Rhône 2022 En Primeur
“Never before has a vintage so confounded my expectations" Decanter
We are delighted to bring you our 2022 Rhône En Primeur campaign. Following a trip to the Northern and Southern Rhone, we have selected our highlights from the 2022 vintage. It is a vintage that defies expectations: in a complete shift from the cold, wet growing season of the 2021 vintage, 2022 was the hottest and driest vintage on record.
We have tasted extensively from this vintage and are thrilled to find that despite the warmth and drought, the wines are surging with energy and freshness. With much lower alcohol levels than you’d expect from a millésime solaire, 2022 demonstrates that the vines and the growers are adapting to the warmer temperatures of the modern world. As Matt Walls at Decanter says, “Never before has a vintage so confounded my expectations… Rather than boozy behemoths, what I often found were middle-weight wines with… moderate alcohol levels”.
From richly fruited, mineral-driven whites to impressively fresh and radiant reds, we loved the happy, balanced brightness we found in the wines featured in this offer. The quality of the 2022 vintage shines across the board and the wines show a softness that will allow them to be enjoyed in the near to medium term.
2022 | Views from the Vineyard
“The 2022 growing season was difficult, but the wines are so easy! They show a lovely volume with plenty of fruit backed up by structure, but they have a linearity and a delicacy that reminds me of the 2016s”
Domaine Clusel Roch
“We as growers are learning how to adapt to the warmer temperatures but so are the vines. The 2022s are balanced and fresh with much lower alcohol levels than one might expect from a millesime solaire”.
Domaine du Colombier
“Terroir and vine age came into play in a big way in 2022. While the younger vines suffered with the solar conditions, our old vines coped well, and the wines show beautiful balance and substance”.
Domaine Rostaing
“The 2022s are elegant and easy, they will give so much pleasure”.
Domaine Font du Vent
NORTHERN RHONE
Domaine Clusel Roch | Ampuis
Burgundy-like finesse is combined with Syrah’s natural muscle in the Côte Rôtie wines of Domaine Clusel Roch. Guillaume Clusel has taken over from his parents and the understated yet complex style synonymous with this estate is still in charming evidence. Nestled below the steep slopes of the Côte Brune, this domaine has been organically certified since 2002 and has some very old parcels of Syrah vines. Meticulous work in the vineyard and delicate handling in the cellar gives wines with much lower alcohol than many of their neighbours.
With some serious terroirs to play with such as La Viallière, Champons and the pièce de résistance, Les Grandes Places, it’s no wonder that this domaine crafts hugely pure and distinctive wines deserving of their place in the canon of Northern Rhône Syrah.
The 2022s from Clusel show an incredible purity. Gleamingly fresh, enticingly fragrant, the wines are almost Pinot-like in their flavour profile and ethereal precision. On the 2022 vintage, Gaëlle from Clusel Roch said: “the growing season was difficult, but the wines are so easy! They show a lovely volume with plenty of fruit backed up by structure, but they have a linearity and a delicacy that reminds me of the 2016s”.
Côtes du Rhône Les Vergers 2022
£170.00 per 6 bottles IB
Les Vergers hails from a tiny plot of 20-year-old vines just outside the Côte Rôtie appellation. It will drink earlier than the estate’s Côte Rôties while still retaining the imprint of fluidity and finesse. In 2022, this cuvée sees 30% whole bunch, and is filled with fresh red fruit peppered with spice, violets and lavender. On the palate, the mouthwatering fruit flavours and white pepper notes are framed by gentle sandy tannins. This is so easy and pure, with lovely volume, and finishing fresh. Drink 2026-2032.
Côte Rôtie Les Schistes 2022
£280.00 per 6 bottles IB
Les Schistes is Clusel Roch’s 'calling card' Côte Rôtie. A traditional blend of 95% Syrah with some old plantings of Viognier and a proportion of whole bunch fermented fruit. It comes from four parcels in the Côte Brune, where both young and old vines are planted on mica-schist soils. Pure and crystalline, the 2022 is full of fresh, red and purple fruits such as strawberry, raspberry and mulberry and fragrant violet. The palate is racy and lifted, it streams along with chalky tannins that glide and grip, ending on a salty, mineral finish. Drink 2026- 2040.
