Wine Advocate (94)

Showing the vintage's rounded, supple and forward character, the 2012 Cornas Vieilles Vignes reveals lots of black raspberry, crushed flowers, toasted bread and licorice aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, ripe, textured and layered, it's a polished and beautifully balanced Cornas to drink anytime over the coming 10-12 years.

The Bastide Saint Dominique Chateauneud du Pape Hesperides 2012 is an extraordinary embodiment of the finesse witnessed in fine wine craft. Produced with precision in the revered Chateauneuf-du-Pape region of southern Rhône, Bastide Saint Dominique masters the art of winemaking with a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah grapes. The resultant wine is matured for a span of 18 months in French oak barrels, endowing it with a characteristically robust structure and a delightfully rich flavour profile.

The Hesperides 2012, a product of the notably steady 2012 vintage reflects deep, powerful notes of ripe black fruits, balanced with undercurrents of spice and earth. It owes its lingering finish and impressive complexity to the meticulous care taken by Bastide Saint Dominique. This offering is a testament to Bastide's heritage as one of Rhône's premium winemakers, upholding an unfaltering commitment to quality. The Bastide Saint Dominique Chateauneud du Pape Hesperides 2012 is an experiential delight for lovers of fine wine.

Wine Advocate (96)

What I think might end up being the best Beaucastel since the 1990 or 2001, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape offers a full-bodied, decadent style to go with awesome black and blue fruits, garrigue, licorice, crushed flowers and violets. The purity here is truly something, and it has fabulous mid-palate concentration, building tannin and massive texture. Given all of the fruit and texture here, it will no doubt drink well in its youth, but it should still be alive and kicking after two decades as well.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The wine of the vintage is the Perrins' 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin, which has a classic, sexy, accessible style yet is also going to age beautifully. Massive amounts of smoked black fruits, ground pepper, iodine, truffle, and bloody meat all emerge from this inky colored behemoth. With full body, building tannins, no hard edges, and a rock star of a finish, it’s primary and youthful, but incredible. Ideally, it would be given another 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for another 3 decades or more. It’s an awesome wine!

Vinous (92)

Vivid ruby. Highly aromatic cherry and red berry scents are complicated by licorice, Indian spices and cola. Deeply concentrated dark fruit flavors show a suave blend of sweet and tangy, with a mineral nuance adding lift. Gains weight and sweetness on the clinging finish, which features a cherry-cola quality and fine-grained tannins that come on late.

Wine Advocate (99)

The 2012 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is still firing on all cylinders, sporting heavenly notes of powdered rock, white flowers, honeyed orange blossom, white currants and a saltiness that keeps you coming back to the glass. Full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent, drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.

Wine Advocate (99)

The 2012 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is still firing on all cylinders, sporting heavenly notes of powdered rock, white flowers, honeyed orange blossom, white currants and a saltiness that keeps you coming back to the glass. Full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent, drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.

Wine Advocate (100)

Another wine that topped out on my scale, the 523-case 2012 Ermitage l'Ermite is as profound an Hermitage as you can find. Coming from the granite soils located around the Chapel on the top of Hermitage hill, it's always the most tight, backward and structured of the releases, even more so than the Pavillon, which always seems to have another layer of sweet fruit to me. The 2012 is deeper and richer than the 2011, yet as with most 2012s, it more approachable and forward than the 2010 (and 2009 in this case). Exhibiting awesome notes of powdered rock, creme de cassis, liquid violets and lite gunpowder, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, awesome mid-palate depth and building, ultra-fine tannin that frame the finish. It's an incredible wine that will won't start to become approachable until a decade after the vintage, and then will keep for three decades.

Wine Advocate (100)

White wine simply doesn't get any better than the 2012 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc. A massive, concentrated, yet insanely pure and focused effort, it has an incredible bouquet (almond paste, orange rind, caramelized peach), full-bodied richness, no hard edges and finish that just won't quit. Of all the 2012 whites, this has the most minerality, purity and precision. I'd happily drink it anytime over the coming 3-4 decades.

Wine Advocate (100)

Sharing some similarities to the le Meal (yet its from a very different terroir), with its full-bodied, decadent, heavenly profile that somehow stays pure, poised and elegant, the 2012 Ermitage le Pavillon (767 cases) offers an extraordinary perfume of cassis, raspberries, crushed flowers, powdered rock and smoked earth. Coming all from the granite soils of the les Bessards lieu-dit, which produces some of the most muscular, concentrated wines on the planet, this serious 2012 is more approachable than either the 2009 or 2010, yet certainly is at the same level of quality. Give it 6-7 years in the cellar and enjoy it through 2042.

