After tasting more than 1,200 wines for his Rhône 2023 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 100 Rhône wines that scored 95 points and above.
Wines are listed by colour and score.
| Producer | Appellation | Colour | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Chapoutier, L'Ermite, Blanc | Hermitage | White | 99 | This has the classic Ermite aromatic markers of flint, spice, smoke and salt. Very full-bodied, there's ample flesh here, all wound around an intense, granitic, mineral core, ending with salt and smoke. Huge power, drive, minerality and tension. The vineyards face east around the chapel, the only white vines on the granitic part of Hermitage, apart from Dard & Ribo's. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Beaurenard, Boisrenard Blanc | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 97 | Currently this is quite discreet on the nose, but very harmonious. With lovely acidity, this manages to combine power, freshness and detail of flavour to very impressive effect. It’s harmonious and fine, with impressive length and vibrancy and just a little nutty complexity and shape from the well-judged oak. Excellent! Contains a little of all the white and pink-skinned grapes permitted in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, grown on a variety of soils. No new oak. Just 3,000 bottles produced. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Solitude, Vin de la Solitude | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 97 | Macadamia oak notes are accompanied by some struck-match reduction, adding a smoky touch. Only medium-bodied, there's no excess weight or alcohol here; it’s fresh, with marked acidity. This is a wine with serious intensity, salinity and length. It's currently quite tight due to the oak work, which is dominating the nose, too. That should harmonise within a few years to create a regal style of Châteauneuf. Fermented then aged in old barriques. Just 1,600 bottles made. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Marc Sorrel, Les Rocoules | Hermitage | White | 97 | Slightly darker in colour than the domaine's classic Hermitage. Intense quince and pear, very rich and powerful, but has a dry, savoury, edge and a firm, mineral grind, along with dried honey. Real power in this, which balances the richness. Drinkable now, but will age very well thanks to its salinity and extract. Very long. Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, Coteau de Chéry | Condrieu | White | 97 | Lovely jasmine aromas. Full-bodied, but not overly fat or heavy – it has great tension and energy. This is a very pure, linear and focused style of Condrieu, with serious intensity and drive, and good length. The oak work is smart and there’s an inner sweetness to the fruit. This is one of the best this year. Aged in 600L demi-muids, no new oak. Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, Le Méal Blanc | Hermitage | White | 97 | A little closed at the time of tasting, showing pear, honeysuckle and apricot fruit. Full-bodied, very powerful and rich, with intense salinity and moderate but refreshing acidity. Great power, this has that firm, serious, bold demeanour of Le Méal, and serious length. A great white Hermitage that will age superbly. Click to see full details | |
| Yves Cuilleron, Les Chaillets | Condrieu | White | 97 | Almond milk, jasmine and white peach notes. This is soft and gentle, full-bodied but fresh. It's well balanced and has good length, very classic and harmonious. Great persistence of fruit, with no excess oak. This is really lovely Condrieu and is likely to offer relatively good value for the appellation. Grown on biotite granite, 50% aged in large foudres, 50% in barriques without racking. In conversion to organic. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Beaucastel, Roussanne Vieilles Vignes | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 96 | A seriously rich and generous wine this year; this is very broad and mouthcoating, with a touch of oiliness to the palate. The acidity is vibrant, however, and the finish is long. It has a good sense of energy for such a rich and powerful wine. There’s a touch of honeyed nuttiness on the finish and some grapefruit bitterness too; the oak is certainly present. From a 3ha parcel, harvested 20 August; yield around 15hl/ha. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Nalys, Blanc | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 96 | This shows roasted lime and peanut from the oak and is slightly reductive, giving a smoky finish. It’s actually quite light in body for a Châteauneuf, but there’s no lack of impact or flavour. The acidity is good and this will age with interest; it’s a serious wine, clearly made by an expert. The oak is very present for now, so give it time. Grown on lieux-dits Bois Sénéchaux, La Crau, Grand Pierre and Pied Long, mostly galets roulés. 15% new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Clos des Papes, Blanc | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 96 | This is a relatively full-bodied wine, with a pear and quince profile, slightly tingling acidity and salinity, and a touch of pink grapefruit. It’s certainly powerful, but it has good freshness and a mineral edge. The very long finish is lifted by the Bourboulenc and Piquepoul. Made from equal parts Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Piquepoul and Picardan; no malo; fermented and aged in stainless steel. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Janasse, Blanc | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 96 | This is an explosively fruity wine, with ripe apricot and peach flavours and slightly noticeable alcohol. The powerful, rich flavour carries into the finish. It's impressive for a 'Tradition' (standard bottling), with good balance. Grown in the sandy soils of La Crau and La Janasse; fermented in concrete and old barriques; 10% is aged in new oak for seven months. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Janasse, Prestige Blanc | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 96 | Rather fuller in body than the standard Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this is equally ripe, but richer and with slightly elevated alcohols. The oak is well judged, but it's quite spicy on the finish, so leave this for a year or so before drinking. A very long and intense wine, that should age with interest. From fruit grown on sandy soils; aged in 20% new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine JL Chave, Blanc | Hermitage | White | 96 | A tasting of the Péléat and Les Rocoules vineyards behind this wine points to an expressive, juicy, relatively soft and juicy style of white Hermitage this year. It’s likely to be a relatively supple vintage, with gentle acidity and rich fruit. Click to see full details | |
