Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage Rouge 2018 Magnum

The Domaine Alain Graillot has now been given two étoilés (stars) and become the highest rated Crozes Domaine in France’s leading wine guide, Revue du Vin de France’s Le Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France. Not that anyone truly needed this confirmation! It does however confirm the great work being done by Alain’s sons, Maxime and Antoine, who are now their father’s right and left arms. With an average vine age of 40+ years, the Graillot terroirs are now humming … more

Country: France
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Crozes-Hermitage

Andre Perret Condrieu Coteau de Chery 2018

Country: France
Region: Rhone Valley

Andre Perret St Joseph Rouge Les Grisieries 2018 375ml

From terraced vineyard planted in 1975 on light sandy granitic soils above the winery. 100% destemmed. Maceration and fermentation in stainless steel then elevage for 18 months in a mix of 400 litre barrels and barriques 30% of which are new. Yield 35hL/ha.

"Even bigger, richer and more concentrated, the inky purple/blue-tinged 2015 Saint Joseph les Grisieres is the top wine of the estate and is raised in barrel. Blackberries, blueberries, pepper, earth and a liqueur of rocks-like quality all … more

Country: France
Region: Rhone Valley

Bernard Faurie Hermitage Bessard 2018

Red capsule. First introduced in 2015, this single-terroir Hermitage rouge comes from Faurie's purest granite soils within Les Bessards. The plot lies close to the eastern border of Les Greffieux and was planted between the 1940s and 1960s (see the note above for more on the vineyard). In 2018 Faurie made two 600L demi muids (first used in 2012) and our wine was hand-bottled from one of these casks. Again, this is a deep yet wonderfully pure and perfumed Hermitage. … more

Country: France
Region: Rhone Valley

Bernard Faurie Hermitage Blanc 2018

100% Marsanne. Faurie bottles a maximum of 800 bottles of Hermitage Blanc, usually much less, and this is our first allocation ever! Faurie's 0.2 hectares of Marsanne were planted between 1920-1960. The vines are trained on stakes in the lower slopes of Le Greffieux where Faurie says the soils - very rocky decomposed granite - are influenced by the Bessards terroir. The wine is simply whole bunch pressed and naturally fermented in 1-6 year old 228-litre barriques, with only partial … more

Country: France
Region: Rhone Valley

Bernard Faurie Hermitage Blanc 2019

100% Marsanne. Faurie produces a maximum of 800 bottles of Hermitage Blanc each vintage (usually much less), a wine described by Faurie's US importer, Kermit Lynch, as an "absolutely mesmerizing example from the lower slopes that is wiry, stony, and coiled for many years of unfurling." Faurie's 0.2 hectares of Marsanne was planted between 1920 and 1960. The vines are trained on stakes in the lower slopes of Les Greffieux where Faurie tells us the soils (very rocky, decomposed granite) … more

Country: France
Region: Rhone Valley

Bernard Faurie Hermitage Gréffieux/Bessard 2018

White capsule. A minuscule amount of this Hermitage rouge (just 50-100 dozen) is made each year, depending on the size of the harvest. We do very well to get the allocation that we receive. As the name suggests, this comes from Syrah vines with their roots in both the Greffieux and Bessards terroirs on the hill of Hermitage. Faurie's Greffieux parcel was planted by his great-grandfather in the '20s and '30s, and lies on the rockier granite seam in this … more

Country: France
Region: Rhone Valley

Château des Tours Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge 2016

This is the home estate of the Emmanuel Reynaud (nephew to Jacques Reynaud, third-generation owner of the legendary Château Rayas, that Emmanual has run since 1997). This is a relatively large estate of nearly 100 acres, Domaine des Tours fashions some remarkable value priced reds and whites.

Country: France
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Vacqueyras

Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Le Plateau" 2016

Made in small volumes only in the best years, this comes from plots chosen on the high plateau of galets roules. It sees more oak and a higher proportion of new oak, but because of the concentration in the 2016 and 2017 vintages, it's not especially noticeable. These aren't big, extracted wines but wines that feel comfortable and balanced. The blend is 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, and the result is a top-notch effort, boasting explosive aromas of cherries, cocoa … more

Country: France
Producer: Chateau Mont-Redon
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Le Plateau" 2016

Made in small volumes only in the best years, this comes from plots chosen on the high plateau of galets roules. It sees more oak and a higher proportion of new oak, but because of the concentration in the 2016 and 2017 vintages, it's not especially noticeable. These aren't big, extracted wines but wines that feel comfortable and balanced. The blend is 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, and the result is a top-notch effort, boasting explosive aromas of cherries, cocoa … more

Country: France
Producer: Chateau Mont-Redon
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2016 375ml

This well-known, large (over 250 acres) Chateauneuf du Pape estate has produced some of the greatest Chateauneuf du Papes I have ever tasted, including their 1949 (one of the top 25 wines of my lifetime), 1955 and 1961. This visit was the first time I have had a chance to taste these wines in many years, and it appears a younger generation is making a comeback with their offerings from Lirac and Chateauneuf du Pape.

2016 is a blend of … more

Country: France
Producer: Chateau Mont-Redon
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2016 Magnum

This well-known, large (over 250 acres) Chateauneuf du Pape estate has produced some of the greatest Chateauneuf du Papes I have ever tasted, including their 1949 (one of the top 25 wines of my lifetime), 1955 and 1961. This visit was the first time I have had a chance to taste these wines in many years, and it appears a younger generation is making a comeback with their offerings from Lirac and Chateauneuf du Pape.

2016 is a blend of … more

Country: France
Producer: Chateau Mont-Redon
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Chateau Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

This well-known, large (over 250 acres) Chateauneuf du Pape estate has produced some of the greatest Chateauneuf du Papes I have ever tasted, including their 1949 (one of the top 25 wines of my lifetime), 1955 and 1961. This visit was the first time I have had a chance to taste these wines in many years, and it appears a younger generation is making a comeback with their offerings from Lirac and Chateauneuf du Pape.

Typically a blend of 60% … more

Country: France
Producer: Chateau Mont-Redon
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Chateau Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

This well-known, large (over 250 acres) Chateauneuf du Pape estate has produced some of the greatest Chateauneuf du Papes I have ever tasted, including their 1949 (one of the top 25 wines of my lifetime), 1955 and 1961. This visit was the first time I have had a chance to taste these wines in many years, and it appears a younger generation is making a comeback with their offerings from Lirac and Chateauneuf du Pape.

Typically a blend of 60% … more

Country: France
Producer: Chateau Mont-Redon
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Chateau Mont-Redon Cotes-du-Rhone Reserve 2019

Cotes du Rhone is usually a blend of grenache, mourvedre and shiraz which is spicy, medium-bodied and satisfying. This one certainly meets the criteria.

Country: France
Producer: Chateau Mont-Redon
Region: Rhone Valley
Sub Region: Cotes-du-Rhone