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Cellar Favorite: 1955 Domaine Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Sep 2018
Amongst the constellation of rare bottles that I have tasted over the years, few approach the 1955 Réserve des Célestins from the late Henri Bonneau in terms of an unrepeatable experience at the hands of fermented grape juice. It is a wine that lies on the edge of existence: I have never seen another bottle at auction and have never seen a tasting note. But this bottle appeared without warning at an extraordinary Sunday lunch in West Hampstead, London.
Cellar Favorite: 1985 Domaine Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Sep 2018
Alain Voge’s star is rising, as is demand. Prices have not quite attained the eye-watering amounts demanded for Verset or Clos Rougeard, but it is just a matter of time. So perhaps it is an opportune moment to look at a mature vintage of the Les Vieilles Vignes, which comes from the oldest Syrah vines, between 25 and 80 years, spread across five lieux-dits, usually with partial whole bunch in the vat and seeing a modest 20% new oak. Alain Voge took over the domaine after the sudden passing of his father, Louis, in 1965 and introduced this cuvée in the 1970s, while current co-owner and winemaker Albéric Mazoyer has been in charge since 2004.
2016 Gigondas – A Slam Dunk
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
, Aug 2018
Two thousand sixteen in Gigondas, as in the rest of the southern Rhône, experienced a growing season for the record books, yet again – producing expressive, intense, fruit-driven wines of often profound depth as well as energy.
2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape: The Beat Goes On
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
, Jul 2018
Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s monumental 2015 vintage was a tough act to follow, but 2016 was up to the challenge. In fact, in many cases the wines from this uniformly outstanding warm year actually outclass – or at least outmuscle – their older siblings.
Cellar Favorite: 1988 Domaine Gentaz-Dervieux Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jul 2018
The Rhône is not my specialty, but that does not preclude me from enjoying its wines. Indeed, some of the greatest bottles I have ever drunk have hailed not from Bordeaux or Burgundy, but the Rhône. This Cellar Favorite focuses on a bygone producer shrouded in mystique, a producer whose wines are now some of the most sought after in the world and with prices to match: Domaine Gentaz-Dervieux.
Elegance Returns to the Northern Rhône in 2016
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
, Jun 2018
Following the huge success of the 2015 vintage, which produced deeply concentrated, structured and age-worthy wines, 2016 pivoted almost 180 degrees by issuing an abundance of graceful, elegant reds that showcase balance and freshness over mass and power.
2016 Northern Rhône Whites: Excellent but Often Scarce
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
, May 2018
Hot on the heels of the outstanding 2015 vintage, 2016 produced one of the strongest sets of white wines from the northern Rhône region in recent memory. The only issue will be actually finding them, as production in many cases was pitifully small.
'16 vs. '15 Northern Rhône: Heads You Win, Tails You Win
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
, Apr 2018
At first glance, 2016 and 2015 in the Northern Rhône Valley would appear to have yielded wines with utterly disparate personalities. On paper and by reputation the 2016s and 2015s couldn’t be more different. So the received wisdom goes. In reality, though, the closer one looks at these two outstanding vintages, the more similarities start to reveal themselves. My recent extensive tastings of bottled wines from both years, sampled side-by-side at many estates, have only confirmed my impressions of these two superb vintages.
2016 Beaujolais: Hail, Yes
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, featured
, Mar 2018
Following the often opulent 2015s, the 2016 vintage in Beaujolais marks a return to the classic expression of the region, producing bright, energetic wines that show real charm and early appeal.
Cellar Favorite: 2005 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot
France: Rhône & Beaujolais, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Mar 2018
Thierry Allemand’s 2005 Cornas Chaillot is fabulous. Bold and pungent at the outset, with tons of whole cluster nuance, the 2005s offer striking interplay of bold, racy fruit and more floral/savory layers that are woven into the wine’s fabric.