| Famille Garon, Fossyl | Hermitage | White | 96 | This is a great example of a white Hermitage that teams power with freshness. It has great impact, huge salinity, serious extract and drive. The alcohol is high enough, but not too high and, similarly, the oak work is robust but not over the top. A very well-judged wine, making for a proper white Hermitage with typicity, length, depth, power and longevity. Highly recommended, this is 00 Wines' first white Hermitage, matured for 14 months in French oak barriques, 20% new, with partial malolactic. Click to see full details | |
| Famille Isabel Ferrando, Blanc | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 96 | This is a very powerful white Châteauneuf – textural and driving, with intensity and freshness. The oak is mostly present in texture and shape. It’s very ripe but not overdone; the alcohol is in balance and the driving acidity will propel it forward; it’s a savoury, saline style that will age well. Grown in lieu-dit Les Serres, mostly galets roulés with sand. Fermented in foudre, demi-muid and concrete eggs; aged in foudre and concrete egg for six months. Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, De L'Orée | Hermitage | White | 96 | The 2023 has that characteristic De l'Orée richness, but it's not as massive or as opulent as some recent vintages, and feels all the more drinkable for it. Very long, with a straighter, more mineral expression than a typical, recent hot year and perfectly judged oak work, it's a De l'Orée to drink young. Very elegant and fresh, will likely take on weight with some bottle age, as was only bottled a few weeks before tasting. Click to see full details | |
| André Perret, Chéry | Condrieu | White | 95 | A massively full-bodied and powerful wine with explosive peach fruit and huge body and palate presence. The acidity is balanced for the style, with slightly elevated alcohol. Seriously powerful! This is bigger than a classic vintage of Perret's Chéry, but still has the freshness and salinity desired. Three-quarters aged in 228L and 400L barrels for 12 months, the rest in stainless steel. Click to see full details | |
| Cave de Tain, Au Coeur des Siècles | Hermitage | White | 95 | Full-bodied, rich and generous. The acidity is fairly low, but this has great concentration and richness, teamed with freshness and intensity. The oak work is well judged, it's present but not overly dominating for a white Hermitage, and it has an exceptionally long finish. From a parcel of 80-year-old Marsanne, malolactic takes place in barrel for one third of the blend. Matured in 400L barrels, one third new, the rest fairly recent. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Nalys, Saintes Pierres de Nalys Blanc | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 95 | A direct and impactful wine with salinity, freshness and acidity. It’s not weighty, but has real energy and focus. Medium length, with marzipan and pear notes, a fresh finish and appealing oak spice – but the oak is applied with expertise. An excellent, complete wine, very Châteauneuf. From lieux-dits Bois Sénéchaux, La Crau, Le Grand Pierre, and Pied Long; fermented then aged in 80% stainless steel, 10% demi-muid and 10% used barriques. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Gonon, Les Oliviers Blanc | St-Joseph | White | 95 | Attractive pear and honeysuckle aromas. Relatively medium-bodied this year, not as rich as some vintages can be, but good acidity and the alcohol is rich but balanced. Good sense of freshness and minerality. Vivacious, delicious and long. A beautifully balanced vintage from the lieu-dit Les Oliviers in Mauves, which is an excellent terroir for whites. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine La Manarine, Vin d'Ange Heureux | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 95 | A perfumed, petal-soft Clairette, full, satin-textured and very approachable. The oak is really quite spicy on the finish though, it might be a bit too much for some. It does give the wine a long finish however, and it should integrate in time. This is elegant, fine and very Châteauneuf. Grown on the sand and red sandstone of lieu-dit La Bigote. Fermented then aged in demi-muids; just 700 bottles made. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Laurent Habrard, Les Rocoules | Hermitage | White | 95 | This is a relatively outlying style of Hermitage. On the nose it has yellow flowers and honey, on the palate it's soft, rich, ripe and succulent. There's a touch of controlled oxidation running through, which brings early complexity, but might compromise ageing potential. Long finish, with marzipan, vanilla pod and brioche. The acidity is low, which has the effect of accentuating its ripe-pear sweetness. It almost feels like a 'natural' Hermitage. Very long, interesting and charming, but not a classic Hermitage in terms of power and structure. From very old vines in lieu-dit Les Rocoules. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Marc Sorrel, Blanc | Hermitage | White | 95 | Almond, brioche and marzipan nose. Full-bodied, very generous, plump and juicy, with quince and pear fruit. Surprisingly ripe, with fairly generous alcohol and only mild acidity but good concentration. Ripe, fresh and powerful. From lieux-dits Les Greffieux (80%) and Les Plantiers (20%); clay and sand soils. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Raymond Usseglio, Pure Clairette | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | White | 95 | A fresh and lively style of Châteauneuf blanc, but still with the requisite size, shape and power. It’s well balanced, with energy and vibrancy; the well-judged oak is present but doesn't occlude the fruit. An impressive wine with presence, detail and a long finish. Grown on sand in Bois Sénéchaux, all fermented and aged in foudre and demi-muid. Click to see full details | |
| Maison Stephan, Le Tinal | Condrieu | White | 95 | Verbena and ginger, with some aromas of a cellar during fermentation. It’s fairly full-bodied and finishes very dry. An atypical, naked style of Condrieu without the sweet fruitiness of so many. A touch of apple-skin tannin; ripe lemon with lemon-skin bitters. This won't be for everyone as it's very unusual for the appellation, but it has great energy and tension. The drinking window is very conservative. From massale Viognier d'Orée planted in 1986 in lieu-dit Le Tinal; aged in large old wooden barrels and tanks; no fining, filtration or additions. 50cl bottle. Click to see full details | |
| Mouton Père et Fils, Côte Chatillon | Condrieu | White | 95 | A full-bodied and powerful, oaked style of Condrieu, explosively flavoursome, with citrus peels interwoven into the peach and tobacco finish. It’s long, with layers of flavour, very detailed, and well balanced despite its size. From 25-year-old vines grown on biotite granite; fermented in barrique for 10 months. Certified Haute Valeur Environnementale. Click to see full details | |
