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Wine Advocate (91-94)
I tasted three components of the 2020 Crozes Hermitage Les Trois Chênes—maybe four, as Darnaud hadn't yet decided on whether the last one would be included in this cuvée or bottled separately as Au Fil du Temps. The blend should reflect a balanced blend of floral, stemmy notes, bright red cherries and notes of dark-skinned fruit and black olives. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it should drink well on release and for up to a decade. The final sample, aged in second use François Frères barrels, stood out for its suave, silky texture, smoky notes, vibrant raspberry fruit and long finish. If Darnaud bottles it separately, don't hesitate to snap it up.Inc. VAT£349.61 -
Incredibly focused aromas of lifted black cherries and dark chocolate-coated violet creams dominate, before the concentrated, mouthcoating blackcurrant fruit pervades the palate. However, it is the pure energy of the wine, along with the harmonious concentration of fruit and freshness, and the fine yet pertinent tannins that is really impressive here. This is a truly lovely, powerful yet balanced Saint Joseph.Inc. VAT£404.81 -
(6x75cl) 2019Vinous (93)
Vivid ruby. Spice-accented black raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of garrigue and succulent flowers. Supple and seamless in texture, offering appealingly sweet and well-concentrated red berry, cherry liqueur and lavender pastille flavors sharpened by a spicy jolt of white pepper. Finishes on a repeating floral note, showing excellent clarity and polished tannins. Giraud's entry-level bottling has been going from strength to strength in recent vintages.Inc. VAT£334.37 -
Wine Advocate (96-98)
I was blown away by the prospective blend I tasted of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. Already delicious, it combines raspberries and cherries with vanilla cream and baking spices. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it shows great length and freshness, ending in hints of garrigue and licorice.Inc. VAT£288.80 -
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.Inc. VAT£1,219.90 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96-99)
I loved the 2017 Côte Rôtie Château D'Ampuis. It’s a ripe, expressive barrel sample overflowing with notions of black raspberries, cassis, vanilla bean, and incense. Medium to full-bodied, rounded, and silky, it has lots of ripe tannins as well as stunning balance. It’s in the same ballpark as the 2016 yet shows the warmer, sunny nature of the vintage.Inc. VAT£528.35 -
Wine Advocate (95+)
While the 2014 Cote Rotie La Landonne looked like the pick of the litter from barrel, now that it's in bottle, it's closed down a bit and is showing more of its stemmy, whole-bunch character. Medium to full-bodied, it's the most potent and concentrated of the La Las but considerably less charming at this point in time, with brooding, dark fruit, hints of espresso and black olive on the palate and a chewy, tannic finish. Give it at least 5 years in the cellar before checking in on it.Inc. VAT£1,319.89 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-100)
A ripe, sexy nose of smoked game, truffly earth, chocolate, and jammy black and blue fruits emerge from the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Landonne. Made from 100% Syrah from the schist soils of the La Landonne lieu-dit, aged four years in oak, this massive, full-bodied 2017 shows the sexier, riper style of the vintage, yet it has incredible tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and nothing out of place. It will be interesting to see if it hits the heights of past great vintages, such as 2015, 2010, 2009, 2005, or 2003, but it’s certainly in the same ballpark.Inc. VAT£895.98 -
Wine Advocate (97)
Floral aromas accent sturdy notes of grilled meat and almost delicate notes of red berries in the open, approachable 2014 Cote Rotie La Mouline. Medium to full-bodied, it shows great purity and a supple, silky, classic feel. It's built more on elegance and complexity than power, with those floral, herbal notes leaving a long, silky impression on the finish.Inc. VAT£1,239.49 -
Wine Advocate (97-99)
The 2017 Cote Rotie La Mouline delivers waves of joyous blueberry fruit, accented by complex notions of violets and dried spices. It's full-bodied yet supple and plush, showing incredible balance, complexity and texture at this early stage of its development.Inc. VAT£690.78 -
Wine Advocate (97-99)
The 2017 Cote Rotie La Mouline delivers waves of joyous blueberry fruit, accented by complex notions of violets and dried spices. It's full-bodied yet supple and plush, showing incredible balance, complexity and texture at this early stage of its development.Inc. VAT£1,415.15 -
Wine Advocate (98)
