Northern Rhône 2018 report: The top scorers

Northern Rhône 2018

Very hot and dry, resulting in a plentiful ripe crop. Many wines with low acidity and potent alcohol, but those that could achieve balance made impressive wines.

4/5

Scroll down to see Matt’s top Northern Rhône tasting notes and scores

There was regular rain in the North during spring, but much less than in the South and later on – it mostly arrived in late May and June, encouraging rapid plant growth, and raising the spectre of mildew. Pierre Clape of Domaine Clape saw nothing overly serious however, just ‘a little on the whites but not the reds.’Organic growers managed to keep outbreaks at bay without undue worry. Spring was warm, and temperatures continued to rise, culminating in a July and August heatwave. The result was a marked drop in acidity and rapid build up of sugars.As the hot, parched weather continued some vines faced blockages in maturity, but a couple of showers in mid-August helped push the vines over the finish line. The choice of picking date was crucial: ‘In years like this,’ says Jean-Louis Chave, ‘if you leave it too long the ripeness explodes.’ He even picked on a Sunday to ensure they didn’t ripen a day too long.

The result is a rosy-cheeked vintage in the Northern Rhône, with lush, velvety fruits and often high levels of alcohol.

High yields aren’t always associated with quality, but according to Stéphane Montez; ‘if we’d have had half the crop, the alcohol would have been too high – thanks to the yield, it was balanced.’ Christophe Pichon of Domaine Pichon also pointed out that the high yields helped improve overall acidity – if not concentration.

‘Those who opted for a light touch in the cellar this year have made elegant, juicy wines.’

The best reds tended to come from the more northerly vineyards this year – Côte-Rôtie and the northern part of Saint-Joseph – where the wines are rich, but retain good balance and an upright character.

It’s a very ripe and potent year elsewhere, including Cornas, which produced some very impressive wines at the top end. In Crozes-Hermitage it’s a plush, ripe year that’s occasionally a bit over the top. It’s not so good for Hermitage; while a handful of wines impressed, some lacked depth and Hermitage character.

It’s largely a vintage for reds in the Northern Rhône. There are plenty of very good wines in Condrieu to choose from, but buy on recommendation as there are even more that lack the opulence that makes this appellation so distinctive. There are more safe bets in Saint-Péray and Saint-Joseph this year, many of which are generously proportioned but also fresh and drinkable.

Read Matt’s individual commune reports and top buys below

Côte-Rôtie

‘A rich year’, according to Jean-Paul Jamet, which neatly sums it up. Even if the vintage as a whole doesn’t have the charisma and natural harmony of the stellar 2015, it’s nonetheless very good in Côte-Rôtie, ripe and easy-going. Some wines are prone to over-ripeness and unbalanced levels of alcohol however, others over-oaking. They will take time to blossom, but there are some beautiful wines in 2018. The alcohols may be high in 2018, but Stéphane Ogier points out that in 2019 they’re even higher.

Use of stems was commonplace in Côte-Rôtie this year, a growing trend across the Northern Rhône. Christophe Pichon explains they can give ‘a sensation of acidity, and perhaps a little more freshness,’ both of which are welcome in an opulent year like this.

Value picks

Domaine Christophe Billon ‘Les Elotins’ Côte-Rôtie 2018
Domaine Martin Clerc ‘Collet’ Côte-Rôtie 2018
Domaine François Merlin Côte-Rôtie 2018
Domaine Bott Côte-Rôtie 2018

Condrieu

A vintage with more misses than hits, 2018 is on the whole a fairly dilute year, lacking the opulence and fullness that make the wines so irresistible. Yields were very high, leading to a lack of concentration; the scorching weather caused the acidities to drop and a corresponding lack of freshness in the finished wines.

After sifting through 50 examples, a dozen stood out, often the most adept producers with vineyards on the most prestigious terroirs. Domaine Niero in particular made some fantastic wines in 2018, as did Domaine de Monteillet. Not a great vintage by any means in Condrieu, but there are a few very attractive wines if you know where to look.

Value picks

Domaine Aurelien Chataignier Condrieu 2018
Domaine André Perret Condrieu 2018
Domaine Gerin ‘La Loye’ Condrieu 2018

Saint-Joseph

A vintage that was ‘hot, hot, hot’ according to Jean Gonon of Domaine Gonon, but his red hit no more than 13.8% alcohol thanks to the generous yields – 38hl/ha in both red and white in 2018. Yields at Domaine Monier-Perréol were a little lower at just 30hl/ha for their reds, and Guillaume Monier reduced the maceration time nearly by half.

