wild. Long, vibrant and chiselled. An absolute beast. Mordorée has been massive but overripe in the past; it's still massive but with this vintage the ripeness is more controlled, and it has transformed into something extraordinary. Fermented and aged 80% in stainless steel, the rest in old barrels. Drinking window: 2032-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine JL Chave | Hermitage | Red | 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, complex and stylistically 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. Drinking window: 2030-2047 Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, L'Ermite | Hermitage | Red | 98 | Smoke, flint and petrichor notes – very L’Ermite. Remarkably round and full for L'Ermite 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. Drinking window: 2037-2060 Click to see full details | |
| Château de St Cosme, Le Claux | Gigondas | Red | 97 | Aromatically quite closed at the time of tasting, but this has power and vibrancy on the palate, there's a touch of sweetness to the fruit, which is dark and brooding cassis and blackberry. Generous in smooth, ripe fruit and stacked with an intense chewy layer of velvety tannin. Fresh and intense, this stands out for its sheer driving intensity and focus. No great flesh, but serious depth, and will make an impressive structural style of Gigondas when it's ready. From old vines, all whole-cluster fermented in concrete, no destemming, indigenous yeasts, and matured 100% in barriques; one third new, one third second use, one third third use. Drinking window: 2035-2047 Click to see full details | |
| Château Rayas | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 97 | Instead of maturing the three main parcels separately in 2022, all were assembled and matured together. Red and black cherry aromas and Turkish delight, then strawberry and kirsch on the palate, very silky and generous. Well balanced, with adequate acidity and vibrancy. Not massively structured, but it has a light mineral seam, with tannins that are lightly grippy and without noticeable greenness. A middle-weight Rayas with a long finish. Drinking window: 2030-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Cristia, Les Sablons | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 97 | Full and juicy, with a slake of cooling glycerol that's cut through with bright raspberry acidity. The alcohol is quite raised here – it is pure Châteauneuf Grenache after all – but otherwise the balance is good, and the garrigue herbs bring some complexity. Good length, really quite captivating. Grown on sandy soils, fermented and aged in old oak barrels, 5,600 bottles made. Best vintage to date of this cuvée. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, Reservée | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 97 | Blackberry jam flavours, but still powerful and fresh. Crushed strawberries too, and crushed bay leaves. It’s full-bodied and powerful, with remarkably driving acidity. The finish is long, with pliable, if dense, tannins – chewy like liquorice. It’s concentrated but not overripe, and the alcohol doesn't feel excessive in the mouth (though it's still around 16.5%!). A great Grenache, with incredible structure. Selection from Les Trois Sources, the domaine’s oldest Grenache. Only produced when the Grenache is good enough. Drinking window: 2031-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine JP Jamet, Côte Brune | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 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. Drinking window: 2033-2044 Click to see full details | |
| E Guigal, Ex Voto | Hermitage | Red | 97 | Exuberant, the fruit really jumps out of the glass before the oak. Star anise, incense, very full-bodied but fresh and powerfully fruited. It's swallowed its oak particularly well so far, though it's only at the start of its long barrel maturation. Good tension, concentration and intensity, this appears to be a particularly fine vintage of Ex Voto. Drinking window: 2032-2046 Click to see full details | |
| E Guigal, La Turque | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 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. Drinking window: 2034-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Franck Balthazar, Chaillot | Cornas | Red | 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 over 100 years old in lieu-dit Chaillots that previously belonged to Noël Verset. Drinking window: 2027-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Le Clos du Caillou, La Réserve | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 97 | Very full but not overly bulbous, with a big tannic base from the ripe Mourvèdre. Powerful, this has serious impact and intensity, it's long and undulating with a firm, dry finish. Really impressive and silky, with great detail of tannin and tangy raspberry acidity. Excellent. Resonant. Grown on sandy soils of lieux-dits La Guigasse and Pignan sud; matured mostly in demi-muids and some clay amphora. Just 3,400 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2024-2037 Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, Le Méal | Hermitage | Red | 97 | High-toned, remarkably smooth, full-bodied and concentrated with marked acidity. Tannins are blocky and robust, but certainly ripe. Actually very