| Pierre Gaillard | Condrieu | White | 95 | Lovely intensity, really ripe and powerful, with generous glycerol and fat. The acidity is deep-set, adequate for the style, and the alcohol is in check, though this is relatively ripe for the vintage. One for fully paid-up Condrieu lovers, this is classic, typical, opulent and delicious. From south-facing vineyards in Chavanay and Malleval; fermented (including malolactic) in barriques; 10% new oak. Certified Haute Valeur Environnementale. Click to see full details | |
| Pierre Gaillard, L'Octroi | Condrieu | White | 95 | Good intensity of fruit, with peach, apricot and citrus peels. Some noble citrus-skin bitters on the finish help to build length and structure. Full-bodied, with a fresh, cooling glycerol effect on the palate, well-balanced acidity and a long finish. From a 1ha parcel of south-facing vines in Malleval. Fermented, including malolactic, in barriques; 5% new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Yves Cuilleron, La Petite Côte | Condrieu | White | 95 | Lemon verbena, tarragon and apricot – this is not as ripe as other Condrieu, and the acidity is slightly higher. Rich in body, with an opulent mouthfeel and some welcome tension, this makes for an intense style of Condrieu; it’s dry, with a saline edge. From parcels on muscovite granite in Chavanay, aged in barriques and foudres. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine l'Anglore, Les Sables | Tavel | Rosé | 97 | Pale red, darker than their other Tavel cuvées this year. Raspberry and wild strawberry. Has a bit more generosity on the palate, which delivers great salinity, energy, intensity and vibrancy. Tremulous and beautiful, this is a great Tavel. Organic, harvested by hand, carbonic maceration, no filtration, malolactic completed. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine l'Anglore, Vaucroze | Tavel | Rosé | 96 | Rose, wild strawberry and raspberry aromas. Some more noble bitter elements in this cuvée, which is a rounder style of Tavel, with weight and a little more alcohol, but it's balanced. Saline, muscular style that will be great in time. Grown between the Rhône river and the limestone vineyards on red clay, sand, with some galets and limestone chips. From a single parcel, massale selection planted in 2008. A blend of white, pink and red Grenache, plus Cinsault, and pink and white Clairette. Organic, hand harvested, carbonic maceration, no filtration, malolactic completed. First vintage. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine l'Anglore, Vintage | Tavel | Rosé | 96 | Musky spice, rose and wild strawberry. Fuller in body than the producer's other cuvées. Rich and rounded, very well balanced, showing great energy and freshness; it really buzzes with life. Tremulous finish, with super-fine, fine-sand tannins and a subtle sweetness at its heart. Organic, hand harvested, carbonic maceration, no filtration, malolactic completed. Now only taken from sandy soils. To be released in 2028 after four years in bottle, so to be revisited in bottle before any definitive conclusions can be made on the final wine. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine l'Anglore | Tavel | Rosé | 95 | Pale red, not pink. Beautiful rose water and raspberry scent. Light-bodied, lovely balance, so fresh and full of energy and great acidity. Smashable, yes, but has such personality, and while not long it's perfectly balanced. Harvested over 20 days from a blend of Tavel soils, including some very old vines. A mix of Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette and Carignan. Will be released in spring 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jamet, La Côte Brune | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 99 | This has a beautiful scent of berries, smoke, earth, iodine and flowers (rose and violet), with herbal nuances and potpourri. It's so fine and fresh on the palate, with great energy and tension – a classic expression of Jamet's Côte Brune. It's fairly light-bodied and delicate, though still structural, with great intensity and impact. Balance, freshness, detail and finesse are words that come to mind. It's an emotional wine, that is a contender for a 100-point score when in bottle. Whole-bunch fermented, no new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Lancement | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 99 | Immensely aromatic, with pink peppercorns, Turkish delight... just an unbelievable nose. The aromatics flood the full-bodied palate, which is incredibly silky and fine. It's a wine of utter perfection, with perfect balance and such energy, tension and freshness. Stéphane puts it up there with his 2007 and 2011, both exceptional vintages of this cuvée. He says it's because he waited so late to pick – until 8 October. This is one of the finest young Côte-Rôties I've ever tasted, and a contender for a 100-point score once in bottle. Pure Syrah, all destemmed. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jamet | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 98 | A tasting of the constituent barrels, so this is a provisional score. Gerine has a touch of cold-fireplace aroma from the stems, the tannins are quite strict and the fruit is fresh; it’s tense. Lésardes and Cumelle show some slightly confit-grape scents and a touch of cassis. Tense and fresh, with good acidity and grippy, slightly grainy tannins that are a touch underripe. Truchet is a cooler terroir, showing a touch of white pepper. It’s fuller and more generous in fruit – juicy blackberry – with softer tannins, but still very fresh and tense. Tartaras and Bonnivières had an October harvest; showing beautiful floral expression, with good ripe fruit and tannins and more richness, but it’s still so fresh. Gerine and Moutonnes are showing peat and iodine notes. It’s silky, with good ripe fruit and tannins and a powerful finish. Fongeant has notes of lavender and violet, then it’s very fresh, silky and attractive – just lovely. Le Plan is fuller-bodied, more classic warm-vintage fruit, with great acidity and tannins. Côte Blonde, Côte Bodin and Leya are lifted, silky, pure, complete and beautiful. Landonne is a relatively fine and fresh expression, not as austere as it can be. Virtually all whole bunches this year. Overall, this is looking like a fresh, elegant vintage, in a fairly classic style, rather than the bolder wines that have typified the past eight years. It promises serious complexity in the long term. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jamet, La Landonne | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 98 | Iron, iodine and violets. Remarkably lifted for La Landonne, but still assertive, with serious energy and tension. Austerity is usually the watchword for this lieu-dit, but this vintage of Jamet's La Landonne isn't overly austere, it's actually really quite complete. It has grandeur, but isn't overly massive. Very good indeed. Likely to be bottled pure in this vintage; if not, it will be blended in to the classic Côte-Rôtie. Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, L'Ermite | Hermitage | Red | 98 | This has beguiling smoky, flinty, petrichor notes. There's great energy, focus and salinity, it's straight as an arrow. The tannins are pure, fine and fully ripe. Even in weaker vintages this cuvée performs, thanks to a great terroir. Unbelievable finesse and extraordinary tannic quality, so fine but so generous and textural. Seriously mineral, the acidity is just a touch low, perhaps, but this is so engaging. 15% whole bunch. Click to see full details | |
