Jeb Dunnuck (96)

One of the whites of the vintage in the appellation, the 2020 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Saint Joseph Blanc has awesome notes of quince, grilled peach, honeysuckle, and spicy wood. With medium to full-bodied richness, the balance is perfect, its oak is nicely integrated, and it has a great finish.

Vinous (94)

Opaque ruby. Powerful aromas of ripe dark fruits, olive, smoked meat and exotic spices; a suave floral element builds in the glass. Sappy and energetic on the palate, offering densely packed black and blue fruit, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that turn sweeter on the back half. Finishes very long and juicy, with strong energy and gently gripping tannins that merge smoothly with the wine's concentrated dark fruit. 10% new oak.

Vinous (95)

Saturated ruby. Penetrating aromas of cherry, black raspberry, candied flowers and smoked meat are complemented by exotic spice and mineral flourishes. Offers concentrated dark berry and cherry preserve, licorice and olive paste flavors that are sharpened by an emerging black pepper note. Closes impressively long, focused and spicy, with mounting tannins and resonating mineral and smoke notes.

Vinous (95)

Saturated ruby. Penetrating aromas of cherry, black raspberry, candied flowers and smoked meat are complemented by exotic spice and mineral flourishes. Offers concentrated dark berry and cherry preserve, licorice and olive paste flavors that are sharpened by an emerging black pepper note. Closes impressively long, focused and spicy, with mounting tannins and resonating mineral and smoke notes.

Vinous (96)

Vivid purple. Deeply pitched cherry, dark berry preserve and licorice aromas pick up smoky mineral, olive and floral notes with air. Chewy and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated, mineral-drenched bitter cherry, blackberry, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors that spread out steadily and turn sweeter with air. Shows solid grip and resonating minerality on a wonderfully long, smoky finish that echoes the dark berry and licorice notes. This is all Chaillot fruit, Gilles told me.

Vinous (93-95)

Bright purple. Mineral-accented aromas of ripe dark berries, licorice and violet show fine clarity and spicy lift. Energetic and focused in the mouth, offering juicy blackberry, bitter cherry, smoked meat and fruitcake flavors that deepen through the back half. Turns sweeter on the long, smoky finish, which features well-knit tannins and lingering floral and exotic spice notes.

As a renowned offering from the Rhône Valley in France, the Guillaume Gilles Saint-Peray 2021 is a masterful blend of Marsanne and Roussanne. Gilles, a maestro of winemaking, meticulously hand-harvests each grape from the rare limestone soils of Saint-Péray, allowing nature to define the flavour. Aged eleven months in a combination of demi-muids and foudres, this wine showcases Gilles' holistic approach. He opts for natural fermentation, enhancing the complexity and texture of the wine without compromising its inherent character.

The resulting Guillaume Gilles Saint-Peray 2021 carries a rich blend of floral aromas bumped with nuanced stone fruit flavours. Its harmonic balance and long, generous finish is leaving even seasoned connoisseurs impressed. A fine example of Gilles' unwavering dedication to natural methods, every bottle captures the earthy essence of the Saint-Péray vineyards. Sip on this gem for a lavish experience of old-world viniculture elevated by modern artisanship.

Wine Advocate (95-97)

Blended from the lieux-dits of La Crau and Rayas, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape La Muse tank sample carries a hint of fresh herbs upfront for freshness but also plush black cherry fruit, creamy/supple tannins and a long, licorice-tinged finish. It looks to be a stunner!

Wine Advocate (95)

A great showing, Bonneau's 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Marie Beurrier has lots of garrigue, kirsch, truffle and spice to go with the classic gamy, bloody meaty-like quality that's always present in his wines. Medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, and sweetly fruited, it has fine tannin and a beautiful elegance that keeps you coming back to the glass. There's no baby fat here and it's at full maturity, but will certainly hold for a decade.

Vinous (89-91)

Deep red. Tightly wound cherry and red berry aromas are slow to unfold, eventually picking up hints of garrigue and cracked pepper. Tangy and focused on the palate, showing good depth to its bitter cherry and rhubarb flavors. Dusty tannins firm the finish, which features notes of succulent herbs and cherry pit.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

Apparently, there's no Les Celestins in 2013, which was a challenging vintage in the Southern Rhône. That said, the barrel we tasted of the 2013 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Marie Beurrier was a bit light but elegant and silky in texture, with pomegranate-like red fruit and gentle spice.

Jeb Dunnuck (91-93)

A vintage vinified by Marcel Bonneau, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier sports a healthy purple color as well as terrific aromas and flavors. Garrigue, kirsch liqueur, pepper, and gamey notes all emerge from this charming, balanced, medium to full-bodied barrel sample. It’s early days for the 2016s in this cellar, but it a good start.

The Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 hails from the illustrious Rhône Valley, crafted by the legendary winemaker, Henri Bonneau. Known for meticulous, artisanal winemaking, Bonneau only releases his wines when they reach maturity. Produced from old vine Grenache, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 showcases captivating complexity and depth.

Ripened under the Provençal sun, the 2018 vintage flaunts seductive aromatics of red and black fruits, intermingled with notes of spice, earth, and leather. On the palate, it exhibits superb structure enhanced by precision, balance, and a lingering finish.

Bonneau's commitment to traditional viticultural techniques guarantees the maintenance of natural acidity and a picturesque representation of the terroir. His methodology includes manually harvesting, whole cluster fermentation, and aging in ancient oak casks for a minimum of 36 months. Each bottle serves as a testimony to Bonneau's reputation as a venerated wine custodian.

Revelling in beauty and elegance, the Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 is a beacon of excellent Southern Rhône winemaking.

The Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 hails from the illustrious Rhône Valley, crafted by the legendary winemaker, Henri Bonneau. Known for meticulous, artisanal winemaking, Bonneau only releases his wines when they reach maturity. Produced from old vine Grenache, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 showcases captivating complexity and depth.

Ripened under the Provençal sun, the 2018 vintage flaunts seductive aromatics of red and black fruits, intermingled with notes of spice, earth, and leather. On the palate, it exhibits superb structure enhanced by precision, balance, and a lingering finish.

Bonneau's commitment to traditional viticultural techniques guarantees the maintenance of natural acidity and a picturesque representation of the terroir. His methodology includes manually harvesting, whole cluster fermentation, and aging in ancient oak casks for a minimum of 36 months. Each bottle serves as a testimony to Bonneau's reputation as a venerated wine custodian.

Revelling in beauty and elegance, the Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 is a beacon of excellent Southern Rhône winemaking.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

The 2009 Châteauneuf Du Pape Reserve Des Celestins is certainly mature, yet it still has at least another decade of prime drinking followed by a gradual decline thereafter. A semi-opaque ruby hue with just a kiss of bricking at the rim, it has an essence of Provence-like perfume of sweet black cherries, roasted garrigue, licorice, and herbes de Provence. With full-bodied richness, a supple, layered, seamless mouthfeel, integrated tannins, and beautiful overall balance, it's not in the massive, concentrated style of the 2010 and shows the sun-kissed, complex, incredibly seductive style of the 2009 vintage beautifully. I followed this bottle over the course of an evening, and it needs about an hour of air to show at its best. Drink: 2025-2039.