elegant in fruit, with remarkable depth, power and freshness and a long finish, which is impressive considering the vintage conditions. Vines are around 50 years old, fermented in concrete, aged in recently used oak barrels for around 14 months. Drinking window: 2034-2047 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Lancement | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 97 | Sloe, incense and lavender aromas translate to a powerful, plump and juicy palate with fine tannins, good weight and great concentration. Long and highly impressive. Drinking window: 2032-2048 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, La Belle Hélène | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 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 due 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. Drinking window: 2035-2052 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, La Viallière | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 97 | Subtle violets on the nose lead to a palate that’s smooth, but not overly full or concentrated. Beautifully fine structure despite the sheer weight of tannin. Just-ripe blackberries, this is precise and elegant. Certainly ripe, but not excessively so, with relatively low alcohol. Drinking window: 2030-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Château de Beaucastel | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 96 | Dark and inky in colour this year. It’s fresh in its berry fruits, really quite powerful, with muscular tannins and driving acidity behind. A dense, dark and brooding vintage of Beaucastel. The aromatic precision however is extremely impressive: elderberry, sloe and blackberry. It’s solid and will age well. Do not drink this young, as it will likely disappoint if opened too early. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudres. Syrah and Counoise are whole bunch fermented. Drinking window: 2033-2049 Click to see full details | |
| Château de St Cosme, Hominis Fides | Gigondas | Red | 96 | Good depth of colour. The oak is really quite noticeable here, but it works, helping to round out the tannins and give some sweetness to the fruit. Really quite robustly tannic, this will take time to come round. The acidity is piercing too. A highly structured Gigondas with more depth than most this year – fully ripe in flavour, which isn't always the way among 2022 Gigondas. Grenache planted in 1902 (or earlier) on Miocene calcareous sand. Single vineyard. No destemming. 12 months maturation in French oak barriques: 30% new, 30% 1-year-old, 30% 2-year-old. Unfiltered. Drinking window: 2032-2043 Click to see full details | |
| Château Rayas, Pignan | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 96 | Vibrant strawberry notes to the Grenache here, it’s very alive. Rounded and generous, fresh, with only moderate alcohol this year. A touch of greenness to the tannin on the finish, but this is still well within the house style. Whole-bunch fermented, grown on the clay and galets of lieu-dit Pignan. Drinking window: 2023-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Clos des Papes | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 96 | A touch less Mourvèdre this year, but not enough to change the profile of the wine, which is fairly classic albeit pretty bombastic in 2022. Raspberry and black cherry, ripe and exuberant. Full but not massive, the alcohol is present, slightly warming the finish. Tannins are a little grainy, so I would give this time to settle before broaching. Succulent and juicy, with a touch of liquorice. Vincent Avril believes the wine could close down quite early on. So drink young, or (even better) wait until 2030. All destemmed, aged in old foudres. Drinking window: 2030-2042 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Clape | Cornas | Red | 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. Drinking window: 2030-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Cristia, Chapelle Saint Théodoric Le Grand Pin | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 96 | Relatively pale in the glass. Pine needles and rosemary, very much a garrigue herb inflected nose. Broad and mouthfilling, generous and juicy, with rich strawberry fruit, ending on a sandy mineral note. Well balanced despite its breadth and warmth. Luxurious, languorous style that will drink well young and old. 100% old vine Grenache grown on sand in lieu-dit Pignan, no destemming, aged for 24 months in old demi-muids. 3,200 bottles made. Drinking window: 2024-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Cristia, Renaissance | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 96 | Wow, what a nose! Leaf tea, menthol and pine resin, a really captivating and complex display. Dense and intensely solid, with fine, bold tannins. The acidity is deep-set, rising gently through the fruit, leading to a long finish. Shows how well some Mourvèdre performed this year. Two thirds aged in demi-muid, the rest in barrique; one third new oak, that's very well integrated. Drinking window: 2026-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Gourt de Mautens | Vin de Pays de Vaucluse | Red | 96 | A tasting of six different barrel samples with winemaker Jérôme Bressy shows that all are distinctly different. He's now using 100% whole bunch. The overall