Now that it's in bottle, the 2014 Cote Rotie La Turque has exceeded all of my earlier expectations. It's got those classic Côte Rôtie elements on the nose of smoked bacon, olives and violets, seamlessly entwined with supple tannins and raspberry fruit. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky and fine, showing tremendous length and complexity on the finish. On this occasion, La Turque came to the head of the class as the most approachable, exciting and elegant of the three La Las.Inc. VAT£1,213.09 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-100)
I loved the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Turque, which shows the sunny warmth of the vintage while staying balanced, pure, and light on its feet. Awesome notes of ripe black fruits, chocolate, spice box, and incense emerge from the glass and it’s full-bodied, has building tannins, a weightless texture, and a monster of a finish. This quintessential La Turque will deliver plenty of charm in its youth, yet benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age, and age for 30-35 years as well.Inc. VAT£802.38 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-100)
I loved the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Turque, which shows the sunny warmth of the vintage while staying balanced, pure, and light on its feet. Awesome notes of ripe black fruits, chocolate, spice box, and incense emerge from the glass and it’s full-bodied, has building tannins, a weightless texture, and a monster of a finish. This quintessential La Turque will deliver plenty of charm in its youth, yet benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age, and age for 30-35 years as well.Inc. VAT£1,483.55 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
The rich, powerful, primordial 2015 Ermitage Ex Voto isn’t for those seeking instant gratification and will need a solid decade of bottle age. Incredible notes of crème de cassis, liquid rocks, Asian spices, and toasted bread all emerge from this full-bodied, massively endowed effort. It will most likely merit a triple-digit rating in 4-5 years and will keep for three decades.Inc. VAT£1,129.92 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
While no red Ex Voto was made in 2016, the 2016 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc is brilliant, offering classic, powerful notes of Asian spices, toasted bread, acacia flowers, and crushed rocks as well as tons of quince and stone fruit notes. This beauty is full-bodied, multi-dimensional, and already impossible to resist. It’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more.Inc. VAT£813.95 -
(6x75cl) 2018Wine Enthusiast (96)
This inky, intensely plummy Syrah balances rich, pulsating black-fruit flavors against lip-smacking cassis and accents of tapenade, charcuterie and blood. Sourced from 90-year-old vines and aged 22 months in oak (15% new), the penetrating wine is framed by fine, firm tannins and lingering notes of vanilla, chocolate and earth.Inc. VAT£563.09 -
Vinous (96)
Opaque ruby. Displays potent, smoke-accented, dark fruit preserves, licorice, exotic spice and dark chocolate qualities on the powerful, mineral-accented nose. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering deeply pitched black and blue fruit, black cardamom, candied violet, olive and bitter chocolate flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Youthfully chewy tannins add grip to a very long, smoky finish that echoes the black fruit, licorice and spice notes.Inc. VAT£1,221.58 -
Vinous (96-98)
Glass-staining purple. Intensely perfumed, mineral-tinged cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by suggestions of black pepper, pungent flowers, licorice and olive paste. Taut and structured on entry and then fleshier in the midpalate, offering deeply concentrated dark berry preserve, bitter cherry, mocha and exotic spice flavors that are sweetened by a suave floral pastille accent. Shows superb delineation and mineral thrust on the youthfully tannic finish, which lingers with strong, floral-driven tenacity. Aged in one-third new oak this vintage.Inc. VAT£553.98 -
Wine Advocate (94-97+)
Even better than the Vendange cuvee, and I suspect one of the wines of the vintage, Stephane’s 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Côtes Capelan is the top wine of the estate and is made from 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, raised 70% in concrete and 30% in barrels. There’s under 500 cases of this beauty and it reveals a deep purple color as well as decadent notes of blackberries, blackcurrants, crushed rocks and melted licorice. Full-bodied, thick, unctuous and massively concentrated, with ripe tannin and a killer finish, don’t miss it!Inc. VAT£481.18 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux includes slightly more Mourvèdre and comes from a cooler parcel in the northern part of the appellation. It has another level of purity and precision compared to the Trois Sources and has extraordinary notes of blueberries, cassis, black licorice, violets, and crushed stone-like minerality. Incredibly concentrated, massive, and yet perfectly balanced, it has no hard edges and is just an incredible tasting experience. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 20-25 years.Inc. VAT£444.43 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