Côte Rôtie Champon 2022
£390.00 per 6 bottles IB
This tiny 0.7 hectare parcel is located in the north of the appellation and is one of the coolest, highest altitude plots on the hill, bordering dense forest. It boasts soils rich in iron and mica-schist and the vines are 45-65 years old. Deep, dark fruits swirl on the nose: griotte cherry, plum, blueberry and blackberry. There’s a good sprinkling of Syrah’s classic white pepper notes here too. Linear, with a laser-like focus on the palate, this 2022 has a straight, vertical backbone and a cooling freshness with wonderfully smooth tannins. Seriously good! Drink 2029-2045.
Côte Rôtie La Viallière 2022
£390.00 per 6 bottles IB
A warmer terroir, La Viallière is a special schist parcel in Côte Brune that is particularly respected amongst Côte Rôtie locals for producing Syrah of notable finesse. In 2022, this beautiful wine is distinctly red fruited, delivering mouthwatering red cherry, raspberry, and delicious, sweet wild strawberries as well as some smoke and sweet spice. Relaxed and easy, the tannins are effortlessly integrated and melt into the peppery red fruit. There is staggering purity here coupled with satisfying breadth. Drink 2028-2045.
Côte Rôtie Grandes Places 2022
£465.00 per 6 bottles IB
From a 1 ha parcel of Syrah planted between the two World Wars, Les Grandes Places is a true Rhône fanatic’s wine and one to patiently cellar. Monolithic at this early stage, the 2022 is tightly coiled; dark fruits, liquorice, rose petal and minerals hover under the surface. The quality of tannin is sensational, providing satin structure to the intense, gleaming fruit. Devastatingly elegant and pure, with salty, iodine notes infusing the long, powerful finish. It always amazes us how this cuvée can be at once so monumental and yet so graceful. A contradiction in terms. Drink 2030-2050.
Domaine Rostaing | Ampuis
Since establishing the domaine in 1971, René Rostaing has worked tirelessly to give the Côte Rôtie the exposure it deserves and, in doing so, has built a reputation as the patriarch of the Northern Rhône. In 2014, René’s son Pierre took on the mantle in what has proved to be a seamless transition. The house recipe remains unchanged: a high proportion of whole bunch fermentation, long macerations and a judicious use of French oak (René has always been adamant you must never be able to taste new oak). The domaine boasts some serious parcels on the Côte Rôtie including holdings on the granite soils of the Côte Blonde and in the famous La Landonne lieu dit.
Terroir and vine age came into play in a big way in 2022, and domaines such as Rostaing triumphed in this vintage thanks to their prized old vine parcels of Côte Rôtie. Pierre Rostaing told us that while young vines suffered in the drought, the deep roots of the old vines found the water they needed. The 2022s are plush, plump and fresh, with Rostaing’s magic touch of well-managed oak that makes it one of the region’s great estates.
Condrieu La Bonnette 2022
£265.00 per 6 bottles IB
From the southwest facing granite lieu dit La Côte Bonnette, which is the first parcel in the Condrieu appellation after the border with Côte Rôtie. This cuvée is vinified in 100% stainless steel to ensure maximum expression of the Viognier fruit. This 2022 is full of apricot, nectarine and fleshy white peach flavours wrapped around white flowers, ground almonds and flecks of pineapple. Rich, yet refreshing, it holds its finesse, and the tingling minerality on the finish leaves a lasting freshness. Drink 2024-2030.
Côte Rôtie Ampodium 2022
£255.00 per 6 bottles IB
A blend of 13 individual lieux dits on the Ampodium (Ampuis) slopes of the Côte Rôtie. Tasting the various components in cask before the final blend with Pierre Rostaing was a thrilling experience and makes us excited to taste the result once in bottle. From the floral, fragrant opulence of the Neve vineyard and the juicy red fruits and garrigue strewn notes of La Viallière, to the racy backbone of Leyat, this 2022 comes together to bring a beautifully polished whole supported by a taut, sophisticated structure. One of the most exciting examples of Ampodium we have ever tasted, it has a long future ahead of it. Drink 2028-2045.