impression of his 2022 red is that this is a really tannic vintage, as it’s a very structural wine. It has real complexity of texture from the different plots. It will be excellent, but will need time. Plenty of energy and tension, big concentration, potent alcohol, great depth and length. Drinking window: 2033-2053 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine JP Jamet | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | A tasting through the different terroirs in this wine revealed a fresh, intense, highly structured year; not as generous as 2019 or 2020, certainly more austere, and will take longer to come round. Many of the samples had an appealing floral expression, occasionally with herbal nuances from the use of whole bunches, and often really quite dark, dense black fruit on the palate. Tannins, while not green, are decidedly tight and will take time to finesse. A vintage where patience is required and which I suspect will shut down shortly after bottling. Drinking window: 2032-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Marc Sorrel, Le Gréal | Hermitage | Red | 96 | Darkly coloured. Wonderful nose – very Hermitage in its meaty, smoky, roasted notes. Surprisingly fresh and lively for such a hot and dry vintage. Powerful, with quite marked acidity and robust, slightly fibrous tannins that will take time to soften. The finish is long with great vitality, this is a very genuine, 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 coplanted with the Syrah in Le Méal. Drinking window: 2040-2062 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Rostaing, La Côte Brune | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | A richer, darker, fruitier style than a typical vintage of La 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. Drinking window: 2029-2041 Click to see full details | |
| E Guigal, La Mouline | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Finely spiced, very true to form in its tobacco leaf aromas. Particularly saline this year and detailed, not quite as lush as some 2022s, which is no bad thing. Exuberant and very much a classic expression, tannins are a touch dry and it's currently full of oak smoke on the finish. Not overly alcoholic, though the fruit is extremely ripe. From lieu-dit Côte Blonde. At the beginning of its 40 months in new French oak barriques. Drinking window: 2029-2042 Click to see full details | |
| E Guigal, La Landonne | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Extremely spicy, iron filings, graphite and blue steak. Concentrated, huge, dense and brooding. This has a massive tannic structure and it’s dry and savoury, but the alcohol is in check. Extremely introverted, this will take a very long time to come round. Tannins are a bit lacking in elegance this year, but these might be combed out during élevage. Whole-bunch fermented, from lieu-dit La Landonne. At the beginning of its 40 months in new French oak barriques. Drinking window: 2038-2055 Click to see full details | |
| Franck Balthazar, Hommage | Cornas | Red | 96 | Spicy and flinty, a lovely smoky nature. Concentrated and intense, with amazing vibrancy and crunchy tannins. Good acidity, powerful and great impact, if not the longest finish. Touch of greenness on the finish, but this has great character and vivacity. Drinking window: 2024-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Franck Balthazar, Sans Soufre Ajouté | Cornas | Red | 96 | This has a gorgeous nose of soy, anchovy, eucalyptus and menthol. Silky, light in body, so incredibly fresh. Gorgeous acidity and so bright. Fine tannins, gently muscular, I would drink this relatively young. Spends two years on the lees, matured and bottled with no added sulphites. Drinking window: 2025-2032 Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, Le Pavillon | Hermitage | Red | 96 | Plum and damson compote, star anise and soy on the nose. This is fresh and lithe, with marked acidity and a great explosion of flavour; bright as a meteor. Not as long as some vintages on the finish, but certainly makes an impression. The pH is at 3.6 naturally through concentration, and nearly 14% alcohol. Remarkably athletic in acid and tannin for a 2022. From lieu-dit Les Bessards. Drinking window: 2030-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Bertholon | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | A full, big, smooth, velvety monster. Extremely tannic but more supple than some of Stéphane Ogier's 2022s, with juicier tannins. Big but elegant with very ripe fruit, from a vineyard planted in 1966. Drinking window: 2033-2046 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Côte Bodin | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Very attractive aromas of star anise, incense and cedar, all typical for this cuvée. Big, bold, rolling, quite burly on the palate, with muscular tannins, good length and freshness. Not overly full-bodied or concentrated, however this has good balance. The only wine grown on schist that Stéphane destems. Drinking window: 2030-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Fongeant | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Ripe, classic, harmonious, blackberry-scented nose, with a touch of sloe. Soft, full, mouthfilling and juicy with supple tannins. Very concentrated and balanced, no harshness here. Excellent. Drinking window: 2032-2044 Click to see full details | |