Wine Advocate (97)

A wine I've been lucky enough to have multiple times recently, the 2012 Ermitage les Greffieux is a full-bodied, deeply fruited, concentrated and blockbuster effort that's stays elegant, polished and balanced. Exhibiting incredible amounts of bloody meat, olive tapenade, campfire and sweet, expansive fruit, it needs 4-5 years in the cellar, and will drink nicely through 2034.

Vinous (92)

(20% new oak): Opaque ruby. Intense, mineral-driven aromas of ripe blackberry, smoked meat and incense. Pliant, supple and sweet, with a distinct smokiness to its dark berry and spicecake flavors. Finishes with slow-building tannins, repeating smokiness and strong floral persistence. A very strong showing for this bottling.

Wine Advocate (96+)

In complete contrast to the sexy, flamboyant les Granits, the tiny production 2012 Saint Joseph le Clos (which comes from a vineyard just a couple kilometers from the les Granits) is firm, tight and structured, with edgy notes of cassis, blackberry, powdered rock and ground herbs. Full-bodied, concentrated and rich, it needs 3-4 years in the cellar, and will have two decades of longevity. This is almost non-existent in the marketplace, but it's worth the effort to track down.

Vinous (93)

The 2012 Vacqueyras Réserve sports a flamboyant perfume of cherry liquor and strawberry compote mixed with delicate notions of tobacco and dried lavender. Enveloped in silky tannins, this full-bodied beauty is packed with ample concentration and finesse. It seamlessly glides across the palate and concludes with an expansive finish. This utterly seductive 2012 red has reached its plateau of maturity and is ready for business.

Experience the masterful harmony of old-world tradition and modern winemaking elegance with the Christophe Curtat Saint Joseph Nomade 2012. Crafted with the utmost respect for terroir by prodigious Rhône winemaker Christophe Curtat, who received tutelage under renowned Marcel Guigal, this vintage hails from the heart of France's Saint Joseph appellation. Born of 100% Syrah grapes, meticulous cultivation methods ensured only top quality fruits were hand-picked. The wine was then aged for a generous period in oak barrels, allowing for the integration of subtle warmth and layered complexity.

The resultant wine is a true masterpiece, delivering waves of dark fruits, mineral hints and replete with nuanced notes of rich spice and pepper. On the palate, it boasts an excellent structure, married with a precise balance of tannins and acidity, showcasing the immense potential from this relatively small, superior vineyard. A bottle of Christophe Curtat Saint Joseph Nomade 2012 truly exemplifies fine Rhône winemaking at its zenith.

Vinous (95)

Inky ruby. Explosive aromas of red and dark berries are complicated by suggestions of star anise, potpourri and smoky minerals. Rich yet lithe on the palate, offering sweet black raspberry and cola flavors and an intense note of candied lavender. Made in a rich yet graceful style, finishing with superb clarity and length and sneaky tannins that come on late. One of my favorite wines of the vintage and almost shockingly approachable now.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape la Combe des Fous is another gorgeous wine from this estate that offers incredible richness while never seeming heavy, cumbersome or over-the-top. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and the rest Muscardin, Vaccarese and Cinsault, it exhibits thrilling cassis, black raspberry, chocolate, crushed flowers and exotic spice. Full-bodied, seamless and incredibly elegant, it has the polish and balance to drink nicely now, but will evolve for 15 years or more.

Vinous (94)

Opaque ruby. Blackberry, candied plum, cassis, licorice, bitter chocolate and potpourri on the complex, intensely perfumed nose. Dense, concentrated and seamless on the palate, offering primary black and blue fruit and floral pastille flavors and a smoky mineral accent that adds back-end vivacity. Finishes with broad, supple tannins, an echo of licorice and outstanding mineral-driven persistence.

Vinous (93)

Inky ruby. Complex aromas of fresh red berries, cherry compote, smoky minerals and potpourri, with spicecake and anise nuances emerging with aeration. Smooth, sappy and sweet, displaying very good focus to its intense red fruit preserve, violet pastille and allspice flavors. Shows excellent energy and lift on the floral finish, which is firmed by supple, harmonious tannins.

Vinous (92)

Saturated ruby. Intense dark berry and cherry cola scents are complemented by suggestions of olive paste, candied flowers, vanilla and woodsmoke. Offers palate-coating blackberry and bitter cherry flavors, and peppery spice and mocha qualities building on the back half. Manages to be both rich and lively, with no excess fat. The juicy, seamless finish is framed by silky, harmonious tannins and leaves behind a suave dark berry liqueur note.

