Rhône

"Closed, tight and backwards, the 2013 Hermitage les Bessards is a big, full-bodied, burly wine that offers first rate purity in its black raspberry, ozone, liquid rock, and creosote-like bouquet. It has plenty of material and density, but will need 7-8 years of bottle age to become approachable. As normal, it comes all from the "Bas de Coteau" portion of the Bessards lieu-dit, was completely destemmed and saw 18 months in 30% new French oak. 2022-2045. 94+ points" Jeb Dunnock, RobertParker.com Close

"Cask sample. Rich soils and expression. Solid, rich and hugely friendly. Exuberant. But denser than the Greffieux. 2018-2038. 18 points." Jancis Robinson, June 2015 "Another inky colored wine that has a touch of blue at the rim, the 2014 Ermitage Le Méal offers a liqueur of blackberry-like perfume to go with lots of wood smoke (it sees a scant 25% new oak), licorice, smoked herbs and black raspberries. Big, rich, full-bodied and layered with plenty of building tannin, it will be a candidate for 2-4 years of cellaring and drink well over the following two decades. 95-97 points." Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (222), December 2015 Close

"Probably the Côtes du Rhône of the vintage (which is not unusual), the 2015 Côtes du Rhône Reserve got a few expletives in the notes and is a giant killer! Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by awesome notes of black raspberries, graphite, crushed herbs and licorice. Full-bodied, incredibly pure and elegant, with serious depth and power, it's a fabulous effort that I'd be thrilled to have in the cellar. 93-95 points" RobertParker.com (JD) Close

"A blend of Syrah grapes from several lieux-dits, including Les Bessards, the 2015 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes is aged in new and second use barrels. It's a dark, concentrated wine, meaty, rich and tannic but with a bright beam of cassis fruit that lifts it and gives it great definition and shape on the palate. Give this medium to full-bodied wine at least 5 years in the cellar and drink it over the next 15. 2022-2037. 94 points" Joe Czerwinski, RobertParker.com Close

"With approximately 500 cases produced, the 2015 Hermitage les Bessards is probably among the most available of the vintage's top wines. Jump on it if your means allow, as I suspect this wine will be a candidate for perfection once it sheds some tannin. It's perfumed on the nose, concentrated on the palate and amazingly long yet also elegant from start to finish. And amid the power, oak and massive cassis and blackberry fruit, it also manages to include hints of crushed stone evocative of its granitic terroir. It's breathtaking stuff, virtually guaranteed to bring a smile to any wine lover's face.. 2022-2045. 99+ points" Joe Czerwinski, RobertParker.com Close

"Like the base cuvée, yet even richer, more powerful, and decadent, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Quet is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre that was raised in very old barrels and oak tanks. Full-bodied, ripe, sexy and about as hedonistic as it gets in 2015, this beauty has tons of sweet tannin, a huge mid-palate, and big finish. It's an incredible wine that's guaranteed to raise your heart rate (it did for me anyway). 99 points" Jebdunnuck.com Close

"The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée is racy and intense, with saturated cassis, plum and anise notes and a lush yet racy finish. I don't see the alcohol sticking out—it's in line with the vintage profile for me, and a terrific wine." James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator "A wine that's going to rival or surpass the 2015, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée shows the quality of this awesome vintage with its deep, powerful, concentrated style. While Laurence says her 2015s remind her of her 2010s, I find a certain 2010-like purity in this wine as well as killer notes of black raspberries, blueberries, garrigue, and pepper. Possessing both power and finesse, full body, sweet tannins, and a great finish, don't miss this beauty. 95-97 points" Jebdunnock.com Close

"The 2017 Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan De Dieu Calendal is going to check in behind the 2016 yet is still a rocking bottle of wine. Black raspberries, violets, spices, and hints of blood orange all flow to a rich, full-bodied, seamless 2017 that shows the style of the vintage nicely. 92-94 points" Jebdunnuck.com Close

"Reminding me of the 2009 La Chapelle (which is a personal favorite), the brilliant 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle knocks it out of the park with its massive, opulent personality. Notes of smoked black fruits, scorched earth, burning embers, and graphite as well as subtle background meatiness flow to a monster of a Hermitage that has full-bodied richness, incredible depth of fruit, and an overwhelming, sexy style that's already impossible to resist. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-5 years, but it's going to evolve for 40 years or more. There are roughly 2,000 cases of this elixir, and every Syrah lover out there should have a bottle (or more) in their cellar. 99 points" Jebdunnuck.com Close

"The flagship cuvée is the 2017 Crozes-Hermitage Le Rouvre, which comes all from the Les Chassis region of Crozes and was brought up in once- and twice-used demi-muids. It's the finest vintage to date for this cuvée and has a pure yet concentrated and structured style to go with classy notes of black raspberries, peppery herbs, dried flowers, and hints of new leather as well some evident minerality. With medium to full-bodied richness, it's beautiful on the palate and has a seamless, beautifully balanced style that's going to evolve nicely for 10-15 years. 94 points." Jeb Dunnuck, Dec 2019 Close

"Made using 20% whole clusters, the 2018 Gigondas La Colline is 100% Grenache. It's the lightest in hue of the 2018s at this estate, yet it's also fabulously perfumed and intricate, with tendrils of gentle green herbs entwining hints of citrus, cherries, rose petals and raspberries. Silky-smooth on the palate, it's full-bodied without any excess weight and shows terrific freshness and harmony on the long, elegant finish. Tasted twice, with the wine seeming rather delicate on one occasion and supremely elegant on the other. 93-96 points" Joe Czerwinski, RobertParker.com "Coming from a tiny 1.5-hectare portion of clay and limestone soils and all old vine Grenache, the 2018 Gigondas La Colline is another gorgeous wine from this estate that strikes a balance between richness and elegance. More ruby-hued (these wines are never the deepest hued in Gigondas) and with a killer perfume of kirsch liqueur, framboise, herbes de Provence, chocolate, roasted herbs, and chalky minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a gorgeous, heady finish. This cuvée is almost always the more powerful and concentrated in the lineup, yet in 2018 it shows the more elegant, seamless style of the vintage beautifully. It’s going to benefit from a year or two of bottle age and drink fabulous well for a decade. 97 points." Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com Close