| Alain Jaume & Fils, Les Origines | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | The powerful, gutsy Mourvèdre element is very much in evidence, bringing a solid base and firmness of body to the core of the wine. It's tannic, and will take time to come round, but the tannins are fine, detailed and succulent and the finish is long. A grand and monumental Châteauneuf for an affordable price. Fermented in stainless steel, matured half in concrete tanks and half in new barrels (the wood is very well integrated). Drinking window: 2032-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Château de Fonsalette, Cuvée Syrah | Côtes du Rhône | Red | 95 | Two parcels, distinctly different. The first is grown on galets, clay and sand and has an intensely spicy profile – cardamom and cocoa nibs – with oregano notes and grainy, grippy tannins that will need time to soften. The second is more herbal than spicy, with deep blackberry jam flavours, fleshy and silky and chewy tannins. The final blend (if it is indeed bottled separately) will have a strong bearing on the eventual wine, so take the score as a guide only. It will need long ageing to show its best whatever the blend, and should be highly complex when ready, and likely to always have quite textural, grainy tannins. Drinking window: 2035-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Clos du Calvaire | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Provençal herbs and leaf tea on the nose, Turkish delight too. Full-bodied, smooth and plump. It's robust but generous, with plentiful ripe tannins; acidity isn't high but the wine feels balanced and the finish is long. All destemmed, fermented in concrete tanks, aged mostly in large old foudres and some stainless steel tanks. Very promising and likely to be good value. Drinking window: 2028-2037 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Cristia, Vieilles Vignes | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | This is ripe for sure, but not overripe, and the oak is sensitively applied, giving some shape and focus to the wine. The alcohol is gently warming but not excessive in the realms of pure Châteauneuf Grenache, and it has remarkable length of fruit. A hedonistic treat. Aged in demi-muids and barriques, one third new oak, for 18 months. Drinking window: 2024-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Mordorée, La Dame Voyageuse | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Big, juicy, bold and powerful. Really driving, chunky, mouthfilling fruit and tannin. It’s long, broad and expansive, a huge wine for those that enjoy massive Châteauneufs. It's all there though – the fruit, the ripeness, the smooth tannin, the acidity, the freshness. Will take time to come together then it will be very long lived. The most powerful Dame Voyageuse to date – don't expect an approachable second wine! Drinking window: 2030-2047 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, Les Hauts Lieux | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Very ripe, and if anything even fresher than Les Trois Sources this year. Great finesse of tannin, and a really solid base for long ageing. This will take a long time to come round, and will be good for decades. Moderate alcohol, and a freshening, succulent, saline edge. No Syrah in the blend here, plentiful Mourvèdre however, which performed well in 2022. From three parcels close to the limestone plateau, some clay, relatively high altitude and late ripening, with less exposure to the sun. Drinking window: 2035-2050 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine des Bosquets, La Colline... | Gigondas | Red | 95 | Pretty style on the nose, sugar plum and black cherry, then really quite robust and concentrated on the palate, with good acidity and juicy, firm tannins. This has balance and freshness, it's powerful, with an inner sucrosité and a long finish. La Colline is a single vineyard selection of old Grenache planted on blue marl and limestone at altitude, 80% destemmed, then aged for 18 months in demi-muids. Drinking window: 2026-2037 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine du Clos des Tourelles | Gigondas | Red | 95 | Beautifully elegant, perfectly ripe and juicy, with incisive acidity. This has great tannic finesse, serious intensity, concentration and structure but is so fresh. A pure, classic example of Gigondas. Fast becoming one of the landmark wines of the appellation. A proportion of whole bunch is included. Vineyards around the Clos on the southern edge of the village, 4ha parcel. Drinking window: 2028-2041 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Marc Sorrel | Hermitage | Red | 95 | The whole-bunch element is quite marked on the nose currently, and there's good fresh fruit too. Powerful on the palate, this has good intensity and drive, and the whole bunches are quite marked texturally as well. Good length and freshness, with fleshy fruit and a robust, tannic frame. A little more rustic than some Hermitage, but with age this will be very good. Grown on lieux-dits Les Bessards and Les Plantiers. Drinking window: 2035-2048 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Olivier Hillaire, Les Petits Pieds d'Armand | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | A more concentrated, deeper, fuller style than the domaine’s Tradition cuvée, with inner sucrosité to the strawberry and damson fruit. It's matched by good acidity and fine but present tannin and a long finish. Transparent in colour, an enjoyably precise, light extraction style. Fermented in concrete, aged in old oak barrels for 14 months. Drinking window: 2024-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Olivier Hillaire, Les Terrasses | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Darker in colour than the domaine’s other cuvées this year. Sage, raspberry and crushed strawberry aromas, open and enjoyable already. Full-bodied, more generous and expansive too. The alcohol is remarkably balanced for this style, especially in a warm, ripe vintage. Should age with interest on its fine balance. Fermented in concrete, aged in old oak barrels for 14 months. Drinking window: 2024-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Bonnefond, Dans les Vignes de Mon Père | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Star anise, incense and forest berry fruits, this has detail and vibrancy on the nose. Medium-bodied, with precision and elegance. It's ripe, but not overripe, with well-balanced acidity and some crispness and clarity of texture, it's not over extracted or over oaked. Grown on schist with iron oxide, whole-bunch fermented, matured in 400-litre barrels for 20 months which have been used once previously for white wine. 1,200 bottles made. Drinking window: 2025-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Rostaing, La Côte Blonde | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Gently fragrant jasmine and rose, very Côte Blonde in terms of aromatics. Soft, velvety mouthfeel with flavours of blackberry, cassis and more rose. Slightly higher alcohol and lower acidity than a typical year, not as tense and upright as some recent vintages, making for a luxurious, rich style of Côte-Rôtie. Four weeks in tank, 18 months in oak, limited new oak, natural yeasts and as many stems as possible. Drinking window: 2026-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Rostaing, La Landonne | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Remarkably soft on the palate for La Landonne, it doesn't have the same austere impact at this stage as a more classic vintage. Tannins are soft, ripe and not as intense as usual, but it does have length and ripe black fruit, with a graphite element to the tannins. Acidity is on the low side, as is the alcohol. From parcels planted at different times with an average age of 40 years. Drinking window: 2027-2039 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Rostaing, La Viallière | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Soft impression on the palate, though does have the Viallière elegance and violet aroma. Good concentration, slightly warming alcohol, velvety tannins. Actually quite robust in tannic weight on the finish, but acidity is fairly gentle. From 90-year-old vines, the oldest of the domaine, from which they take cuttings for replantings. Drinking window: 2026-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Santa Duc, La Crau Ouest | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Pure Grenache, over 100 years old, on sandstone. Gorgeous strawberry notes on the nose. A delicate, fine, beautiful style. The acidity is balanced with fine Darjeeling tannins. Only medium-bodied. Great finesse, 'ça pinote' as they say around here, as it resembles Pinot Noir. Star anise and incense on the finish. All aged in amphora. Drinking window: 2025-2037 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Santa Duc, Les Hautes Garrigues | Gigondas | Red | 95 | Fairly concentrated, with good acidity and lovely tannic weight. Long, powerful but not overly thick. Planted at the foot of the Cône around their house. Drinking window: 2031-2023 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Paris, La Geynale | Cornas | Red | 95 | Has good weight of fruit, though no huge concentration like 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 that should age with interest, though will always be one for fans of a more ascetic Cornas style. Whole-bunch fermented, from 100-year-old vines grown in Reynard. Aged in used barrels, no new oak. 4,000 bottles made. Drinking window: 2028-2036 Click to see full details | |
| E Guigal, La Reynarde | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | A very floral expression, rose and potpourri. Soft and juicy, easy to enjoy, quite searching tannins, but not overly powerful or robust. A little more fluid than Guigal's other Côte-Rôties, it's not as concentrated as La Turque but more so than La Mouline. A fresh and quite natural expression, which is low in acidity but still very good. Has taken the élevage well to date, which will be 40 months in new oak barriques like the other La Las. The 1.5ha site in lieu-dit Fongeant was planted over the course of four years, the first plantation in 2019. All whole bunch like La Landonne, but sees a more classic extraction using hand pigeage. A promising first vintage. Drinking window: 2030-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Famille Perrin, L'Argnée | Gigondas | Red | 95 | Soft, velvety, approachable and powerful. Remarkable acidity, with intense, searching tannins and driving salinity. A deeply vinous wine. The oak is present on the nose and palate for now but it should integrate. It’s long and juicy. The alcohol feels well balanced, and this should age with real interest. 1ha plot of pre-phylloxera vines near the village of Gigondas. All aged in demi-muids, half new, half one-year-old. Drinking window: 2029-2042 Click to see full details | |