| Benjamin & David Duclaux, Coteaux de Tupin | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 97 | A spicy style with a good sense of ripeness, it's really quite mouthcoating but with super-fine tannins, good acidity and a long finish. Exceptionally fine, well balanced and juicy, with surprisingly well-integrated supporting oak considering it was vinified in open new demi-muids ('we wanted to do something different,' says Matteo). From a 3ha parcel on the slope; 100% whole bunches; aged in mixed barrels. The first vintage was 2018, not made in 2021. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Beaucastel, Hommage à Jacques Perrin | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 97 | A tasting of the final blend in barrel; very dark in colour. This is deep, wild and introverted; full-bodied and fully ripe with velvet tannins. It’s powerful, driving and focussed, with great length and impressive freshness. The palate is a reduction of blueberries, blackberries and damsons, with well-balanced acidity. It’s massive, very fresh, with slightly raised alcohol perhaps, but otherwise very good and concentrated. Some vines in the mix are more than 100 years old. Click to see full details | |
| Château de St Cosme, Le Claux | Gigondas | Red | 97 | Plum and damson fruit with Christmas spicing, this is full-bodied, fully concentrated and fresh, with wonderful textural finesse. The oak work is still integrating, but will do so in time. It's powerful without being heavy and has great intensity, vibrancy and a long finish. Grown on yellow marls, whole-bunch fermented with natural yeasts in concrete, then aged in barrels of various ages. Click to see full details | |
| Château Rayas | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 97 | Some of Reynaud's Grenache barrels were still fermenting during my visit in October 2024, so this is a provisional score. A tasting of Le Coeur and Le Couchant parcels suggests a rounded, sweetly fruited, generous style of Rayas in 2023: Le Coeur majored on strawberry with some rose top notes and Le Couchant contributed blood orange and mint, with a more tannic, powerful and complex structure. Pignan was still fermenting. The wines of Rayas are singular, and its scores should not necessarily be compared to other Châteauneufs as it is stylistically apart. Click to see full details | |
| Clos des Papes | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 97 | Deeply coloured and quite dark in character, with damson and liquorice notes. It’s generous, full-bodied, quite spicy and fairly potent, with lovely bright, sappy acidity and very fine, soft tannins. There are some similarities with 2022 and 2020, though it’s not as punchy as 2022 nor quite as energetic as 2020. This should be very good, and will drink before both of these recent vintages. All destemmed, aged in old foudres. The estate had a good yield this year, at 25hl/ha. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine des Bosquets, Le Regard Loin | Gigondas | Red | 97 | Barrel sample so a provisional score. A punchy, potent and ripe style with big concentration and big alcohol. Huge body and power and very tannic. It's fresh and floral on the nose, with immense but elegant and fresh tannins, and finishes long. A wine of this scope is very difficult to judge when not yet bottled, and will take at least a decade to begin to reveal itself. It's likely to be highly impressive if the balance isn't out of kilter due to excess alcohol. The blend of the five top cuvées of the estate, blended then aged for a further year in spherical sandstone jars. Marls, limestones, sands, fragments of limestones; multiple exposures. Score will be reviewed once revisited in bottle. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Gramenon, La Mémé | Côtes du Rhône | Red | 97 | Barrel sample, so a provisional score. Unbelievably pure red and black fruits – strawberry and damson – with lavender and violets underneath. This has such a beautiful tannic feel, like woven silk. Grippy though – it certainly has structure. The definition of a great, pure Grenache from the southern Rhône, with the structure, freshness and purity, and a classic balance. It's potent, but not excessive. From 120-year-old pure Grenache vines; aged in used demi-muid for 12 months. To be revisited in bottle before definitive conclusions can be made on the final wine. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine JL Chave | Hermitage | Red | 97 | A tasting of constituent barrels suggests this will be a particularly approachable and supple vintage of Chave's Hermitage – it is a vintage without great tannic mass or strong acidity, but has deliciously ripe Méal fruit. Very elegant, if fairly low in tannin compared to a typical year, this will drink well young, starting at around 2036 really, but will be approachable, if less rewarding, earlier than that. It will drink before the 2022, and probably not last as long. Undoubtedly a big step up from the 2021, but doesn't quite have the soaring majesty of the 2019 or the 2020. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Marc Sorrel, Le Gréal | Hermitage | Red | 97 | Powerful, explosive, peppery mulberry fruit. Very smoky in style, with iodine notes and lots of dense, ripe tannin underneath driving fruits. Very fresh and focused, with good acidity, but has that Hermitage size and body, that majestic, impressive attack and grandeur. Very tannic, again with some stalky notes from 100% whole bunch. 8% co-planted white varieties, all planted in 1926, the same date as the Rocoules vineyard. Will be epic when it's ready. Very ageworthy for a 2023. Click to see full details | |