The 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux comes from a cooler, higher elevation parcel and also includes slightly more Mourvedre, both of which give this cuvée a more firm, structured profile, especially in its youth. Awesome red, blue, and black fruits as well as black licorice, liquid violet, and peppery garrigue define the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a salty, almost bloody character on the finish. It shows the more charming nature of the 2020 vintage yet still deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will have over two decades of longevity.Inc. VAT£384.43 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
Leading off the three Châteauneuf du Pape releases, the 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Trois Sources comes from three different terroirs located in the northern part of the appellation, just across the street from the domaine. Roasted Provençal garrigue, black licorice, black raspberries, Asian spices, and a hint of cassis all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with a layered, medium to full-bodied profile that has silky tannins and no hard edges. It's much more up-front and approachable than the more structured Les Hauts-Lieux and is going to drink fabulously well over the coming 15+ years.Inc. VAT£309.20 -
Vinous (95)
Brilliant ruby. A powerfully scented bouquet displays mineral-accented red and blue fruit aromas complemented by pungent flowers, white pepper and incense touches. Offers deep red and blue fruit liqueur, cherry-cola and succulent herb flavors that show good definition and chewy texture. It comes off graceful for its depth and closes on a repeating floral note, with outstanding length and smoky, mineral cut.Inc. VAT£233.98 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)
The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc looks to be the finest white to date and unquestionably ranks with the finest whites in the vintage. Beautiful notes of crushed rocks, honeysuckle, quince, and spice all flow to a medium to full-bodied, balanced, powerful white that’s flawlessly balanced. It’s one of the rich yet elegant whites that can drink nicely on its own or shine on the dinner table.Inc. VAT£359.15 -
Wine Enthusiast (96)
2016 marks the first bottling of de Nalys under the Guigal umbrella and this intensely ripe but pristine wine makes a promising debut. It's luscious but elegant, loaded with rich black-plum and cassis flavors firmed by piquant hits of licorice and pepper. Silky tannins make it approachable already but the wine should improve through 2036 and hold further still.Inc. VAT£452.38 -
Matthew Jukes (18+)
Following on from the terrific 2018 vintage, this is another exuberant wine with an inky dark hue and masses of swirling, black fruit notes. This is certainly the most exotically perfumed Thalabert I can remember and this reflects the unique fruit concentration and ripeness found in this vintage. Once you taste this wine you see that it is not all about the luxuriously appointed nose because the palate is packed with spice and tension and the finish is positively electric. In terms of accessibility and also potential, this wine is a conundrum – how can something so young and attractive also seem so compact and age-worthy? This is the key to all of Jaboulet’s 2019s. The exquisite balance between ravishing fruit and refreshing, robust tannins is mesmerising. This is a stupendous Thalabert and I think it is a notch up on the brilliant 2018.Inc. VAT£190.40 -
Matthew Jukes (18+)
Yet another beautiful 2020, Thalabert is deep, dark and brooding in this vintage, and it has an almost Italianate liquorice and black-fruited theme underpinning its Syrah characters. This makes it an indulgent treat, and the palate is more velvety and forward than any young Thalabert I have tasted. In addition, it has the stuffing to age well, too. What more could you ask for?Inc. VAT£155.15 -
Matthew Jukes (20++)
Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.Inc. VAT£708.43 -
Matthew Jukes (19+)
While there are faint roasted coffee bean notes here, which hint at the warm summer, and exotic rose and musk characters that only ever emerge in concentrated vintages, this is a masterclass in restraint and self-awareness. While this 2020 perhaps lacks the overall gravitas and high-rise tannins of the majestic 2019 vintage, this is a very seductive La Chapelle and one that will appeal to lovers of textural, velvety Syrahs. I am certain that everyone who drinks this wine will fall for its charms.Inc. VAT£896.00
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Wine Advocate (91-94)