| Le Clos du Caillou, Les Quartz | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Dark in colour, this has intriguing herbal depths. Not massive, but it has an enjoyably compact frame, no lack of concentration, and serious intensity leading to a long finish. It’s vibrant, with amazing purity and clarity of flavour. Grown half on large pebbles, half on sand in lieu-dit Les Cassanets, destemmed, then fermented in tronconic concrete vats, then matured mostly in demi-muids and old barriques except for 7% in amphora. 6,800 bottles made. Drinking window: 2024-2033 Click to see full details | |
| Le Vieux Donjon | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Enjoyably fresh and fluid style, good acidity, with lip-smacking raspberry and strawberry fruit. Good feeling of lift and drinkability considering the extreme vintage conditions. Elegant, fine tannins. Fermented in concrete vats, then aged in concrete and old foudres. Drinking window: 2024-2032 Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, La Mordorée | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Rich, soft, juicy and velvety. Remarkably high acidity for the vintage. Bold tannins, more structured than most Côte-Rôties in 2022, showing good concentration and ripeness. A blend of lieux-dits Côte Blonde and Côte Brune, fermented separately then combined. Drinking window: 2028-2037 Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, Les Granits | St-Joseph | Red | 95 | Very darkly coloured. Meaty, bloody charcoal notes, along with melted-down blackberries and a touch of damson. Full-bodied but not massive, this is a very 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. 10% whole bunch. Drinking window: 2029-2038 Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, Neve | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Fruity and expressive, with resinous, balsamic touches from the oak – pine needles and cassis. Full-bodied, exceptionally smooth and fulsome on the mid-palate. Great concentration and a big packet of ripe tannins on the finish. Soft and rich, but very good. Hard to judge ageing potential here, it might surprise. Drinking window: 2028-2041 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Cognet | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Agreeably easy-going and soft on the palate, which is ripe and with fairly low acidity. Juicy on the finish, but bright, with intense, ripe tannins. Pleasing sense of harmony, the balance and freshness of the fruit should see this age impressively. Drinking window: 2031-2045 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, La Côte Blonde | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Yes, this is it – wonderful Côte Blonde perfume, unmistakable, so beautifully aromatic. Fabulous tannic finesse, though it is slightly drying on the finish. Lightly peppery, and the 7% Viognier helps provide a little plumpness. Drinking window: 2028-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Montlys | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Raspberry hints make for a soft and attractive style with mouthfilling fruit. Grippy, quite assertive, good acidity, perfumed and structured. Stéphane Ogier's most northerly, steepest vineyard and usually the earliest to pick. Drinking window: 2030-2039 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Paris, Granit 60 | Cornas | Red | 94 | Some welcome ripeness to the blackberry fruit here. Soft and juicy, with a velvety touch on the mid-palate. More generous alcohol than most, and balanced acidity, leading to a long, juicy finish. Much better than most 2022 Cornas, this has depth and ripeness. 50-year-old vines, 30% whole bunch, natural yeasts and no new oak. Drinking window: 2026-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Emmanuel Darnaud | Hermitage | Red | 94 | More weight and concentration than some Hermitage this year, as well as more alcohol, concentration and a larger frame that will help it age. Fairly long finish, the oak does lend a slightly drying touch, yet this is very fine, floral, expressive and energetic. From lieux-dits Les Greffieux and Les Bessards. Drinking window: 2027-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Coursodon, Le Paradis Saint-Pierre | St-Joseph | Red | 94 | Some attractive Christmas spicing to the generous black fruits. Plump, round and fruity, with lovely, silky, supple tannins and a long finish. Particularly successful in this vintage thanks to the generosity of fruit, ripe tannins and smart oak work. Very good indeed. Drinking window: 2025-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Gonon | St-Joseph | Red | 94 | Relatively light in body for this cuvée, with very fine tannins for the vintage and good acidity. Nice sense of vibrancy, but perhaps not as deep or long as the finest vintages of Gonon's St-Joseph. Enjoyably crisp structure, however, and a lightly mineral finish. There's a possibility this might close down for a period, so drink young or wait until 2030. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine JL Chave, Clos Florentin | St-Joseph | Red | 94 | Violets and menthol on the palate, within soft, juicy, succulent tannins. The acidity is a little lower and alcohol a little higher than recent vintages. Nevertheless, a beautiful wine that may score higher after bottling. Drinking window: 2023-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine JL Chave | St-Joseph | Red | 94 | A tasting of the four main parts (Les Challaix, Le Clos, La Dardouille and Bachasson) suggests that this will be a vintage that combines power – black fruits and thick tannins from La Dardouille – and more lifted, fleshy, fragrant, low acid elements from Les Challaix, plus Bachasson's rose and raspberry. A little richer and more velvety than a typical year. Drinking window: 2023-2031 Click to see full details | |
| Lionel Faury, Les Ribaudes | St-Joseph | Red | 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. Drinking window: 2025-2033 Click to see full details | |
| Château de St Cosme | Gigondas | Red | 94 | Menthol notes and complex herbal essences. Soft, easy-going, the oak helps to bring some welcome polish and sheen, with well-balanced acidity. This is a successfully constructed wine in a tricky vintage, showing good winemaking. All whole bunch, fermented with natural yeasts. Aged 20% in new casks, 50% in casks used for one to four wines, 30% concrete tanks. Drinking window: 2026-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Château de St Cosme, Le Poste | Gigondas | Red | 94 | Darker in fruit and fuller bodied than most Gigondas this year. Remarkably smooth, this is enjoyably ripe and dense, with tremulous acidity. There's a touch of sweetness to the fruit from the oak that works well. Tannins are quite robust, so give this time. There’s a good core of freshness running through it. Tastes like good clay terroir, with good depth. Grenache planted on limestone marl, from a single vineyard. No destemming. 12 months maturation in French oak barriques: 20% new, 50% one-year-old, 30% two-year-old. Unfiltered. Drinking window: 2028-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Piéblanc, Les Terres | Gigondas | Red | 94 | A wine with body, good fruit intensity, lift and purity. Piercing, tremulous acidity, and fine, pixelated tannins that are sufficiently ripe. It’s much longer and better balanced than most 2022 Gigondas, this has real charm and personality. Red-fruited and brisk, with no great concentration but it’s very refreshing. From 50-year-old vines at the foot of the village. Drinking window: 2024-2029 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine des Bosquets, Le Regard Loin | Gigondas | Red | 94 | An expansive, silky style of Gigondas. Fine fruit tannins are bolstered by some oak tannins, it's certainly structured and with good acidity. Well balanced, this should age well. There’s satisfying palate weight and ripeness, with a raspberry-ish acidity and cranberry bitterness. A selection of the top barrel from each of the single-vineyard wines that are aged for a further year on the lees in spherical sandstone jars before blending. Drinking window: 2025-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine des Bosquets, Le Bout du Monde | Gigondas | Red | 94 | Strawberry and raspberry aromatics, with soft, flowing, smooth fruit that has an inner mineral freshness. There’s good length, with surprisingly well-balanced alcohol for a 100% Grenache. A successful first outing for this new cuvée in an awkward vintage –very promising. It’s polished and harmonious, perhaps a little too polished for fans of a more traditional, textural style. Pure Grenache grown on sand, all whole-bunch fermented, aged only in demi-muids. Drinking window: 2024-2036 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine d'Ouréa | Gigondas | Red | 94 | Hugely aromatic at the time of tasting, with exuberant blackberry pâte de fruits notes. So juicy, lively and energetic, with balanced alcohol, fairly burly but buffed tannins and good length. Dark-fruited and beguiling. 30% whole bunch, aged 14 months in concrete. Drinking window: 2026-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Santa Duc, Clos Derrière Vieille | Gigondas | Red | 94 | Very much a rounded style with notes of cherry and raspberry. Fine, dry clay tannins and good length, this is really quite mineral. Co-planted on limestone marl behind the village, grey marl that holds a lot of water, northwest facing, surrounded by woods. 60% whole bunch, aged in Stockinger foudres except for 20% that is aged in terracotta amphorae. Drinking window: 2026-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Alain Jaume & Fils, Vieilles Vignes | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | A delightful, dense fug of spiced blackberry fruit, this is promising. Not hugely powerful, but has good intensity and drive and a long finish. Well balanced for a powerful wine, this will offer big mouthfuls of fruit when young and will age well too. Well integrated-oak. Aged half in new oak barrels, half in concrete. Drinking window: 2026-2039 Click to see full details | |
