Rhône 2019 En Primeur: Full report

In Brief: Rhône 2019 En Primeur Northern Rhône 2019 4/5 A very hot, dry growing season resulting in some rich, opulent reds – sometimes overripe and alcoholic. Côte-Rôtie leads the pack, with Hermitage not far behind. Southern Rhône 2019 4.5/5 A swelteringly hot, very dry year that was surprisingly successful, especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, both reds and whites. Elsewhere there are mixed results; some excellent wines, others with unbalanced alcohol or tough tannins. ‘I would not describe 2019 as a ‘great vintage’ - it’s a vintage of localised greatness. ’ [subscriber-content]In September 2019, I took a dusty stroll through the vineyards of Gigondas. The hottest days of the year had passed, but it was still sweltering. I looked down at the bunches. There were thick, dark, leathery patches on the grapes where they were burnt by the sun. I’ll be honest with you: I wasn’t holding out much hope for this vintage. I was worried it might be a rerun of the overrated, jammy 2003. Scroll down for Matt's top scoring Rhône 2019 tasting notes and scores But on tasting the wines in October, my expectations were confounded; 2019 is a powerful, ripe vintage, but in places it’s thrillingly vibrant. Some winemakers I spoke to in the Southern Rhône even put the 2019s on a par with the stunning 2016s and 2010s. After tasting over 1,300 wines across the region, I’m not sure I’d agree. In 2016 it was hard to find a bad wine; even indifferent winemakers had good wines thrust upon them by the perfect growing season. The 2019 vintage isn’t like that. There are many unbalanced wines. But it’s a vintage that presented talented vignerons with a window of opportunity; those with good terroir and the means to react quickly and judiciously have made some phenomenal wines. So I would not describe 2019 as a ‘great vintage’ - it’s a vintage of localised greatness. In both the Southern and the Northern Rhône, the 2019s are a step up from the 2018s. But 2019 is a better vintage in the south than the north. Grenache and Mourvèdre love to bask in the sun, but Syrah prefers a more moderate climate. It may sit at a higher latitude, but in the Northern Rhône the heat of the vintage feels more uncomfortably apparent. Skip over the unbalanced wines, however, and there are some real treats to be found – especially in Côte-Rôtie. Quick links

Northern Rhône report and top scoring wines

Individual appellation analysis and top-scoring wines:

Côte-Rôtie Condrieu and Château-Grillet Saint-Joseph Cornas Saint-Péray Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage

Quick links

Southern Rhône report and top scoring wines

Individual appellation analysis and top-scoring wines:

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres Lirac & Tavel

[breakout] Best Producers in 2019: Northern Rhône Côte-Rôtie Domaine Benjamin et David Duclaux Domaine Christophe Billon Domaine François et Fils Domaine Jamet Domaine Rostaing Domaine Stéphane Ogier E. Guigal Condrieu and Château-Grillet Château-Grillet Clos de la Bonnette Domaine François Merlin Domaine de Monteillet Cave Yves Cuilleron Saint-Joseph E. Guigal Domaine Gonon Domaine Guy Farge Domaine J.L. Chave M. Chapoutier Pierre Gaillard Vignobles Chirat Cornas Domaine A&E Verset Ferraton Père et Fils Domaine Vincent Paris Saint-Péray Domaine Alain Voge Domaine de Lorient Hermitage Delas Frères E. Guigal Ferraton Père et Fils Domaine J.L. Chave Domaine Laurent Fayolle M. Chapoutier Domaine Yann Chave Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Aléofane Domaine Esprit Domaine Laurent Fayolle Domaine Laurent Habrard Domaine Marc Sorrel M. Chapoutier Southern Rhône Châteauneuf-du-Pape Château de Beaucastel Clos des Papes Le Clos du Caillou Domaine de Cristia Château la Nerthe Le Vieux Donjon Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise Domaine des Bosquets Domaine de Longue Toque Moulin de la Gardette Château de Saint Cosme Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux Domaine du Terme Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres Domaine Alary Domaine des Amadieu Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Domaine les Grands Bois Domaine la Luminaille Domaine Roche Lirac & Tavel Château d'Aqueria Domaine Coudoulis Domaine la Lôyane Château de Montfaucon Les Vignobles Assemat [/breakout] The wines below all scored 97 points or above. Of the remaining 420 wines tasted for this report, 35 scored 96 points, 45 scored 95 points and 57 scored 94 points. [/subscriber-content] See Matt's top scoring Rhône 2019 tasting notes and scores [wine-collection] You may also like Producer profile: Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe plus 15 wines tasted Rare vertical tasting: Domaine les Cailloux’s Cuvée Centenaire 1989-2016