Vinous (93)

(50% new oak): Inky ruby. Sexy, inviting aromas of cherry compote, blackcurrant, incense and smoky Indian spices, with a peppery nuance in the background. Smooth, sweet and open-knit, offering sappy dark fruit and spicecake flavors complemented by notes of cola and violet pastille. Sweet and youthfully tannic on the clinging finish, with repeating smoke and floral qualities. Shows a very civilized character for this bottling, which is often a tough read in its early days.

Wine Advocate (95)

Showing even better from bottle than barrel, the 2012 Côte Rôtie La Landonne is a fabulous effort that oozes notions of cassis, black raspberry, violet, incense and spice-box. Medium to full-bodied, with a gorgeous mid-palate and building, fine tannin, enjoy this ripe, layered, textured beauty over the coming 10-15 years. Made from 100% Syrah aged in new barrels, it’s gorgeous.

Vinous (92)

Deep ruby. Pungent dark berry and cherry pit aromas are complemented by candied violet, mocha and black pepper. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering sweet, spice-tinged black and blue fruit flavors that put on weight and become more spicy with air. Open-knit, pure and seamless in texture, finishing with superb punch and velvety tannins that add grip.

Wine Advocate (95)

Just a small step back from the Les Bessards, the 2012 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes is a stunning effort that exhibits blockbuster notes of toasted spice, leather, peppery herbs and sweet black and blue fruit. Seeing 16 months in 60% new French oak, it's a powerful, concentrated and full-bodied effort that has lots of tannin, but more than enough fruit to handle it. Like the Les Bessards, shorter-term cellaring is advised here and it will have over two decades of longevity.

Wine Advocate (97)

The star of the show is the 2012 Hermitage Les Bessards. Coming from the pure granite soils of the Les Bessards lieu-dit, on the western edge of the appellation, it’s made from 100% Syrah and spent 16 months in 70% new French oak. It’s an incredible wine that offers classic powdered rock-like minerality, loads of crème de cassis and black raspberry fruit, smoked meats, spice and dried-flower nuances. Complex, pure and perfumed, it’s full-bodied and seamless on the palate, with fabulous density, ultra-fine tannin structure and impeccable overall balance. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and drink it over the following two decades.

Vinous (90-92)

Bright purple. Mineral-laced aromas of dark berries, cola and fresh flowers, with a peppery overtone. Lively and precise on the palate, offering bitter berry skin and spicecake flavors that put on weight with air. Closes silky and long, with firm tannins and spicy snap.

The exquisite Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone 2012 is a jewel of the Southern Rhone Valley. Produced by the revered Domaine du Pégau, traditional techniques are employed to celebrate the region's ideal terroir. The vineyard is tucked away in the heart of the Côtes du Rhône wine region in France, bestowing the Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone 2012 with a robust structure and redolent profile. Old vines contribute to the complexity of this garnet gem.

Expressive of the 2012 vintage, this wine is defined by its supple tannins and stunning bouquet of ripe plums, sun-kissed berries, and exotic spices. Expect additional interweaving notes of leather, cocoa and wild herbs. Partially aged in large oak foudres, the wine balances its fruit-forward profile with a graceful, savoury edge. Don't miss out on this brilliant representation of celebrated winemaking craft and regional typicity - Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone 2012.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2012 Côte Rôtie Château d’Ampuis is a bigger, richer wine that offers full-bodied richness and a broad, expansive style on the palate. Black raspberries, toasted spices, cured meats and licorice all emerge from this incredibly sexy, complex and nuanced Côte Rôtie, and my notes finish with “wish I could drink a glass.” Enjoy bottles anytime over the coming 15 or more years.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2012 Côte Rôtie Château d’Ampuis is a bigger, richer wine that offers full-bodied richness and a broad, expansive style on the palate. Black raspberries, toasted spices, cured meats and licorice all emerge from this incredibly sexy, complex and nuanced Côte Rôtie, and my notes finish with “wish I could drink a glass.” Enjoy bottles anytime over the coming 15 or more years.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2012 Côte Rôtie La Mouline reminds me of the 2011 with its upfront, incredibly perfumed nose of spring flowers, cured meats, roasted herbs, olives and sweet cassis fruit. Full-bodied, beautifully textured, mouth-filling and already impossible to resist, it expands on the palate and I guarantee this beauty will put a smile on your face anytime over the coming two decades.