Rhône
The Rhône Valley, located in southeastern France, is renowned for its exceptional fine wines. With its diverse terroir, rich history, and dedication to quality winemaking, the Rhône Valley offers a captivating selection of wines that embody the region's elegance, complexity, and distinctive character.
The Rhône Valley boasts its own iconic vineyards and wineries, including Château de Beaucastel, Domaine Guigal, and Chapoutier, which are celebrated for producing exceptional wines that showcase the region's unique terroir and winemaking expertise.
The Rhône Valley is renowned for its red wines, particularly in the northern part of the region. Syrah reigns as the dominant grape variety, producing intense and structured wines. Appellations such as Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Cornas are known for their robust and age-worthy reds, often displaying notes of black fruits, spice, and earthiness. Famous vineyards such as La Landonne, La Mouline, and Les Bessards are revered for their exceptional expressions of Syrah.
In the southern Rhône Valley, Grenache takes centre stage, contributing to the region's bold and fruit-forward red blends. The renowned appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is famous for its rich and full-bodied red wines, often featuring a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Vineyards like Château de Beaucastel, Clos des Papes, and Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe produce remarkable wines that showcase the region's commitment to excellence.
The Rhône Valley is also celebrated for its white wines, particularly in the northern part of the region. Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne are the key grape varieties, producing aromatic and complex whites. Appellations like Condrieu and Hermitage produce exceptional white wines known for their floral aromas, stone fruit flavors, and vibrant acidity.
Rhône
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Rhone | 1 | 98+ (JD) | $479.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)More bloody meat, black raspberries, wood smoke, spice, and truffle notes emerge from the 2017 Hermitage Le Méal, a massive, opulent effort that has loads of opulence and fruit, building tannins, a gorgeous mid-palate, and a monster finish. It's one of the finest wines I've tasted from this estate! It’s already approachable yet promises to evolve gracefully for 20-25 years or more. |
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Rhone | 1 | 94 (WS) | $161.00 | |||||
Wine Spectator (94)A rich, velvety style, with lush fig, blackberry and black currant fruit driven by warm ganache, singed anise and roasted espresso notes. An iron thread propels the finish. |
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Rhone | 1 | 92 (VN) | $99.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)Glass-staining ruby. Vibrant red and dark berry, spicecake and potpourri aromas on the intensely perfumed nose. Sappy and broad on the palate, offering appealingly sweet black raspberry, floral pastille and cola flavors buffered by lively acidity and a hint of smoky minerals. Closes smooth, sweet, gently tannic and very long, conveying further suggestions of spicecake and cola. |
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Rhone | 3 | 93-96 (JD) | $690.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (93-96)Inky colored, the 2016 Ermitage Les Dionnières offers classic Hermitage notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, violets and toasted spice. It shows more minerality with time in the glass, is deep, rich and concentrated on the palate, has plenty of tannin, and a great finish. This is terrific, but unfortunately, there are only 125 cases produced. |
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Rhone | 1 | 96 (VN) | $511.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)Opaque ruby. Highly expressive aromas of black/blue fruit preserves, exotic spices and incense pick up a smoky nuance as the wine opens up. Seamless and broad in the mouth but distinctly energetic as well, offering intense, mineral-inflected black raspberry, bitter cherry and blueberry flavors and a hint of candied violet. Finishes seamless and extremely long, with an echo of juicy blue fruit and harmonious tannins that add gentle grip. This wine is an especially lively example of the vintage; no way I would have guessed that it came from a hot year. (20% whole clusters and 25% new oak) |
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Rhone | 1 | 92 (VN) | $121.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)Lurid ruby. Powerful, smoke-accented dark fruit preserve, violet, licorice and cracked pepper aromas develop a hint of olive as the wine opens up. Round and weighty on the palate, offering sweet black currant and cherry pie flavors and a touch of succulent herbs. The peppery note comes back strong on the clinging finish, which is framed by smooth, mounting tannins. While this lush wine checks in at 15% alcohol, I didn't notice it. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98 (JD) | $537.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98)Lastly, the 2016 Ermitage Le Méal is the top wine from Ferraton, and rightly so, as it’s a magical wine in 2016. Rocking notes of black raspberries, blackberries, toasted spices, tapenade, and dry aged beef all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with a wealth of material yet stays balanced, layered, and seamless. It's a sensational wine that's up with the top wines of the vintage. Hats off to the team at Ferraton for this remarkable wine as well as their full lineup of wines in 2016. |
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Rhone | 4 | - | $137.00 | |||||
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Rhone | 1 | - | $468.00 | |||||
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Behold, Fondreche Ventoux Divergente 2015, an exquisite Old World wine crown jewel. Crafted near the Mount Ventoux in Southeastern Rhône, its birthplace contributes a unique and robust terroir. The acclaimed winemaker, Sebastien Vincenti, who follows organic and biodynamic practices, carefully oversees the process. This beauty is a culmination of 100% Grenache, aged in cement tanks to maintain the purity of fruit and expression of the soil. Fondreche Ventoux Divergente 2015 is a matured vintage with immense ageing potential of another decade or two and its low production makes it highly sought-after. Its deeply intense, complex character offers an enticing nose of black fruit, kirsch, truffle and lavender, effortlessly reaching a broad palate with prominent tannic structure and long finish. Bold yet elegant, this wine signifies the epitome of Ventoux’s potential. Revel in the formidable balance of this divine nectar, a testament to harmonious winemaking. |
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Rhone | 1 | 97 (JD) | $234.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (97)Reminding me of one of the Sélections Parcellaires Hermitage from Michel Chapoutier, the 2016 Ventoux Divergente is 90% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre that was mostly destemmed and brought up in foudre. Crème de cassis, black raspberries, peppered meats, graphite, and liquid rock notes all flow to a fat, unctuous, sexy Syrah that has beautiful acidity, fine tannin, and a huge finish. It's a true “Wow” wine that needs to be tasted to be believed. Put this in a blind lineup of top Hermitage and shock all your friends. |
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Rhone | 1 | 90-92 (VN) | $436.00 | |||||
Vinous (90-92)Light red. Sexy, fragrant scents of Moroccan spices, dried strawberry, raspberry and minerals, plus a whiff of cherry skin. Very sexy, sweet red fruit flavors are perked up by blood orange and smoky minerals, with dusty tannins adding support. Impressively pure and focused wine with excellent finishing clarity and a whiplash of cinnamon. This reminded me of a high-end Pernand-Vergelesses. |
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Rhone | 1 | 92 (VN) | $3,880.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)Vivid red. Spicy raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by incense, lavender and pungent herbs. Pliant red fruit flavors are deepened by candied licorice and bitter chocolate, with bright acidity adding lift. The tightly focused, energetic, impressively persistent finish leaves tangy mineral and bitter cherry skin notes behind. |
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