Côte Rôtie La Landonne 2022
£540.00 per 6 bottles IB
A hugely impressive wine and a beautiful expression of Côte Rôtie’s famous La Landonne vineyard. The 2022 shows masses of sweet red cherry, blackberry and soaring violets saturated in Syrah’s alluring smoky, struck match and black olive nuances as well as leather and spice. Expressive, even at this early stage, the palate is smooth thanks to firm, slick tannins that cushion waves of luxurious, intense fruit. Broad shouldered, it finishes powerful and long. Drink 2029-2050.
Remarkably soft on the palate for La Landonne, it doesn't have the same austere impact at this stage as a more classic vintage. Tannins are soft, ripe and not as intense as usual, but it does have length and ripe black fruit, with a graphite element to the tannins. Acidity is on the low side, as is the alcohol. From parcels planted at different times with an average age of 40 years. Drink 2027-2039. 95 points. Matt Walls, Decanter
Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde 2022
£580.00 per 6 bottles IB
A fascinating contrast to La Landonne, the Côte Blonde is bursting with more high-toned red fruit and red floral aromas and flavours, thanks to the white limestone and granite soils of this vineyard. This 2022 is mineral and tensile with a more aerial structure thanks to finer tannins. The finish lingers on sweet red and blue fruits, sweet spice and fresh rose. Very elegant. Drink 2028-2038.
Gently fragrant jasmine and rose, very Côte Blonde in terms of aromatics. Soft, velvety mouthfeel with flavours of blackberry, cassis and more rose. Slightly higher alcohol and lower acidity than a typical year, not as tense and upright as some recent vintages, making for a luxurious, rich style of Côte-Rôtie. Four weeks in tank, 18 months in oak, limited new oak, natural yeasts and as many stems as possible. Drink 2026-2038. 95 points. Matt Walls, Decanter
Domaine André Perret | Chavanay
André Perret has an astonishing gift for producing light-footed, complex Viogniers from the granite soils of Condrieu. Crafting cellar worthy wines from this fickle variety is no easy task but Andre’s sophisticated examples taste delicious both in youth and with bottle age. Since 2020 André has been joined by daughter Marie, who spent time making wine in Chile before coming back to join the family estate. Their 13-hectare estate includes a monumental 3 hectares on the enviably positioned Chéry slope where his old vines (70 years) enjoy a south facing exposition and a crumbly loess topsoil. The small parcel of Clos Chanson is another treasure and gives wines with great energy and verve. From their 5 hectares in St Joseph, they craft a peppery herb-tinged St Joseph Rouge and a pithy St Joseph Blanc, both of which offer excellent value.
Marie Perret talked us through her family’s superb range of 2022s. The Condrieus are staggeringly good, striking the perfect balance between expressive fruit and steely minerality. The St Joseph white and red are just as impressive, showcasing the Perret trademark energising freshness.
Saint Joseph Blanc 2022
£140.00 per 6 bottles IB
The vines used to make this wine are actually planted within Condrieu but André feels that this northern part of the appellation is more suited to Marsanne and Roussanne. Normally a blend of equal parts of both varieties, in 2022 it sees a touch more Marsanne as Roussanne struggled in the 2022 summer heat. It is delicious, balancing a honeyed apricot richness against a steely, mineral freshness. Silky, pure and long, we couldn’t help ourselves going back for another sip. Impossibly good value. Drink 2024-2028.
Saint Joseph Rouge 2022
£115.00 per 6 bottles IB
From grapes grown in the north of the appellation, from the St Joseph hills around Condrieu, this Syrah displays masses of woodland fruits with layers of white pepper and clove, as well as fragrant pine forest. Gleamingly fresh on the palate with plush, easy tannins and a great lick of acidity that provides energy and lift. Drink 2024-2032.