| Maison Stéphan, So'Brune | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 97 | Very cloudy. Incredible aromas. Bright, lifted lavender, black olive, violet and a touch of cassis. It's lower in alcohol, very fresh and light in body, but there's no lack of concentration. The tannins are like wet clay. This is a very atypical style of Côte-Rôtie, but it still speaks of the place. From a parcel in Vérenay on schist. The wine sees carbonic maceration, and he draws off any juice that escapes so as to avoid a traditional vinification; then one month of maceration. Aged in large 10-year-old barrels. Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Belle Hélène | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 97 | Unusually deep and dense for a 2023, but with all the freshness of the vintage. Mouthcoating bold tannins, deep, earthy and bassy, with floral top notes and good length. The tannins are surprisingly powerful for 2023 – slightly lacking in elegance perhaps, compared to top vintages of this cuvée, but so impressive nonetheless. All whole bunches; picked 8 October from a parcel of Côte Rozier. Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, But de Mont | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 97 | A very attractive raspberry-scented style, this is perfumed, fresh and pretty. It's very much Blonde in style, with exceptionally fine tannins and lovely minerality. Not long or deep, but so impressive and elegant. From a parcel of vines on gneiss above lieu-dit Maison Rouge. All destemmed. Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Côte Blonde | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 97 | A very complete wine, with lovely tannic finesse and plenty of freshness and concentration. Bright acidity, with a tobacco note. It's not quite as immediately aromatic as the most explosive Côte Blondes, but it has more concentration than most Côte-Rôties this year. A serious wine. Picked before the rain, all destemmed, 5% Viognier. Click to see full details | |
| Benjamin & David Duclaux, Maison Rouge | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | This is fuller in body than the La Germine this year, with generous and mouthcoating fine tannins. It has perfect ripeness and lovely acid balance. Long and pure, really very impressive – this is the real deal. Very well-mastered and controlled oak, with some inner sweetness. This will age well. Pure Syrah – the oldest vines of the estate, planted in 1943 on the northern part of the lieu-dit which is gneiss (Domaine Georges Vernay's is granite). Click to see full details | |
| Château de Beaucastel | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 96 | A tasting of the constituent parts this year, so this is a provisional score. The Terret Noir, Muscardin and Vaccarèse were fermented together; they provide the more fragrant top notes, bright and attractive if not deep. The Cinsault was perfumed and fresh, with fine tannins. The Counoise was more savoury, with more depth and tannin; tense and saline, and spicy thanks to 50% whole-bunch fermentation. The Grenache was soft and supple, fairly dark in colour, quite structured, with impressive freshness, tannins and acidity. The Syrah was deep, intense, black-fruited and peppery – quite potent in alcohol, with intense tannins. The Mourvèdre will be 30% of the blend, contributing mouthcoating, deep and succulent tannins, plenty of flesh and quite high alcohol. The overall impression is a deliciously rich and ripe Beaucastel, not as structured as the 2022, that is likely to score around 95-96 once blended and bottled. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Fonsalette | Côtes du Rhône | Red | 96 | A tasting of the three varietal components prior to bottling, so this is a provisional score. Unusually ripe Cinsault, dark and juicy, with attractive raspberry fruit and quite high alcohol. The Grenache is much more strawberry, with still a little sweetness left to ferment. The Syrah is smoky and mentholated. It's likely to be a deliciously ripe, approachable and fairly potent vintage of Fonsalette when it's ready to drink. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Fonsalette, Cuvée Syrah | Côtes du Rhône | Red | 96 | Emmanuel Reynaud confirms that a pure Fonsalette Syrah will be released this vintage. This will be a powerful, potent expression of this cuvée. Aromatically showing intense smoky, mentholated notes, then with a very ripe, sweet, soft and easy Syrah fruit on the palate. The bright acidity will help to balance the warming alcohol; very attractive. Click to see full details | |
| Château de St Cosme, Le Poste | Gigondas | Red | 96 | Full-bodied, with good depth of fruit and concentration. It's juicy and succulent but fresh and precise, with a saline edge to the finish. The oak maturation is to the fore at this stage, so give it time to fully integrate. It adds spice and shape to the wine, but doesn't dry the finish. Very vibrant and fresh, this will be excellent when ready. From hillsides of limestone marl planted following the direction of the slope. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Clape | Cornas | Red | 96 | A tasting of the constituent parts, so this is a provisional score. The 2023 is less ripe in style than the 2022. It has plentiful herbal notes, encompassing oregano, bay leaf and liquorice, with blueberry fruit. It looks like a more classic vintage than the recent run of hot years; structured, with classically bold and textural Cornas tannins and bright acidity, akin to 2006 or 2007 in style. Should be an athletic, energetic style that will take on impressive complexity in time. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine du Colombier | Hermitage | Red | 96 | A lighter style of Hermitage, spicy and brisk, but the tannins are very fine and it has good concentration. Acidity is well balanced and there's good length here, too. Not a powerful or concentrated style, but one with balance, salinity and measured use of oak. Will be good in time and freshly drinkable soon enough if you can't wait. Wonderful finesse. From lieux-dits Les Beaumes and Les Diognières. 30% new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Garon, Les Rochins | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Distinctly spicy, clove and cinnamon notes. Very fresh and precise, with good acidity. It's a medium-bodied style, not hugely concentrated, but it will last into the medium-term and take on some interesting complexity as it does. Very well judged in this vintage. Grown on clay-schist soils in lieu-dit Les Rochins; 30% new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Gramenon, L'Emouvante | Côtes du Rhône | Red | 96 | Barrel sample, so a provisional score. Lovely nose – so floral and herbal, no reduction. Black olives and dark chocolate. It's full and silky, with no angularity to the tannins. Good acidity; it's a very structural wine that needs some time to settle and harmonise – or drink it young if you love cleansing tannins. From vines more than 40 years old, planted on the domaine's finest terroir in Vinsobres. Pure Syrah, all whole bunches, three months maceration. Aged in used demi-muids for 12 months. To be revisited in bottle before any definitive conclusions can be made on the final wine. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Gramenon, La Papesse | Côtes du Rhône | Red | 96 | Barrel sample, so a provisional score. Darker and straighter in aroma than La Sagesse, with more liquorice fruit. Powerful and full-bodied but not massive. The tannins are very silky but they have extraordinary grip. This has huge depth and concentration, with a long finish. It's a dark wine, deep and mysterious. There's a saline edge to the finish, with very fresh tannins. Grapes are lightly crushed, followed by 15-20 days fermentation, only pumpovers, no punching down, with temperatures controlled; maturation in demi-muids and some concrete eggs for one year. Vinsobres terroir, 50- to 70-year-old vines. All whole bunches. Clay limestone soils with some galets roulés. To be revisited in bottle before any definitive conclusions can be made on the final wine. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Rostaing, Côte Brune | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Very soft, generous, enveloping tannins, with violets and rose, blackberries and raspberries. Has good concentration and ripeness. It's a bold, rounded style of Côte-Rôtie with great freshness and tension to the structure. Long, grippy and tannic, it has an assertive, edgy and fresh nature to the tannins. This will need a long time. Four weeks in tank, 18 months in oak (limited new), natural yeasts, and as many stems as possible. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Santa Duc, Clos des Hospices | Gigondas | Red | 96 | This is the new name for Clos Derrière Vieille. An earthy expression, with black cherry, violets and potpourri. It's quite a full-bodied, voluminous style on the palate. Gorgeous acidity, great freshness and precision. Light extraction, very fine, pale in colour, with a saline finish. Very impressive. Will become Pinot-like with age. From a northwest exposure at 350m elevation. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Paris, La Geynale | Cornas | Red | 96 | Beautiful nose, very lifted, with violets, black olive, blackberry and cassis. Has a good sense of fullness and ripeness on the palate – it's full, powerful, fresh and driving with a good, robust tannic frame and a long finish. It's not as massive as some years, but very well balanced. A Cornas with lovely finesse of fruit and enjoyably robust tannins. It doesn't have the concentration of the more powerful years, but it's still very good, and true to place. 100% whole bunches, no new oak. Click to see full details | |
| E Guigal, La Landonne | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | A very good, full-bodied wine, but it doesn't quite have the intensity of the best vintages. That's not a bad thing necessarily, as 2023 accentuates the drinkability and freshness here. Very punchy tannins, slightly earthy, with creamy cassis fruit, a touch of soy sauce and pine resin; all very fresh and relatively approachable for this cuvée. It will be lovely in time, and will always have considerable oak influence. Whole-bunch fermented, from lieu-dit La Landonne. Tasted at the beginning of its 42 months in new French oak barriques. Click to see full details | |
| E Guigal, La Reynarde | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | The whole-bunch element really helps to temper the new-oak spice, which is present but less evident compared to the other La Las. With punchy, bold tannins, it's powerful but has good freshness. Finishes long, with balsamic glazed berries. The tannins are as polished as La Turque's, but they have an enjoyable rough-fur feel in the mouth, like badger pelt. Second vintage. 100% whole bunches, but no automatic extraction like La Landonne. Tasted at the start of its 42 months in new oak barriques. Click to see full details | |
| Emmanuel Darnaud | Hermitage | Red | 96 | An earthy expression of Hermitage, with dried fruit notes to the blackberry and cassis. Has weight and power, is properly ripe, with quite warming alcohol and a long finish. The oak work is well integrated and this has a good feeling of harmony, with good acidity and length. A blend of lieux-dits Les Greffieux and Les Bessards. In conversion to organic. Click to see full details | |
| Famille Isabel Ferrando | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 96 | Impressively structured, long-haul tannins. It’s fresh and well balanced, with good acidity and alcohol that warms without excess heat. This is a serious, savoury style that should age for longer than most from this vintage, with real intensity and drive and a long finish. Grown mainly on galets roulés and sand of Les Serres; fermented in concrete, aged in mixed vessels, with no new oak. Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, Le Pavillon | Hermitage | Red | 96 | Beautifully perfumed, with violets and juicy black fruits. Very smooth in tannin, actually quite soft, it's approachable for Les Bessards. WIth its tangy plum sauce, the Pavillon style is identifiable, but it's perhaps not quite as pure and elegant as the finest vintages; nonetheless, very good indeed. 15% whole bunch. Click to see full details | |
| M Chapoutier, Quator | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Really compelling mulberry fruit, smoky and so enticing, with notes of white pepper and intense blackberry, blackcurrant and black cherry. It's sappy and delicious, structured, fresh and well balanced. Highly impressive. A blend of the domaine's big blocks across the appellation: Côte-Blonde, Côte-Brune, Neve and Coteaux de Tupin; 30% whole bunches, 20% new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, Côte Bodin | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Rose, incense and star anise, this is like a Côte Blonde on the nose, but then has the silky, soft-yet-bold tannins of a Côte Brune on the plate. This is exceptional this year – complete and well balanced, very fine and convincing. The tannins really caress the palate. Gorgeous. All destemmed. Click to see full details | |
| Stéphane Ogier, La Viallière | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 96 | Full-bodied for La Viallière, with inky fruit and super-fine, fur-coat tannins. It has black cherry and graphite flavours – there's a graphite mineral edge to the tannins, too. The acidity is a touch low, the finish long. This will be excellent. From a rocky mid-slope parcel. Click to see full details | |