I tasted three components of the 2020 Crozes Hermitage Les Trois Chênes—maybe four, as Darnaud hadn't yet decided on whether the last one would be included in this cuvée or bottled separately as Au Fil du Temps. The blend should reflect a balanced blend of floral, stemmy notes, bright red cherries and notes of dark-skinned fruit and black olives. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it should drink well on release and for up to a decade. The final sample, aged in second use François Frères barrels, stood out for its suave, silky texture, smoky notes, vibrant raspberry fruit and long finish. If Darnaud bottles it separately, don't hesitate to snap it up.In Bond£250.00 -
Incredibly focused aromas of lifted black cherries and dark chocolate-coated violet creams dominate, before the concentrated, mouthcoating blackcurrant fruit pervades the palate. However, it is the pure energy of the wine, along with the harmonious concentration of fruit and freshness, and the fine yet pertinent tannins that is really impressive here. This is a truly lovely, powerful yet balanced Saint Joseph.In Bond£296.00
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(6x75cl) 2019
Vinous (93)
Vivid ruby. Spice-accented black raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of garrigue and succulent flowers. Supple and seamless in texture, offering appealingly sweet and well-concentrated red berry, cherry liqueur and lavender pastille flavors sharpened by a spicy jolt of white pepper. Finishes on a repeating floral note, showing excellent clarity and polished tannins. Giraud's entry-level bottling has been going from strength to strength in recent vintages.In Bond£258.76 -
Wine Advocate (96-98)
I was blown away by the prospective blend I tasted of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. Already delicious, it combines raspberries and cherries with vanilla cream and baking spices. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it shows great length and freshness, ending in hints of garrigue and licorice.In Bond£220.00 -
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.In Bond£978.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96-99)
I loved the 2017 Côte Rôtie Château D'Ampuis. It’s a ripe, expressive barrel sample overflowing with notions of black raspberries, cassis, vanilla bean, and incense. Medium to full-bodied, rounded, and silky, it has lots of ripe tannins as well as stunning balance. It’s in the same ballpark as the 2016 yet shows the warmer, sunny nature of the vintage.In Bond£421.00 -
Wine Advocate (95+)
While the 2014 Cote Rotie La Landonne looked like the pick of the litter from barrel, now that it's in bottle, it's closed down a bit and is showing more of its stemmy, whole-bunch character. Medium to full-bodied, it's the most potent and concentrated of the La Las but considerably less charming at this point in time, with brooding, dark fruit, hints of espresso and black olive on the palate and a chewy, tannic finish. Give it at least 5 years in the cellar before checking in on it.In Bond£1,082.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-100)
A ripe, sexy nose of smoked game, truffly earth, chocolate, and jammy black and blue fruits emerge from the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Landonne. Made from 100% Syrah from the schist soils of the La Landonne lieu-dit, aged four years in oak, this massive, full-bodied 2017 shows the sexier, riper style of the vintage, yet it has incredible tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and nothing out of place. It will be interesting to see if it hits the heights of past great vintages, such as 2015, 2010, 2009, 2005, or 2003, but it’s certainly in the same ballpark.In Bond£737.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
Floral aromas accent sturdy notes of grilled meat and almost delicate notes of red berries in the open, approachable 2014 Cote Rotie La Mouline. Medium to full-bodied, it shows great purity and a supple, silky, classic feel. It's built more on elegance and complexity than power, with those floral, herbal notes leaving a long, silky impression on the finish.In Bond£1,015.00 -
Wine Advocate (97-99)
The 2017 Cote Rotie La Mouline delivers waves of joyous blueberry fruit, accented by complex notions of violets and dried spices. It's full-bodied yet supple and plush, showing incredible balance, complexity and texture at this early stage of its development.In Bond£566.00 -
Wine Advocate (97-99)
The 2017 Cote Rotie La Mouline delivers waves of joyous blueberry fruit, accented by complex notions of violets and dried spices. It's full-bodied yet supple and plush, showing incredible balance, complexity and texture at this early stage of its development.In Bond£1,160.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
