Rhône Valley

Northern Rhône

François Villard

François Villard Saint-Joseph ‘Mairlant’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Saint-Joseph, France

Love the perfume here very complete long layered fine, dark and red fruit with brooding and stalk. Harmonious with subtle pepper pop. Excellent élévage, fine acid. Build in structure and mid-palate grip, giving energy. Playful fun. Excellent comparision with Hauts Châssis’ Saint-Joseph made with no whole bunches. Saturated violet color. Vibrant, spice-tinged dark berry, cherry, potpourri and licorice aromas are sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Fresh blackberry and bitter

$107

$102ea in any 3+

$97ea in any 6+

Museum Release

François Villard Côte-Rôtie ‘Gallet Blanc’ 2016

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie with incredible energy, definition, and intrigue. So many layers of pleasure. François is making stunning wine. From a 20 year old chef to a vigneron with over 30 years experience his wine wisdom shows. Stylistically you'll find great density in his Côte-Rôtie with fruit from the Northen half, the Côte-Brune coming from several Lieux Dits. The Côte-Brune is known to produce more masculine wines that the Côte-Blonde. The 2016 vintage shows a lovely, Classic, balance amongst the

$164

$157ea in any 3+

$150ea in any 6+

François Villard Côte-Rôtie ‘Gallet Blanc’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie with incredible energy, definition, and intrigue. So many layers of pleasure. Personality+ this calls: Drink Me! Drink Me! Perfectly balanced, harmonious, seamless. It draws you in. Exceptional line and length and the tannins are so long, fine and even. Red and dark fruit a little licorice. So fine. Incredible complex savoury roasted barbecued vegetables & a line of earthiness. Perfume of Violets so long. A tiny splash of Viognier. This is exceptional. Would make a fantastic com

$178

$171ea in any 3+

$164ea in any 6+

Domaine des Hauts Châssis

Domaine des Hauts Châssis Crozes Hermitage ‘Les Galets’ 2021

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Crozes-Hermitage

There's Crozes and then there's Crozes - Franck Faugier has made a cracker! Stunning Syrah 🍇 Perfume violets, draws you in with the depth and length of aroma. Beautiful integration finely spiced, with a earthy, seasoned wood from grape not oak rhubarb red fruit. Heart shape complete, beautifully weighted and sophisticated. Excellent drinking. Long fine delicious. Honest wines made by farmers of stone fruit & grapes with bloody good palates Galets are pebbles, the vineyard is covered

$80

$76ea in any 3+

$72ea in any 6+

Domaine des Hauts Châssis Saint-Joseph ‘…..?’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Saint-Joseph, France

Excellent élévage yet so very tight. Graphite mineral thing. Long even tannins, fine vibrant red fruit fresh red cherry. Pure grape first Syrah with much more going on. Lovely shape. Longer finer feel compared with Villard’s Saint-Joseph that uses much more whole bunch. It’s a matter of preference and difference not necessarily quality between the two. More to come from both with a few years in bottle. Excellent Syrah!

$88

$84ea in any 3+

$80ea in any 6+

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Museum Release

François Villard Côte-Rôtie ‘Gallet Blanc’ 2016

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie with incredible energy, definition, and intrigue. So many layers of pleasure. François is making stunning wine. From a 20 year old chef to a vigneron with over 30 years experience his wine wisdom shows. Stylistically you'll find great density in his Côte-Rôtie with fruit from the Northen half, the Côte-Brune coming from several Lieux Dits. The Côte-Brune is known to produce more masculine wines that the Côte-Blonde. The 2016 vintage shows a lovely, Classic, balance amongst the

$164

$157ea in any 3+

$150ea in any 6+

François Villard Côte-Rôtie ‘Gallet Blanc’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie with incredible energy, definition, and intrigue. So many layers of pleasure. Personality+ this calls: Drink Me! Drink Me! Perfectly balanced, harmonious, seamless. It draws you in. Exceptional line and length and the tannins are so long, fine and even. Red and dark fruit a little licorice. So fine. Incredible complex savoury roasted barbecued vegetables & a line of earthiness. Perfume of Violets so long. A tiny splash of Viognier. This is exceptional. Would make a fantastic com