| Château Mont-Thabor | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | Relatively pale in colour. Quite closed at the time of tasting, with some smoky herbal hints. Well balanced, this has a good sense of transparency and drinkability, with a long finish. Enjoyable whole-bunch tannins, so give this a couple of years to come together. A very good year from this underrated estate, should be good value. Drinking window: 2026-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Château Sixtine, Cuvée du Vatican | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | Perfumed, fresh and detailed. Soft on the palate, enjoyably undulating, with satin tannins. It’s well balanced even though the acidity is quite low; a long, tapered finish, with gently warming alcohol. An approachable, undemanding Châteauneuf, all in good balance, hedonistic and seductive. I would drink this young. Drinking window: 2024-2030 Click to see full details | |
| Clos du Calvaire, Père Pape | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | Lovely expressive strawberry/raspberry aromas. A touch of bay leaf brings a savoury dimension. Soft on the palate, with juicy strawberry pulp, all well balanced by raspberry acidity and fine, powdery tannins. Pure Grenache lovers will enjoy this. Drinking window: 2024-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Benedetti, Larmes Papales | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | A beautiful aromatic expression – lifted wild strawberries and violets. Soft and easy-going palate, with fine tannin. Has an authentic balance. Needs time; will be good. Rose comes through on the finish. Destemmed. Half fermented in demi-muids, half in concrete; all aged for 18 months in demi-muids before bottling. Drinking window: 2026-2034 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Janasse | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | A classic, solid, well made and technically precise Châteauneuf. It’s complete, with ample ripe tannins, a firm, dense base of concentrated black fruits leading to a long finish. The wine is introspective and painfully young, and will need time to harmonise. But it has the freshness, balance and power required for long ageing. Likely to be good value. Drinking window: 2030-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, Les Trois Sources | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | Good sense of vibrancy, very much on the red fruit. Full but not massive, good acidity and sense of freshness. The tannins are quite chewy and fairly robust, so give this time. Lots of energy on the long finish, it’s well balanced and not overly full. Slightly leathery touch to the tannins. Three terraces on sandy soils. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Counoise, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Terret Noir, Vaccarèse, Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Picardan, with an average age of 75 years, all coplanted and cofermented. Drinking window: 2030-2040 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Panisse, Le Mas | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | Smoky herbal notes, Turkish delight, then oodles of ripe, vibrant fruit on the palate, this has serious energy. Massive, textural and mighty, this needs time, but will be excellent when it's ready. No huge concentration, but great intensity and focus. Mostly aged in demi-muids, with very little new oak. Drinking window: 2024-2035 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine du Pégau, Cuvée Réservée | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | Intriguing menthol nose, enjoyable garrigue herbal touches. It’s full-bodied, rounded, expressive, with good acidity. Robust tannins, so give this time to settle. Lots of whole-bunch characters, this is really quite old-fashioned, but in a good way – will likely always be a little lacking in elegance, but makes up for it with personality and textural relief, and a long finish. Also contains another 10 local varieties, around 1% of each. Drinking window: 2028-2037 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Santa Duc, Habeus Papum | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | Lovely weight and generosity of fruit. This is more about acidity than tannins, which are fine, like wet clay. Perfumed violets and red fruits on the nose. A very drinkable, fluid style. Drinking window: 2024-2032 Click to see full details | |
| Mouriesse Vinum, Tour d'Ambre | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 94 | Crushed strawberries with a perfumed violet note. Some sage and bay leaf notes. Full-bodied, quite powerful, with marked acidity. Decidedly tannic, with a savoury herbal edge – this has an enjoyably wild side. The fruit is sweet and gourmand, but there’s also serious texture. The alcohol is quite warming on the finish, but this is a classic, enjoyably old-fashioned expression of Châteauneuf. Drinking window: 2030-2038 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Elodie Balme | Rasteau | Red | 94 | Very dark in the glass. Wonderful aromas, brimming with garrigue herbs. Very full-bodied, with lovely fruit sweetness, so smooth and velvety. More thyme and bay leaf on the long, juicy finish. Great now, will keep and develop in bottle. Likely to be good value. Destemmed; 20% aged in barrel, the rest in concrete. Drinking window: 2025-2032 Click to see full details |