Now that it's in bottle, the 2014 Cote Rotie La Turque has exceeded all of my earlier expectations. It's got those classic Côte Rôtie elements on the nose of smoked bacon, olives and violets, seamlessly entwined with supple tannins and raspberry fruit. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky and fine, showing tremendous length and complexity on the finish. On this occasion, La Turque came to the head of the class as the most approachable, exciting and elegant of the three La Las.In Bond£993.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-100)
I loved the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Turque, which shows the sunny warmth of the vintage while staying balanced, pure, and light on its feet. Awesome notes of ripe black fruits, chocolate, spice box, and incense emerge from the glass and it’s full-bodied, has building tannins, a weightless texture, and a monster of a finish. This quintessential La Turque will deliver plenty of charm in its youth, yet benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age, and age for 30-35 years as well.In Bond£659.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-100)
I loved the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Turque, which shows the sunny warmth of the vintage while staying balanced, pure, and light on its feet. Awesome notes of ripe black fruits, chocolate, spice box, and incense emerge from the glass and it’s full-bodied, has building tannins, a weightless texture, and a monster of a finish. This quintessential La Turque will deliver plenty of charm in its youth, yet benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age, and age for 30-35 years as well.In Bond£1,217.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
The rich, powerful, primordial 2015 Ermitage Ex Voto isn’t for those seeking instant gratification and will need a solid decade of bottle age. Incredible notes of crème de cassis, liquid rocks, Asian spices, and toasted bread all emerge from this full-bodied, massively endowed effort. It will most likely merit a triple-digit rating in 4-5 years and will keep for three decades.In Bond£923.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
While no red Ex Voto was made in 2016, the 2016 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc is brilliant, offering classic, powerful notes of Asian spices, toasted bread, acacia flowers, and crushed rocks as well as tons of quince and stone fruit notes. This beauty is full-bodied, multi-dimensional, and already impossible to resist. It’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more.In Bond£659.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018
Wine Enthusiast (96)
This inky, intensely plummy Syrah balances rich, pulsating black-fruit flavors against lip-smacking cassis and accents of tapenade, charcuterie and blood. Sourced from 90-year-old vines and aged 22 months in oak (15% new), the penetrating wine is framed by fine, firm tannins and lingering notes of vanilla, chocolate and earth.In Bond£450.00 -
Vinous (96)
Opaque ruby. Displays potent, smoke-accented, dark fruit preserves, licorice, exotic spice and dark chocolate qualities on the powerful, mineral-accented nose. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering deeply pitched black and blue fruit, black cardamom, candied violet, olive and bitter chocolate flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Youthfully chewy tannins add grip to a very long, smoky finish that echoes the black fruit, licorice and spice notes.In Bond£998.00 -
Vinous (96-98)
Glass-staining purple. Intensely perfumed, mineral-tinged cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by suggestions of black pepper, pungent flowers, licorice and olive paste. Taut and structured on entry and then fleshier in the midpalate, offering deeply concentrated dark berry preserve, bitter cherry, mocha and exotic spice flavors that are sweetened by a suave floral pastille accent. Shows superb delineation and mineral thrust on the youthfully tannic finish, which lingers with strong, floral-driven tenacity. Aged in one-third new oak this vintage.In Bond£452.00 -
Wine Advocate (94-97+)
Even better than the Vendange cuvee, and I suspect one of the wines of the vintage, Stephane’s 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Côtes Capelan is the top wine of the estate and is made from 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, raised 70% in concrete and 30% in barrels. There’s under 500 cases of this beauty and it reveals a deep purple color as well as decadent notes of blackberries, blackcurrants, crushed rocks and melted licorice. Full-bodied, thick, unctuous and massively concentrated, with ripe tannin and a killer finish, don’t miss it!In Bond£381.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux includes slightly more Mourvèdre and comes from a cooler parcel in the northern part of the appellation. It has another level of purity and precision compared to the Trois Sources and has extraordinary notes of blueberries, cassis, black licorice, violets, and crushed stone-like minerality. Incredibly concentrated, massive, and yet perfectly balanced, it has no hard edges and is just an incredible tasting experience. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 20-25 years.In Bond£349.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