$178

$171ea in any 3+

$164ea in any 6+

André Perret Condrieu ‘Clos Chanson’ 2019

Viognier | Condrieu, France

Viognier is such a unique variety! The perfume intoxicating, the texture caressing! 'Diaphanous yellow. Intense, mineral-accented scents of fresh pear, white peach and violet take on a citrus pith nuance with air. Silky and tightly focused on entry, then deeper on the mid-palate, offering sappy, mineral-driven orchard, pit fruit and Meyer lemon flavors that show noteworthy tension and floral lift. Closes with impressive, spicy persistence, repeating florality and vibrant mineral cut.' Josh Ra

$179

$172ea in any 3+

$165ea in any 6+

André Perret Condrieu ‘Coteau de Chéry’ 2019

Viognier | Condrieu, France

Viognier is such a unique variety! The perfume intoxicating, the texture caressing! A single-vineyard offering from the Coteau de Chéry, one of the appellation’s most valued terroirs. The grapes from these 50yr old vines are fermented in stainless steel (one third) and barrique of which 25% is new oak. The wine is aged for one year on lees in barrique and a further three months in stainless steel before being bottled. Widely known as the King of Condrieu, Andre Perret is considered one of

$179

$172ea in any 3+

$165ea in any 6+

Eric et Joël Durand Cornas ‘Confidence’ 2019

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

The sophistication and depth of tannin here is impressive. Again a lick of cleverly used, integrated oak hiding behind the fruit that will disappear completely with a little time in bottle. The extra year already sees it resolving. Silky, super fine grape tannins run the length of the palate with lingering fruit of energy. The graphite and mineral thing happening. Even with one extra year the complexity is building. Fresh clean and precise wines with plenty more to come. The 2019 Corn

$183

$176ea in any 3+

$169ea in any 6+

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Selection Hermitage Blanche 2019

White Blend | Rhône Valley, France

Erin Cannon-Chave and Jean-Louis Chave’s semi-négociant operation produces the Selection range outside the wines of the family estate. The Selection Hermitage Blanche at a fraction of the price of the estate L'Hermitage Blanc is a hip-pocket friendly intro to just how good whites from the Northern Rhône can be. A blend of Marsanne & Roussane. I couldn't find any reviews. Historically this wine has been strong and moving on an upward quality trend. Just as his reds explores next lev

$189

$182ea in any 3+

$175ea in any 6+

Auguste Clape Cornas ‘Renaissance’ 2016

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

Since 1998, a second Cornas has also been bottled: Renaissance. It’s made from 20 to 25-year-old vines on the Domaine’s best slopes as well as older vines from the lower slopes. An earlier maturing wine than the classique, it should develop for two decades.

$230

Auguste Clape Cornas ‘Renaissance’ 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

I tasted two components that will make up the bulk of the 2020 Cornas Renaissance, both still in foudre. From Patou and 15- to 20-year-old vines, a medium to full-bodied sample featuring mentholated red plum notes, chewy tannins and mouthwatering acids (90 - 92). From Reynard and 30-year-old vines, a medium to full-bodied sample that showed more cassis fruit, silky tannins and great freshness (93 - 95). They should make a lovely Cornas for drinking over the next 10-15 years. Joe Czerwinski, The

$275

$265ea in any 3+

$255ea in any 6+

Auguste Clape Cornas 2016

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

Clape’s masterpiece is, of course, the classic Cornas, precisely blended from five to six cuvées of the oldest vines in the best sites. The backbone comes from Reynard, La Côte and Sabarotte. The old vines here are la Petite Syrah—the old clone considered by many to be the true Syrah—which creates a stunningly deep and complex wine that will develop for decades. By all accounts 2016 is a superb follow up equalling the epic 2015 and will go down as one of Clape's great vintages.

