Wine Advocate (96+)

On another level, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape is rock-star stuff, and is probably my favorite vintage from this estate to date. Deeply colored, it boasts masculine, meaty aromas and flavors of smoked herbs, pepper, licorice, lavender, crushed rock and blackberries to go with a full-bodied, concentrated and rich style on the palate. There’s ample tannin here, yet they’re sweet and beautifully integrated. Give it another handful of years and drink it over the following two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is unquestionably the greatest wine made from this estate to date and surpasses the 1998, 2007, and 2010. Checking in as a normal blend of 75% Grenache, 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, and the balance Cinsault, it offers a heavenly bouquet of blackcurrants, ground pepper, new saddle leather, garrigue, and an assortment of exotic spices. Deep, full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, yet with the purity, elegance, and finesse that makes this vintage so special, it can be drunk any time over the coming two decades or more. Bravo!

Wine Advocate (95)

One of the few estates where the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape actually eclipses the 2016, this is a top-flight effort. Black cherries and red raspberries combine with dried spices in a complex swirl of fruity and savory elements, garnished with sprigs of garrigue. Full-bodied, round and rich, this velvety wine should drink well through at least 2035.

Vinous (94)

Deep, bright-rimmed ruby. High-pitched, mineral- and smoke-tinged red and dark berry and potpourri scents are complemented by notes of licorice and baking spices. Silky and open-knit, offering sweet raspberry, cherry, and lavender pastille flavors that show fine delineation and tighten up steadily with air. Shows solid, spicy thrust and energetic lift on the impressively long finish, which is given shape by harmonious tannins.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

I was able to taste the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape multiple times, and it’s the finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate, surpassing even the 2016. Lovers of classic, impeccably made Châteauneuf du Pape should back up the truck on this beauty. A wine of incredible richness and depth, as well as elegance, it has a gorgeous nose of peppery herbs, blackberries, garrigue, cured meats, and sandalwood. Full-bodied and concentrated, it builds incrementally on the palate and is perfectly balanced, with sensational purity, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. There’s nothing over the top or out of place, and traditionally made Châteauneuf du Pape doesn’t get much better. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will shine for well over two decades. Bravo!

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

I was able to taste the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape multiple times, and it’s the finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate, surpassing even the 2016. Lovers of classic, impeccably made Châteauneuf du Pape should back up the truck on this beauty. A wine of incredible richness and depth, as well as elegance, it has a gorgeous nose of peppery herbs, blackberries, garrigue, cured meats, and sandalwood. Full-bodied and concentrated, it builds incrementally on the palate and is perfectly balanced, with sensational purity, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. There’s nothing over the top or out of place, and traditionally made Châteauneuf du Pape doesn’t get much better. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will shine for well over two decades. Bravo!

Indulge your senses with the impeccable 'Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020', heralding from the renowned vineyards of Southern Rhone, France. This red gem is expertly crafted by Le Vieux Donjon, a small-scale producer beholden for their expressive, opulent wines. Balancing tradition with innovation, this unique vintage traverses conventional vinification, expertly fermented in large oak foudres and aged in used barrels for a distinctive complexity.

The result is a robust, full-bodied blend where Grenache predominates, married with Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. Emanating aromatic richness of blackberries, kirsch, and peppery spices with a touch of garrigue, the Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020 expresses an elegant concentration of flavours, veiled in velvety tannins - a testimony to the mastery of winemaking. Limited production retains exclusive magnificence, making this wine, a real connoisseur's treasure.

Experience the quintessence of fine wine with the Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020. A symphony of taste awaits.

Le Vieux Murier Crozes-Hermitage Les Saviaux 2019 is a hallmark example of Rhône wine from one of the region's leading producers, drawing collectors and enthusiasts worldwide. Renowned for its opulence, it's meticulously crafted from 100% Syrah grapes, harvested from vineyards which grace the sun-drenched hills of Crozes-Hermitage. A splendid manifestation of fine French viticulture, it carries the quintessential elegance of Syrah in a beautifully balanced, yet richly expressive style.

The winemaking process for the Le Vieux Murier Crozes-Hermitage Les Saviaux 2019 is traditional, with precise ageing in French oak to elevate complexity. Tasting it reveals plum, pepper and floral aromas, unfolding into layers of red fruit on the palate, underscored by the region's signature minerality. It pairs excellently with game and hearty stews, making it a quintessential choice for discerning fine wine enthusiasts. With Le Vieux Murier's impeccable reputation and the 2019 vintage widely acclaimed as excellent, it's unquestionably, a worthy addition to any refined wine collection.

Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)

Even better and a monumental wine in the making, the profound 2010 Les Cailloux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire (tasted just prior to bottling) smells of a Provencal street market and offers up gorgeous aromas kirsch, raspberry, dried flowers, spice-box, roasted meats, and licorice on the nose. Coming from a single plot of very old Grenache (there is a touch of Mourvedre in the blend) and aged all in tank, this exuberant, hedonistic-bent Châteauneuf-du-Pape is full-bodied on the palate and delivers a voluptuous, mouth filling texture, brilliant concentration, and a blockbuster finish. Eclipsing the ’07 and up there with the ’90 (I think even better), this is monumental stuff that every Châteauneuf-du-Pape lover needs to have in the cellar!

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

The old vines cuvee is the 2016 Gigondas Les Racines and comes from the oldest vines of the estate located around the domaine. The soils here lie around 200-300 feet in elevation and are a mix of broken limestone and clay, and the resulting wine is always blacker fruited, dense, and concentrated. Blackcurrants, black olives, exotic spices, and crushed rock notes all flow to a powerful, concentrated, tannic Gigondas that has remarkable purity and elegance. It shows the balance and freshness, as well as richness, that makes this vintage so compelling, and while it needs 2-3 years of bottle age, it's a profound, sensationally complex, layered wine readers shouldn't miss!

Expertly crafted, the Lionnet Cornas Terre Brulee 2021 demonstrates the finesse of Northern Rhône's viticulture genius. Sourced from the revered terrains of Cornas, Lyonnet's centuries-old vineyards embody an exquisite balance between tradition and innovation. This syrah's dense-purple colour heralds a powerfully rich yet refined palate - ripe red berries, liquorice undertones and subtle spice notes, underscored by an assertive tannic structure. Meticulously hand-harvested grapes followed by 18 months ageing in French oak barrels create its unique charm.

Known for biodynamic methods, Domaine Lionnet utilises organic viticulture, reflecting their respect for nature's rhythms. This approach enhances the wine’s mineral heart, producing a complexity that has secured their reputation for superior quality wines. The Lionnet Cornas Terre Brulee 2021 stands as a testament to such unwavering commitment to excellence. Experienced wine enthusiasts will relish the layers of depth this full-bodied red offers, perfectly expressing the “terroir” effect.

Hailing from France's most respected vineyard, Lionnet Cornas Pur Granit 2021 is a brilliant embodiment of the finest Syrah grape crafted by Domaine Lionnet. Renowned winemakers Ludovic and Corinne Izerable have meticulously cultivated this nectar in serpentine terrains of Cornas. The title ‘Pur Granit’ signifies the unique granite soil which profoundly influence the wine structure.

The winemaking process is environmentally friendly, adopting aggressive pruning and organic farming, adding no synthetic chemicals. The wine is aged for 18 months in oak barrels, lending complexity and distinction.

Lionnet Cornas Pur Granit 2021, with its deep ruby hue, offers a rich bouquet of ripe cherry, blackberry and subtle spice undertones. On the palate, it presents bold fruit flavours, finely structured tannins and a lingering finish. Exuding elegance and poise, this exquisite red wine captures the characteristic mineral edge of Cornas, making it a celebration for the connoisseurs.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is flat-out brilliant, and readers looking for an incredible wine that will drink well for upwards of two decades should back up the truck on this one. Incredible black cherry, Provençal garrigue, pepper, and licorice notes give way to a full-bodied, perfectly balanced, seamless 2019 with ripe tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. You could safely put this up with the crème de la crème in a blind tasting and it would do just fine. The blend is 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 12% Syrah, and the rest Cinsault, aged mostly in concrete tank, with 12% brought up in old barrels.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Cask sample. Rich soils and expression. Solid, rich and hugely friendly. Exuberant. But denser than the Greffieux.

Decanter (93)

Powerful, ripe blackberry fruit and compote. Full-bodied, with a lovely sense of freshness and power on the textured palate that displays fresh herbs. This will both age and drink well young. Grown on Kaolin soils in Larnage. All whole bunch. No pigeage, all submerged cap.