Over-extraction is an occasional problem in 2018 elsewhere, as is over-oaking, with raised levels of alcohol accentuating the aromatic impact of the wood. Those who opted for a light touch in the cellar this year have made elegant, juicy wines.

‘It’s a good year for whites too,’ says Monier, and there are many with a surprisingly fresh demeanour, even if they tend towards a rounded, generous style.

Value picks

Domaine Vincent Paris ‘Les Côtes’ Saint-Joseph rouge 2018
Domaine Jolivet ‘L’Instinct’ Saint-Joseph rouge 2018
Domaine Catherine & Pascal Jamet ‘Tour d’Arras’ Saint-Joseph rouge 2018
Domaine de Monteillet Saint-Joseph blanc 2018

Cornas

Pierre Clape stressed the importance of picking early in 2018 – they started as early as September 12. It’s not an excessively ripe expression at his domaine, but it is elsewhere. More broadly it’s a very full-bodied, extravagant vintage, which can be enjoyably seductive. These characteristics can however occasionally detract from the cut and focus that makes Cornas so appetising.

Those with old vines on assertive terroirs really excelled, balancing the natural richness of the vintage with bristling tannins and a mineral grind.

Value picks

Ferraton ‘Les Grands Mûriers’ Cornas 2018
Domaine Guy Farge ‘Harmonie’ Cornas 2018
Domaine Mucyn ‘Aquilon’ Cornas 2018

Saint-Péray

Hot vintages are rarely the most exciting for white wines in the Rhône; the last truly compelling vintage for whites was 2014. Nonetheless, these are varieties that are adapted to warm climates, and growers in Saint-Péray understand how to get the best out of them even when the mercury rises.

Unsurprisingly the wines of Saint-Péray are on the broad side this year, but there are several with a lovely aromatic freshness that will provide a lot of pleasure when young.

Wines majoring on Marsanne were generally more successful than those based on Roussanne, which often felt a bit gloopy.

Value picks

Domaine Alain Voge ‘Harmonie’ Saint-Péray 2018
Domaine Guy Farge ‘Grain de Silex’ Saint-Péray 2018
Cave de Tain ‘Fleur de Roc’ Saint-Péray 2018

Hermitage

Yields were high in Hermitage in 2018, which might explain in part why some wines lack the depth and concentration expected for a hot vintage.

A lighter style doesn’t necessarily mean disappointing wines, but too many producers have soldiered on with robust extraction and long oak maturation, resulting in some harsh and clumsy reds this year. A concomitant issue appears to be a lack of full ripeness in some of the wines. Those who waited for full physiological ripeness then extracted lightly, such as Jean-Louis Chave, have produced elegant examples.

The best wines of Hermitage this year, both reds and whites, are impressive, displaying good energy, freshness and drinkability if not muscle, but a surprising proportion lack profundity and true Hermitage appeal.

Value picks

Domaine Fayolle Fils & Fille ‘Les Dionnières’ Hermitage rouge 2018
Domaine Yann Chave Hermitage rouge 2018
Cave de Tain ‘Grande Classique’ Hermitage blanc 2018

Crozes-Hermitage

The reds of Crozes-Hermitage this year are ripe, plush and juicy. Many of the wines are technically well-balanced, with plenty of impact and volume, which makes them immediately impressive.

If you’re looking for that bright, peppery, refreshing style of Crozes however, that’s hard to find this year. The majority will be best drunk whilst juicy and vibrant, as many will begin to feel cumbersome as they age.

Reds certainly beat whites this year; with a few honourable exceptions, 2018 is a corpulent vintage for Crozes whites, all too often lacking in freshness and acidity.

Value picks

Domaine Combier ‘Laurent Combier’ Crozes-Hermitage rouge 2018
Domaine du Coulet ‘Et la Bannière’ Crozes-Hermitage rouge 2018
Domaine Melody ‘Friandise’ Crozes-Hermitage rouge 2018
Domaine les 4 Vents Crozes-Hermitage rouge 2018

See Matt’s top Northern Rhône 2018 wines:

Rhône 2018 En Primeur: Full vintage report