Condrieu Clos Chanson 2022
£270.00 per 6 bottles IB
This south-east facing enclosed vineyard is home to old Viognier vines (55 years+) grown on granitic soils. One third is raised in stainless steel tanks, the other two thirds in oak barrels. It spends 12 months on fine lees with no stirring to retain freshness. This 2022 is redolent of fleshy stone fruits and fresh almonds, with fantastic herbal complexities such as fennel and green tea. So expressive, and with a silky-smooth texture thanks to the clay rich soils of Clos Chanson. It finishes long and mineral, revealing some exotic fruit twists. Drink 2024-2030.
Condrieu Coteau de Chery 2022
£270.00 per 6 bottles IB
From another lieu dit whose vines are 70 years old, the decomposed granite found in this vineyard is sandy and friable, the same soil as you find in Ch Grillet. Fresh orchard fruits, and fragrant white flowers define this 2022 which has a delicately fine texture and intensely mineral palate. The finish is mouthwatering and saline. Gorgeous. Drink 2024-2032.
Domaine du Colombier | Crozes Hermitage
Proudly flying the flag for Crozes Hermitage is Domaine du Colombier where brothers Florent and David Viale cultivate just over 14 hectares of vines as well as a small 1.6 hectare parcel at the top of the Hermitage hill. The Syrah is vinified whole and, so as not to mask the fruit flavours, maturation takes place in large oak tonneaux. Dark and bold, the red wines are enjoyed for their power and their distinctive palette of dark fruits and black olive while their white Hermitage is a very stylish expression of this famous hill.
2022 was the most solaire vintage that winemaker Florent Viale has ever seen, he told us. Yet despite a long, hot, dry summer, the wines are incredibly balanced and fresh, with much more moderate alcohol levels than you’d expect (the whites are no higher than 13% abv). Florent puts this down to both the vines (and him!) adapting to the heat: “The vines are learning how to deal with the heat and are self-adjusting, whereas I myself have learned a lot from these warmer vintages and am adjusting my methods accordingly, from how I work the soil to when I carry out summer pruning".
Florent's 2022s are top-notch, from his fresh, textured whites to his juicy, muscular reds, they are pleasurable, terroir-driven wines that wear their heart on their sleeve. We love them.
Crozes Hermitage Rouge 2022
£110.00 per 6 bottles IB
From the clay-limestone soils, just across the river from the Hermitage hill, this 2022 is a textbook Crozes that is deep, rich and succulent. The palate is bursting with juicy wild strawberries black olive and liquorice. The palate is lively thanks to chalky tannins and a bright freshness. Enjoy in its youth over the next five to ten years. Drink 2025 – 2035.
Hermitage Blanc 2022
£285.00 per 6 bottles IB
From a plot of old Marsanne vines (80 years) planted in the famous Maison Blanche sector, Colombier’s white Hermitage is a wonderfully muscular style of this great vineyard. Tightly wound for now, there are intriguing mineral depths to the rich, savoury fruit, white flowers and dried herbs. Bright and fresh, with a waxy texture and a long luxurious, yet lifted, finish. Drink 2026-2035.
Hermitage Rouge 2022
£285.00 per 6 bottles IB
The Colombier vines lie within the Maison Blanche parcel at the top of the Hermitage hill. The 2022 has spent 18 months in demi-muids, 30% new oak. The first impression is floral and delicate on the nose, but after a few swirls some wonderful rich black fruits join the mix as well as some smoky, meaty nuances. The tannins are firm and smooth, held nicely in place by lithe acidity. We love its dark berry coulis fruit finish. It won’t need too long until it is the perfect wine to pair with a juicy leg of lamb with rosemary. Drink 2028-2039.
Good purity of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, this is smooth and silky, with measured tannins and balanced alcohol. Tannins are fine and ripe, the extraction has been well managed. A long, tapered and elegant Hermitage, not powerful, but charming and drinkable. Spends 18 months in demi-muids, 30% new, the rest one year old. Drink 2029-2037. 93 points. Matt Walls, Decanter
Alain Voge | Cornas
The legendary Alain Voge saldy passed away in 2020 but his legacy shines on. This biodynamic estate remains a reference point for Northern Rhône Syrah under the hand of talented winemaker Lionel Fraisse, who has worked at the estate for many years producing some of the most compelling Cornas you will ever taste.
