Jeb Dunnuck (99)

There are two special cuvées from this estate. Looking first at the 2018 Cornas Cuvée Jana, it tastes like the essence of Cornas with its meaty, bloody aromas and flavors of scorched earth, ground pepper, rare steak, iron, cedar, and dark, almost blue fruits. Tight, tannic, and concentrated on the palate, this full-bodied effort packs incredible intensity and power yet stays lively, elegant, and weightless. It's a brilliant, brilliant Cornas, yet certainly not for those seeking instant gratification. It actually reminds me slightly of the incredibly age-worthy wines from Domaine Clape, and I suspect it will have a similar evolution. Hide bottles for 7-8 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

The tiny production 2019 Cornas Cuvée Jana is another gorgeous wine. More up-front and opulent than either the 2018 or 2016, it has a mass of blueberry and black cherry-like fruits as well as smoked game, bouquet garni, ground pepper, and iron. It hits the palate with a lush, opulent attack and has a terrific mid-palate, before the tannins build and clamp down on the finish, showing more loamy earth and mineral notes. It certainly displays the richer, ripe style of the vintage and has moderate acidity, yet the purity of fruit is spot on, it's beautifully balanced, and it’s going to keep for 25+ years in cold cellars.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

Only made in top vintages, the 2018 Cornas Mère Michel is a tribute to Johann's wife and a play on the French song "La Mere Michelle." Brought up in a new demi-muid, it's a richer, broader wine compared to the Cuvée Jana yet still has incredible Cornas style in its red, black, and blue fruits as well as notes of toasted spice, roasted meat, chocolate, and wild herbs. Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, it has a touch more upfront appeal and should be drinkable in just 4-5 years yet also evolve for two decades.

Vinous (94)

Saturated ruby. Expressive blackberry and cherry compote scents are complemented by hints of exotic spices, smoked meat and olive. Round and fleshy but energetic as well, offering intense black and blue fruit and spicecake flavors that are underscored by a core of juicy acidity. A smoky bacon note lingers on the youthfully tannic finish, which shows strong, spice- and mineral-driven persistence.

Decanter (98)

I think it's the best vintage I've ever made', says Marc, and you can see why. It's 100% whole-bunch fruit, harvested at a yield of 25hl/ha from lieux-dits Les Greffieux and Le Méal. It has resinous rosemary notes on the nose, and it's so fresh, vibrant and full of energy. The palate is beautifully concentrated, with lovely berry acidity. It's a totally natural and unforced expression of Hermitage with real length and persistence. It has slightly softer tannins than the 2015, but is just as good. So refreshing and enlivening.

John Livingston-Learmouth (5)

(used 228-litre cask, 17 casks this year, not had so many since 1999) deep robe. There is a bull’s blood intensity on the nose, concerted black fruits, black olives – it is sleek and profound, a real Child of the Night, is slinky, with most welcoming fruit beckoning you in. The palate engages with a wavy black fruit offer; the pleasure is sensaround, and there is naughty raciness in its svelte fruit. I find it has more hidden depths than 2017, is wholesome, and very, very persistent, flourishes on the close. It has subtleties, perhaps more than 2017, carries some Burgundian tendencies, most sexy fruit, silky and savoury, very long and sensuous. 14.1°. 2053-56 Nov 2018

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

An absolute blockbuster of an Hermitage that tastes like the blood of Syrah, the 2019 Hermitage Le Greal sports a saturated purple hue to go with insane aromatics of pen ink, smoked meats, burning embers, currants, and ground pepper. Massively concentrated, full-bodied, structured, and yet also flawlessly balanced, this legendary Hermitage is going to need a decade or more to get close to maturity, and I suspect it will have 40-50 years of overall longevity. I wouldn't be surprised if the 1961 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle tasted similar to this on release.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Even better, the 2020 Hermitage Le Gréal showed brilliantly, and this powerful, concentrated Hermitage is going to be one for the cellar. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as great aromatics of blackberries, new saddle leather, truffle, roasted herbs, and peppered meat, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, mouth-filling texture, building tannins, and a great finish. It's going to take a decade to hit maturity, but this brilliant Hermitage will have 30 years of longevity. Bravo!