The 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux comes from a cooler, higher elevation parcel and also includes slightly more Mourvedre, both of which give this cuvée a more firm, structured profile, especially in its youth. Awesome red, blue, and black fruits as well as black licorice, liquid violet, and peppery garrigue define the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a salty, almost bloody character on the finish. It shows the more charming nature of the 2020 vintage yet still deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will have over two decades of longevity.In Bond£299.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
Leading off the three Châteauneuf du Pape releases, the 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Trois Sources comes from three different terroirs located in the northern part of the appellation, just across the street from the domaine. Roasted Provençal garrigue, black licorice, black raspberries, Asian spices, and a hint of cassis all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with a layered, medium to full-bodied profile that has silky tannins and no hard edges. It's much more up-front and approachable than the more structured Les Hauts-Lieux and is going to drink fabulously well over the coming 15+ years.In Bond£237.00 -
Vinous (95)
Brilliant ruby. A powerfully scented bouquet displays mineral-accented red and blue fruit aromas complemented by pungent flowers, white pepper and incense touches. Offers deep red and blue fruit liqueur, cherry-cola and succulent herb flavors that show good definition and chewy texture. It comes off graceful for its depth and closes on a repeating floral note, with outstanding length and smoky, mineral cut.In Bond£175.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)
The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc looks to be the finest white to date and unquestionably ranks with the finest whites in the vintage. Beautiful notes of crushed rocks, honeysuckle, quince, and spice all flow to a medium to full-bodied, balanced, powerful white that’s flawlessly balanced. It’s one of the rich yet elegant whites that can drink nicely on its own or shine on the dinner table.In Bond£280.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (96)
2016 marks the first bottling of de Nalys under the Guigal umbrella and this intensely ripe but pristine wine makes a promising debut. It's luscious but elegant, loaded with rich black-plum and cassis flavors firmed by piquant hits of licorice and pepper. Silky tannins make it approachable already but the wine should improve through 2036 and hold further still.In Bond£357.00 -
Matthew Jukes (18+)
Following on from the terrific 2018 vintage, this is another exuberant wine with an inky dark hue and masses of swirling, black fruit notes. This is certainly the most exotically perfumed Thalabert I can remember and this reflects the unique fruit concentration and ripeness found in this vintage. Once you taste this wine you see that it is not all about the luxuriously appointed nose because the palate is packed with spice and tension and the finish is positively electric. In terms of accessibility and also potential, this wine is a conundrum – how can something so young and attractive also seem so compact and age-worthy? This is the key to all of Jaboulet’s 2019s. The exquisite balance between ravishing fruit and refreshing, robust tannins is mesmerising. This is a stupendous Thalabert and I think it is a notch up on the brilliant 2018.In Bond£138.00 -
Matthew Jukes (18+)
Yet another beautiful 2020, Thalabert is deep, dark and brooding in this vintage, and it has an almost Italianate liquorice and black-fruited theme underpinning its Syrah characters. This makes it an indulgent treat, and the palate is more velvety and forward than any young Thalabert I have tasted. In addition, it has the stuffing to age well, too. What more could you ask for?In Bond£110.00 -
Matthew Jukes (20++)
Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.In Bond£569.00 -
Matthew Jukes (19+)
While there are faint roasted coffee bean notes here, which hint at the warm summer, and exotic rose and musk characters that only ever emerge in concentrated vintages, this is a masterclass in restraint and self-awareness. While this 2020 perhaps lacks the overall gravitas and high-rise tannins of the majestic 2019 vintage, this is a very seductive La Chapelle and one that will appeal to lovers of textural, velvety Syrahs. I am certain that everyone who drinks this wine will fall for its charms.In Bond£726.00