In Cornas, where the soils are relatively similar, the best results are blends and the domaine has 70 plots split over 7 hectares from which they produce well handled, benchmark examples of the appellation imbued with a smoky and rich black fruit character. As Robert Parker said, some of the greatest bottles of Cornas he has ever had were from this great domaine. The estate is also a leading producer of Saint Péray, making beautiful white wines from precious old-vine Marsanne that thrives in the limestone rich soils found this side of the Rhône River.
Tasting the 2022s with the estate’s charismatic young oenologist Cecile, it was clear that the estate’s treasure trove of old vine Cornas stood them in very good stead. With the reds averaging out at 13% abv, this is by no means a powerhouse vintage at the estate, despite the intense summer heat. The Cornas are defined by their purity and their fragrant floral and wild red berry fruit profile. The Saint-Péray wines are absolutely delicious – their limestone rich, water-retaining terroirs have ensured plenty of freshness and drive in the 2022s, not to mention a mouth-watering minerality.
Saint Peray Ongrie 2022
£160.00 per 6 bottles IB
The estate’s ‘entry-level’ Saint Péray is made from 50–60-year-old Marsanne vines planted on a plot rich in limestone and clay. It imparts a fantastic matière and freshness to the wine, which in 2022 is part fermented in barrel and sees a light battonage. Incredibly easy drinking, it is light and refreshing; peach, tangerine and orchard fruits are layered with honeysuckle and almond. It glides across the palate, ending on salty minerals and lip-smacking fruit. Drinking brilliantly already. Drink 2024-2027.
Saint Peray Fleur de Crussol 2022
£185.00 per 6 bottles IB
These 80-year-old vines on a granite slope, are some of the oldest vines of the appellation and sit at a higher altitude than those of Ongrie. It sees a slightly longer ageing than Ongrie too, 17 months with 20% new oak, which gives an appealing richesse and beeswax edge to the attractive white pear, nectarine, and apricot flavours. Meadow flowers and cream add further complexity, as does the waxy, honeyed texture, finishing lifted and fresh. Tasted from cask, this deserves time to develop, it is a wonderful wine. Drink 2025– 2029.
Cornas Les Chailles 2022
£185.00 per 6 bottles IB
A very true example of this appellation, made with fruit from 6 different locations on the lower slopes of Cornas. Winemaker Lionel destems the grapes for this cuvee, performs a gentle maceration over two weeks in stainless steel before ageing for 18 months in old oak barrels. On the nose, wild forest fruits such as strawberry, ripe blackberry and plum are flecked with pepper, incense and bacon fat. Tightly grained tannins provide a grippy base to the vibrant fruit, which is well balanced and shows pleasing freshness, particularly on the finish. Drink 2026-2035.
Cornas Vieilles Vignes 2022
£265.00 per 6 bottles IB
The 60 to 80 year old vines that make up this cuvée sit in the heart of the appellation of Cornas, in four different lieux dits that enjoy the traditional granite soils. In 2022, Lionel used about 15% whole bunch in this cuvee as they managed to attain good ripeness in the vineyard. It saw 20 months ageing with 15% new oak. A tantalising perfume of violets, lavender and blackberry, with touches of bay leaf, black olive and vanilla pod. On the palate, slick tannins provide texture and framework to the fruit. It finishes floral and pure. Drink 2027-2038.
SOUTHERN RHONE
Domaine Le Clos des Cazaux | Vacqueyras
Brothers Jean-Michel and Frédéric Vache are the fifth generation of winemakers in their family and tend to their vines with passion and precision. Their holdings lie in Vacqueyras and Gigondas nestled below the foothills of the jagged spurs of the Dentelles de Montmirail. With no oak maturation, these Grenache based blends convey a sense of place with great ease. A long maceration and an extended élevage give the wines their signature density and purity of fruit.