Decanter (96)

A particularly fruity Gréal, much more open than usual at this stage. It has weight and presence and a seriously mineral edge. Less concentration and structure than a typical year, but it should last well thanks to its energy, tension and strict tannins, and end up very Pinotesque in style with age. It’s pure and elegant and with good ripeness of fruit and tannin. Impressive, but don't expect a huge wine. Very true to Bessards, like sucking pencil lead. Vines partly grown on Le Méal, partly on Les Greffieux, and 10% whole bunch used.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!

James Suckling (97-98)

Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.

Wine Advocate (98-100)

Jaboulet's 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle features scents of crushed stone, violets and cassis. It's a classic trio, backed by a wine that's full-bodied, rich and powerful yet also airy, somehow carrying intense plum and black olive flavors without any sense of heaviness or excess weight. Then the wine finishes long and softly dusty, with tannins that accentuate its savory character, picking up delicious hints of licorice at the very end. The proportion of new oak has been trimmed back to a very reasonable 20% and is hardly noticeable in the wine.

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.

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.

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.

Vinous (94)

Inky violet color. Deeply pitched cherry, blueberry, licorice and candied violet aromas are complemented by hints of baking spices, incense and smoky minerals. Succulent and penetrating on the palate, offering deeply concentrated black/blue fruit, spice and floral pastille flavors that become more energetic as the wine slowly stretches out. Weighty and broad yet lively as well, finishing with sharp delineation, mounting tannins and outstanding, floral- and mineral-driven persistence.

Matthew Jukes (19++)

I fell for this wine in a microsecond – the very moment the first molecule of perfume exploded on my receptors. This is a step-change vintage for La Maison Bleue because I have not seen this degree of single-mindedness and overriding intention before in this wine. 2019 La Maison Bleue seems as if it has realised that it does not need to sit behind La Chapelle in Caroline Frey’s portfolio. It signals, loud and clear, that it ought to be seated alongside its more renowned stablemate and be accorded the opportunity to address the masses as an equal, not a subordinate. This is a bold move from this honed, sleek wine. In 2019, with just that little bit more power and ambition under its belt, it has broken free and it looks absolutely sensational. The fruit is regal and layered and the tannins are precision-cut and perfectly positioned making it every inch a superstar. By the end of day five of my tasting these amazing wines, La Maison Bleue seemed as if it were saying, let’s keep going! While this is a ‘finished barrel sample’, this wine wanted to be tested to its limits and I cannot fault its enthusiasm and excellence. You simply must track it down!

Matthew Jukes (19+)

There is extraordinary equilibrium in this sensational wine. It is so finely balanced it is baffling, and the depth and richness is offset with the most dramatic acid and strident minerality I have seen in a wine of this style. There are profound meadow-flower and stone fruit flavour here which enchant the senses but they are marshalled brilliantly by the citrus pith and green apple skin raspiness on the finish. This is the most exciting Chevalier I have ever tasted and it rivals the very best whites from this region and others besides.

Vinous (93)

Inky purple. Dark berry liqueur, cola and floral pastille aromas, with strong accents of incense and smoky minerals. Fat, sweet and palate-staining, offering intense blackberry preserve and cherry-cola flavors lifted by juicy acidity and sharpened by a peppery, spicy nuance. Quite powerful yet comes off graceful and precise. Finishes extremely long and alluringly sweet, with supple tannins and persistent smokiness. This got 85% new oak and the material is more than up to it.