| Alain Voge, Les Vieilles Vignes | Cornas | Red | 95 | Rosemary, woodsmoke and almond scents. Good weight of fruit, more concentrated than most 2023 Cornas. Bright, glinting acidity and a saline edge, with a long finish. A mineral expression of Cornas with edge and grit. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Montfaucon, Vin de Monsieur le Baron de Montfaucon | Lirac | Red | 95 | This is showing richness, depth, intensity, freshness, plus incredible focus and vibrancy that really give thrust and energy to its ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. The finish is long and it has impressive persistence of fruit and flavour. Wonderfully fresh tannins. A wine of serious ageing potential. A blend of Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Counoise, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Grenache, Marsanne, Mourvèdre, Piquepoul and Syrah. At the start of its four years of maturation, which is two years in old barriques, one year in concrete, and one year in bottle. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Alary, L'Estevenas | Cairanne | Red | 95 | Deep purple colour. A complex, promising nose of liquorice, cinnamon and woodsmoke. Concentrated but compact; only medium-bodied, but it has real intensity and a hugely engaging textural profile, with grippy, fine tannins, serious length and perfect balance. Highly impressive. From some of the oldest Syrah vines in the southern Rhône; 30% whole bunches. Fermented then aged for 18 months in concrete, no filtration. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Alary, La Jean de Verde | Cairanne | Red | 95 | A gorgeously fruity, ripe nose that combines strawberry and black cherry – very Grenache. Full, generous, ripe and juicy, this is archetypal Cairanne Grenache in all its finesse, generosity and elegance. Importantly, the alcohol is well balanced, as is the acidity. Exceptionally fine, with a long finish. Destemmed, gentle extraction, aged in 600L barrels. Just 4,000 bottles made. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Bott | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | A fresh, light-bodied style with filigree tannins. Perfumed, pure, and though the wine is very light, it's very pretty and charming. Very drinkable, well balanced and precise, with tannins like fine sand. Exceptional finesse. Converting to organic; fermented with 30% whole bunches, aged for 20 months in 228L barrels. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine d'Ouréa, Hermaphroditos | Gigondas | Red | 95 | Gorgeously spicy style of Syrah, with some bay leaf and fresh herb nuances. It's fairly full-bodied and decidedly grippy, with quite fibrous, rugged tannins that will take time to settle down. A floral finish, like violets, with a touch of blueberry and smoke. This will gain further complexity with time. Pure whole-bunch Syrah grown on red clay with limestone fragments. Aged for 14 months in concrete tanks. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Beaurenard, Boisrenard | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Considerably riper and deeper than the standard Châteauneuf-du-Pape this year, with good dark-fruit density and concentration. It’s very ripe but not overly so, with slightly elevated alcohol, good acidity and a fresh finish. It has more intensity than most 2023s, and more structure. Grown across a mix of soils in lieux-dits Beau Renard, Cabrières and Coteau de l'Ange; aged in foudre (except for just 2% in new oak barriques). Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Cristia, Chappelle Saint Théodoric Le Grand Pin | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | There's a bit more spice and smoke to the whole bunch fruit compared to the Chapelle St Théodoric La Guigasse this year. It's a little fuller in body, with more generous fruit which helps to balance the stemmier elements. Good acidity and it's very fresh, though not terribly concentrated; it has length and intensity nonetheless. Pure whole-bunch Grenache from the sandy soils of Pignan nord, all aged in demi-muids. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, Les Hauts Lieux | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | This is so rich and ripe, with high alcohol and glycerol. The acidity is surprisingly punchy and really quite intense; there’s some limestone tension, too. The tannins are ripe, huge and structured. Darker and more powerful than the Trois Sources and is likely to be very long lived, but will need 20 years to really show itself. The alcohol is undoubtedly high, but the balance is such that you don’t feel it as much as you might. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Marcoux, Vieilles Vignes | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | This has considerably more fruit, ripeness and concentration compared to the standard Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge, and slightly higher alcohol – this is pure (100%) Grenache after all. The added weight and power makes it feel considerably more Châteauneuvois. Juicy and delicious, it should take on some intensity and complexity in time, thanks to its salinity and freshness. From vines aged over 100 years old; fermented in concrete then aged in foudres. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine E Verset, Signature | Cornas | Red | 95 | Floral, aromatic perfume. Very elegant tannins, relatively light in structure for this vineyard (La Geynale). You could drink this now! A compact and energetic style, fine and fresh. Will drink well young but age well too. Typically three- to 10-year-old barrels; 1,200-1,600 bottles made. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Garon, La Triote | Côte-Rôtie | Red | 95 | Lovely purity of ripe fruit, with enough concentration and no excess oak. It has good weight of chewy, ripe tannin, the acidity is balanced and the finish is long. There's a little farmyard note adding complexity, too. This is surprisingly powerful and ageworthy for the vintage. Taken mostly from the schist and gneiss soils of lieu-dit La Triote; aged in 228L barrels (15% new) for 16 to 18 months. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Gramenon, La Sagesse | Côtes du Rhône | Red | 95 | Barrel sample, so a provisional score. This is darkly coloured for a pure Grenache. Damson and black cherry fruit, and a touch earthy. It’s concentrated, mouthcoating, silky, pure and juicy. The structure is remarkably intense – the acidity and the bold (if not tight) tannic frame. There’s a touch of looseness to the tannins, in a positive sense. It's an impressive wine with great length and it will age very well. The alcohol is generous but not excessive for a pure Grenache. From 45- to 80-year-old vines, 100% whole bunches; lightly crushed, 15-20 days maceration, only pumpovers, no punching down, temperature controlled, matured in demi-muids and some concrete eggs for 12 months. To be revisited in bottle before any definitive conclusions can be made on the final wine. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Juliette Avril, Maxence | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | This has a lovely nose of nutmeg, violets and liquorice. It’s full-bodied, generous and silky on the palate – fresh too, with the structure to match the fruit, though the tannins are very fine indeed. The finish is long and the alcohol is generous too, but the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Grown on the galets roulés of Coteau de l'Ange; fermented in stainless steel, aged in demi-muid for 12 months. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine La Cabotte, Gabriel | Côtes du Rhône Villages (Massif d'Uchaux) | Red | 95 | Darkly coloured and a gorgeous nose – so fresh and complete, with vivid blackberry, violet and lavender. This feels generous, almost creamy on the palate, with a very fine tannic weave running through the wine. Good acidity and bright fruit that lasts into the finish. It's a very complete and harmonious wine that will age very well. Again, Massif d'Uchaux shows its class. Biodynamic, part destemmed, matured for 18 months in amphorae. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine La Manarine, Pied de Baud | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | A very good wine and the most impressive yet from this under-the-radar grower. There’s herbal freshness running through it and it has great energy and acidity. It’s very ripe, but the alcohol isn't excessive for a wine of this style. It finishes long and is direct, focused and still fresh; it will take on complexity in time. Grown on galets roulés and sand in lieux-dits Cabrières and Pied de Baud; fermented in stainless steel then matured in oval concrete tanks for 18 months. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Marc Sorrel | Hermitage | Red | 95 | This has some weight, but is relatively juicy, medium-bodied and approachable for a Hermitage. Balanced acidity, good freshness, texture and bite, this needs a little time but not 10 years. Tannic for a 2023. 100% whole bunch, from lieux-dits Les Plantiers and Les Bessards. 10% matured in amphora – new for this vintage. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Mayard | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Fairly pale in colour and highly atypical in its aromas, with an extraordinary array of herbs and spices, including rose petals, orange peel and garrigue herbs. It’s soft and yielding on the palate, not hugely concentrated in fruit, but it has great driving intensity and bright acidity. The alcohol and acidity are in balance, with bright, sweet raspberry to finish. A wine of great brightness, precision and complexity. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Raspail-Ay | Gigondas | Red | 95 | Lovely sense of purity, with a delightful scent of bright raspberry, strawberry and garrigue herbs. It's full, generous, soft and yielding but so seductively juicy. Well-balanced acidity and alcohol, this is a very successful, totally classic Gigondas to drink now and later. From a single block around the winery, just one cuvée produced. All destemmed, aged in old oak foudres. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Santa Duc, Habemus Papem | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | A smoky and spicy style, with some juniper-smoked bacon and violets. Fine and fresh on the palate, with deep blackberry fruit from the Syrah – it’s voluminous but not heavy or overly concentrated. A lovely drinkable style with good acidity. From lieux-dits Le Pradel and La Font du Pape. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Santa Duc, Le Pied de Baud | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | The 10% Mourvèdre really makes itself known here, with violets, blood orange, flowers and herbs. This has serious volume, weight and generosity, with fine but grippy, strong tannins, yet it’s still very much in the weightless, elegant style of Santa Duc. The alcohol is a little raised, but this is still very good. From co-planted Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault on sand, galets and clay. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Santa Duc, Les Saintes Vierges | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Gorgeous spicy aromatics, with floral violet and rose notes, surprisingly powerful acidity and very fine tannins; the alcohol is slightly higher than in the other cuvées. This is an elegant wine that will be as lovely with age as it is young. It’s not terribly long, but it is certainly vibrant. From sandy soils in the eponymous lieu-dit of Courthézon. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Paris, Granit 60 | Cornas | Red | 95 | Granit 60 is considerably darker than Granit 30. This has lovely blackberry and cassis notes, with a touch of blackberry eau-de-vie. It has a good sense of ripeness, but finishes firm and dry on a solid base of tannin. A little texture comes from the stems, but overall this is about the fruit, which has good finesse. The finish is long. This is a compact – rather than massive – Cornas, but one with a good sense of balance and freshness. Drink young if you like Cornas tannins, or wait. One-third whole bunches, no new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Famille Isabel Ferrando, Colombis | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | A soft, juicy and approachable wine, only medium-bodied, with good acidity and freshness. It’s remarkably crisp for a pure Grenache. Not the most concentrated in fruit perhaps, but it’s very drinkable and well balanced. Pure whole-bunch Grenache grown in three lieux dits: Colombis, Crista nord and Rayas; fermented in concrete, then aged one-third each in concrete, foudre and amphora. Click to see full details | |
| La Bastide St-Dominique, Secrets de Pignan | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | An elegant and smooth style of Châteauneuf, ripe but not overly concentrated, with balanced (if gently warming) alcohol and acidity, some sandy mineral notes and precise berry fruits. The super-fine tannins are pure and expressive. It’s not a powerful style, but an intense one, with a long finish. Pure Grenache from vines aged more than 100 years old, from the sandy soils of Pignan nord; all aged in stainless steel. Click to see full details | |
| La Ferme du Mont, Capelan | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Red | 95 | Very dark in colour. A compelling aroma of menthol, iodine and woody herbs – rosemary and thyme. Spicy, peppery and very concentrated, with driving acidity, well-integrated oak, bold structural tannins and a long, flavoursome finish. The alcohol is high, as it is almost everywhere else in 2023. This will build complexity and be very good in time. Fermented in concrete, aged 70% in new oak barriques, 30% in concrete. Click to see full details | |
| Moulin de la Gardette, Ventabren | Gigondas | Red | 95 | The domaine's top Gigondas, with crisp berry fruit, cranberry and raspberry. It's fresh, with a tiny VA note that lifts the fruit and plentiful fine, fresh, crisp tannins. It ends on a fresh, slightly saline note. Long and elegant, with great energy, if not hugely structured or concentrated. Not destemmed; fermented in concrete tanks then aged in foudres. Click to see full details | |
| Paul Jaboulet Aîné, La Maison Bleue | Hermitage | Red | 95 | This is reductive for now, but there's plenty of time to put that right. Powerful, earthy, ripe style that's nonetheless dry and savoury. The alcohol is surprisingly warming, but this is one Hermitage that does have that regal demeanour this year: very long, with bold, muscular, sinuous tannins. Very promising. Not overly oaked, just really packed full of ripe fruit tannin. Grown on the easternmost terroirs of Hermitage, all destemmed and aged for 12 months in barrel, 15% new. Click to see full details |