The warm, dry 2022 confounded expectations at Clos des Cazaux, as it did at many addresses, bringing fresh, bright, balanced wines with moderate alcohol levels. Jean-Michel Vache explained to us that usually his Gigondas and Vacqueyras are nearer 15% abv but in 2022 they’re only 14.2%. There is certainly a beautiful vibrancy in this vintage, as well as a delicious crystalline, fresh fruit profile and garrigue- infused complexity, their soft, chalky structures complemented by a taut, mineral backbone. They’ll bring great pleasure.
Vacqueyras Cuvée St Roch 2022
£80.00 per 6 bottles IB
A blend of 65% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre, this cuvée sees no oak as Jean-Michel and Fréderic prefer to vinifiy and mature in stainless steel so as not to mask the fruit and terroir. The 2022 is rather Pinot Noir-like in its fruit profile, mixing high-toned strawberry and raspberry fruits with some blackberry and blueberry. There are some peppery, garrigue undertones to the succulent fruit which has a sweeping freshness on the palate backed up chalky tannins. In 2022 cuvée St Roch has lower alcohol levels than usual, which you can feel in its agility and lithe structure. A true pleasure to drink. Drink 2025-2029.
Gigondas La Tour Sarrasine 2022
£95.00 per 6 bottles IB
This cuvée follows the same winemaking policy as the Vacqueyras Cuvée St Roch, raised solely in stainless steel to achieve maximum brightness and terroir-transparency. The youngest vines are 50 years old, and many are much older and come from a vineyard carpeted in pudding stones. It is these stones that gives this gorgeous Gigondas its compelling substance. Vibrant red and black fruits have a blackcurrant leaf freshness as well as plenty of spiced nuances. Purity and power make a heavenly combination here. Drink 2025-2032.
Domaine Font du Vent | Châteauneuf du Pape
Owned by the Gonnet family, this extensive estate was previously known as Font de Michelle after the eponymous lieu-dit in Châteauneuf du Pape. A change in legislation means that the name is no longer protected and so a decision was made to rebrand. The winemaking remains impeccable, and this re-christened estate continues to produce consistently excellent Châteauneuf.
Guillaume Gonnet has taken the reins from his parents with impressive assurance and guides this historic domaine with modern innovation. The family recently acquired an additional 15 hectares on the other side of the La Crau, planted with some younger Syrah vines as well as some older Grenache and Mourvèdre to complement their 50 to 100+ year old vines that grow in the southeast of the appellation. Guillaume has also been busy overseeing the conversion to organic and biodynamic practices across the entire estate.
In 2022, a localised hailstorm in Chateauneuf du Pape caused mayhem in one of the in the appellation’s most prized vineyards in the famous La Crau plateau. The Gonnet family lost most of their crop. A small solace was that the small amount of fruit left to pick come harvest time was beautifully concentrated. Due to the small quantities, in 2022 the family made just two cuvées: their emblematic Font du Vent Tradition and, for the first time ever, a single vineyard wine, the Font de Michelle La Réserve. Quantities might be tiny, but the family can delight in the outstanding quality that their centenarian vines have given them.
Châteauneuf du Pape Font du Vent Tradition Rouge 2022
£150.00 per 6 bottles IB
On 14th August 2022, a violent tornado ripped through Châteauneuf, decimating crops just two weeks before harvest. Guillaume recounted his heartbreak at seeing the losses in the famed La Crau vineyard where the hail was localised. For this reason, Guillaume produced just two cuvees in 2022 and no white wines at all. Despite the painfully small harvest, Guillaume was relieved to see that what little he harvested arrived at the winery in wonderful condition, and he is lucky to have produced a beautiful Châteauneuf in a year where some were unable to produce any at all. This 2022 mixes sweet red cherries with darker forest fruits such as blackberry and blackcurrant. It is an elegant, easy style with herbal, garrigue complexities and a sleek depth to the gleaming fruit. Drink 2025-2030.