Vinous (97)

Brilliant purple. Dark fruit, floral and spice qualities on the hugely perfumed, expansive nose, along with suggestions of incense, olive and smoky minerals. Stains the palate with powerful, youthfully concentrated blueberry, cassis, spicecake and violet pastille flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of zesty acidity. Lingers with outstanding tenacity on the sharply delineated, floral-driven finish, which is shaped by chewy, slow-building tannins.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

Tasted from tank prior to bottling, the 2016 Cornas Granit 60 has the potential to eclipse the 2015. The nose is an exciting blend of flowers, minerals and fruit, while the palate is full-bodied and generous without the hardness or austerity of the 2015. This standout 2016 finishes long, plush and bright. With only about 5,000 bottles made, shrewd buyers will snap it up on release.

Vinous (93)

Inky ruby. Smoke-accented dark berries and cherry liqueur on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy and seamless in texture, offering appealingly sweet blackberry and boysenberry flavors underscored by a smoky mineral quality. Fine-grained tannins build steadily on a long, floral-tinged finish that leaves a salty olive note behind.

Wine Advocate (95-97)

Paris's 2018 Cornas Granit 60 boasts remarkably pure notes of cracked pepper, blueberries and raspberries. Full-bodied, lush and creamy, it perfectly captures the ripe essence of Syrah, then adds a firm grounding of crushed stone and firm tannins on the finish. It should have close to two decades of longevity.

Vinous (94)

Opaque violet color. Highly fragrant cherry and dark berry preserve and olive aromas show outstanding clarity and are complemented by smoky mineral and spice accents. Deeply pitched blackcurrant and bitter cherry flavors convey a suave blend of power and finesse; a pastille flourish adds complexity. Shows impressive energy and mineral thrust on an impressively long, youthfully tannic finish that leaves behind notes of candied flowers and juicy dark berries. One-third whole clusters this vintage.

Vinous (95)

Glass-staining ruby. Intensely perfumed cherry and blackberry aromas are complemented by suggestions of licorice, candied flowers, olive paste and black pepper. Appealingly sweet and energetic on the palate, offering pliant cherry, dark berry preserve, exotic spice and floral pastille flavors that show impressive depth; a smoky mineral flourish gains strength on the back half. Shows superb energy and mineral thrust on the clinging finish, which is framed by velvety, slowly building tannins.

Vinous (95-97)

(vines over 100 years old vines and no new oak) Brilliant purple. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes fresh black and blue fruits, Asian spices, incense, smoky minerals and olive paste. Deeply concentrated yet lively boysenberry, cherry pie, spicecake and bitter chocolate flavors are underscored by a building mineral quality. Shows a compelling blend of depth and litheness and finishes on a youthfully tannic note, displaying remarkable clarity and insistent mineral character. I don't think I have ever tasted as profound a wine as this one from Vincent Paris, who seems to be one of the most underrated and under-the-radar producers in the northern Rhône.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

Le Geynale is the producer's flagship Cornas sourced from top vineyard sites and old vines. Black cherry and plum flavors are dense and potent but nuanced by violet perfume and layers of iron, graphite and dried herb. Ripe, integrated tannins are appealing already but this massively complex wine begs further cellar age. It should reward drinking through 2040, likely further.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-96+)

The 2018 Cornas La Geynale is largely in the same style as the Granit 60, only with the gamey, bloody and meaty character (as well as tannins) turned up a notch. Black and blue fruits, rare meat, ground pepper, and wild herbs all give way to a structured, tannic wine that has beautiful purity and elegance. It's not for those looking for instant gratification, however. This cuvée comes from a single parcel, is not destemmed, and will see 16 months in 2- to 8-year-old barrels.

Vinous (96)

Inky ruby color. Highly perfumed scents of dark berry preserves, incense and licorice are complemented by suave floral and exotic spice overtones. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated blackberry, cherry-cola and fruitcake flavors that become more lively with aeration. This rich yet vibrant Cornas finishes extremely long and youthfully chewy, with building tannins, resonating florality and lingering sweetness. All whole clusters and neutral oak.