$360

$350ea in any 3+

$340ea in any 6+

Auguste Clape Cornas 2017

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

It's a hat trick for Clape with 2015, 2016 and 2017 all stunning vintages! Clape’s masterpiece is, of course, the classic Cornas, precisely blended from five to six cuvées of the oldest vines in the best sites. The backbone comes from Reynard, La Côte and Sabarotte. The old vines here are la Petite Syrah—the old clone considered by many to be the true Syrah—which creates a stunningly deep and complex wine that will develop for decades.

$360

$350ea in any 3+

$340ea in any 6+

Auguste Clape Cornas 2018

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

Four in a Row for Clape with 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 all stunning vintages! Clape’s masterpiece is, of course, the classic Cornas, precisely blended from five to six cuvées of the oldest vines in the best sites. The backbone comes from Reynard, La Côte and Sabarotte. The old vines here are la Petite Syrah—the old clone considered by many to be the true Syrah—which creates a stunningly deep and complex wine that will develop for decades.

$360

$345ea in any 3+

$330ea in any 6+

Auguste Clape Cornas 2019

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

Five in a Row for Clape with 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 all stunning vintages! Clape’s masterpiece is, of course, the classic Cornas, precisely blended from five to six cuvées of the oldest vines in the best sites. The backbone comes from Reynard, La Côte and Sabarotte. The old vines here are la Petite Syrah—the old clone considered by many to be the true Syrah—which creates a stunningly deep and complex wine that will develop for decades.

$360

$345ea in any 3+

$330ea in any 6+

Auguste Clape Cornas 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

Five in a Row for Clape with 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 all stunning vintages! I tasted four different components of the 2020 Cornas from foudre. From 40-year-old vines in La Côte, a medium to full-bodied sample with attractive menthol, red plum and violet notes, ample structure but a bit short (92 - 94). From 50- to 60-year-old vines in La Sabarotte, an earthier, more savory example, with a rich, velvety texture and crisp acids (93 - 95). From 60- to 70-year-old vines in La Côte, a wine

$390

$370ea in any 3+

$350ea in any 6+

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave ‘L’Hermitage’ Rouge 2020

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, France

The one that makes Grange look like Jacob's Creek! Readers will note that the score range I've provided for Chave's 2020 Hermitage is much broader than typical. That's because my ratings for the numerous barrel samples tasted varied considerably, with one lot scoring as low as (91 - 93), while others were near-perfect (98 - 100). I should be able to provide a more precise picture following my next visit, but it was clear to me that—even more than usual—much will depend on Jean-Louis's skills

$740

Burgundy meets Côte-Rôtie

Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie Lieux-Dits ‘La Belle Hélène’ 2017

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie is often compared to Burgundy for it's detailed vineyard breakdown. Like Burgundy we see dramatic differences in the wines from vineyard to vineyard. Stéphane has a great number of lieux-dits that he works with through the Côte-Blonde (southern part of Côte-Rôtie) and Côte-Brune (northern part of Côte-Rôtie). Stéphane makes wines of greater energy and vibrancy, always on the fresher end of the spectrum. La Belle Hélène from Côte Rozier, a parcel of Stéphane's oldes

$890

$870ea in any 3+

$850ea in any 6+

Burgundy meets Côte-Rôtie

Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie Lieux-Dits ‘La Belle Hélène’ 2018

Shiraz/Syrah | Côte-Rôtie, France

Côte-Rôtie is often compared to Burgundy for it's detailed vineyard breakdown. Like Burgundy we see dramatic differences in the wines from vineyard to vineyard. Stéphane has a great number of lieux-dits that he works with through the Côte-Blonde (southern part of Côte-Rôtie) and Côte-Brune (northern part of Côte-Rôtie). Stéphane makes wines of greater energy and vibrancy, always on the fresher end of the spectrum. La Belle Hélène from Côte Rozier, a parcel of Stéphane's oldes

$1,035

$1015ea in any 3+

$995ea in any 6+