Châteauneuf du Pape Font de Michelle La Réserve 2022
£200.00 per 6 bottles IB
With the hail destroying most of the crop on the La Crau plateau in 2022, Guillaume took the decision to make a small quantity of single vineyard Châteauneuf from this plot. The blend is 85% Grenache with some Cinsault, Mourvèdre and a small scattering of white varieties too, all raised in demi-muids. Fragrant autumn bramble fruits grace the nose of this gorgeous 2022, which is graceful and refined. On the palate, cassis, redcurrant, smoke, and spice nestle on a soft veneer of tannins. The texture is beautifully fine and there is an elegant lightness of touch to the well-delineated finish. Drink 2026-2032.
Famille Perrin’s Selection Parcellaires
We have long admired and championed the wines of the Famille Perrin, the winemaking dynasty behind the inimitable Chateau de Beaucastel. Passionate about organic and biodynamic viticulture, the Perrins are leading the charge in sustainability. On our most recent visit, they were in the throes of constructing a new state-of-the-art winemaking facility at Beaucastel. An architectural tour de force with an ecological focus, when finished this trailblazing design means they will be entirely self-sufficient, harnessing the power of the famous Mistral wind for all of their energy consumption.
But there is so much more to the Perrin family than Beaucastel; in the last twenty years they have established a strong foothold in Gigondas making seriously good wines from prime terroirs. Made in the Beaucastel way and produced in much tinier quantities, the Selection Parcellaires is Famille Perrin’s collection of ‘jewel in the crown’ single vineyard wines. They come from the family’s enviable holdings in some of the most distinctive Crus in the Rhône, including pre-phylloxera vines in Gigondas and 90-year-old vines in Vinsobres. We are delighted to receive a small allocation en primeur that will give so much pleasure to lovers of the Southern Rhône.
Vinsobres Les Hauts de Julien Vieilles Vignes 2022
£140.00 per 6 bottles IB
From a steep terraced vineyard co-planted with 100-year-old Syrah and Grenache, Vinsobres is the most northerly, coolest appellation of the Southern Rhône and thus very well suited to the cultivation of Syrah. The 2022 is a 50/50 blend of Syrah and Grenache and both the varieties are fermented together to let the terroir truly speak for itself. It sees about 15% French oak which gives a smoky nuance and structure to the cooler-fruited flavour profile of black cherry, black raspberry, and plum. Incense, mocha, spice cake and kirsch add further complexity to a tightly wound core of rich fruit and slick, fine-grained tannins. Impressively long and built to age. Just five cases available. Drink 2027-2037.
Domaine du Clos du Tourelles Gigondas 2022
£240.00 per 6 bottles IB
From a 10-hectare walled plot in the heart of the village of Gigondas, Clos du Tourelles is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvèdre. The sandy, limestone rich mid-slopes of this old vineyard produce a wine of astonishing complexity and texture – smoky black cherry and fig with whiffs of lavender, bresaola, liquorice, and bitter chocolate are spread across grippy but remarkably polished tannins that build up slowly. On the finish, the 2022 stretches out long with a dark and plummy finish. Whole bunch and spontaneous fermentation with 15 months ageing in oak casks, this wine is made in tiny quantities in a cellar situated in the centre of the village underneath the high-street. Drink 2027-2034.
Gigondas L'Argnée Vieilles Vignes 2022
£240.00 per 6 bottles IB
From the south-western end of the appellation, L'Argnée comes from a sandy, one-hectare vineyard of pre-phylloxera vines that are now over a century old! The old vines here produce miniscule yields due to their age and production is just 1,500 bottles. The team choose to whole bunch press and mature for 12-months in foudres for enhanced vineyard expression, allowing the terroir to shine through. We were unable to taste on our visit to Beaucastel as the wine was still in cask at the Gigondas cellar, but we have no doubt that it will be phenomenal – we have just 5 cases to offer.
**Please note that the 2022 vintage of Ch de Beaucastel and Coudoulet de Beaucastel will be offered once bottled in the winter of 2024**
Built with Shorthand