Rhône 2019: Top 25 white wines
In a region dominated by red wines, the Rhône's impressive canon of whites should not be overlooked. How did the region's white wines fare in 2019? Matt Walls reviews his top 25, scoring 95 points and above.
The 2019 vintage across the Rhône Valley was marked by heat and drought. The heat spikes weren’t quite so high in the northern part of the region but you can feel sun in the wines whether they are from the north or south, writes Matt Walls in his vintage report.
Looking at the 2019 white wines from across the Rhône, Walls found some superb examples.
Scroll down to see Matt’s top 2019 Rhône whites tasting notes and scores
Down south
‘White wines often excel in cooler vintages such as 2014,’ writes Walls in his notes on the southern Rhône. ‘But I was surprised at the quality of many of the whites this year, they have a surprising intensity for such a hot year. Again, it’s Châteauneuf that leads the pack, with good value options in Vacqueyras, Cairanne and Lirac.’
With the exception of some of the Châteauneufs, the whites should be drunk straight away, he adds, to best enjoy their ‘youthful vigour and exotic fruit’.
Looking specifically at white Châteauneuf he finds lots to enjoy this year. ‘There are plenty of fresh and lively wines considering the intense climatic conditions.’
Elsewhere in the south there are some very good ‘plump yet fresh’ whites to be found in Lirac. Two of which Domaine Pelaquié’s ‘Luc Pélaquié’ and Les Vignobles Assemat’s Lirac scored 91 points.
Heading north
In the north of the region Walls concludes that in 2019, Marsanne and Roussanne performed better than Viognier. ‘Hermitage is head and shoulders above other Northern Rhône whites,’ he says, ‘but there are some enjoyable wines to be found in Saint-Joseph at more accessible prices. It was an awkward year in Condrieu and Saint-Péray; there are some good wines, but buy with care.’
Among the top-scoring white wines of the vintage are five from Condrieu. ‘Most growers had to make an impossible choice this year in Condrieu, as sugar levels spiralled upwards while flavour ripeness lagged far behind,’ writes Walls.
‘As a result, most of the Condrieus I tasted from 2019 fell into one of two camps. Some had underdeveloped grassy flavours, tarragon and lemon verbena, but were otherwise fresh and balanced. The others had good depth and concentration, but were noticeably alcoholic, gloopy or had very low acidity. Both can be good in their own way; but this isn’t a great vintage for Condrieu.’
‘There are a handful of really delicious wines, and it’s the riper styles that will deliver the most satisfaction, even if the alcohol levels are raised. The best sites really rose to the top, managing to balance the natural opulence of the year with saltiness and minerality.’
Hermitage, meanwhile, may be a vintage for reds but the white Hermitage is surprisingly good too. At best the whites were ‘rich and opulent with low acidity, even for Hermitage,’ finding ‘a sense of balance through their concentration and intensity.’
See Matt’s best Rhône 2019 white wines
The following list comprises wines that scored 95 points and above.
See also
Rhône 2019 En Primeur: Full report
Southern Rhône 2019 report plus top scoring wines
Northern Rhône 2019 report plus top scoring wines
Château-Grillet, Château-Grillet, Rhône, France, 2019
A real burst of fresh apricot and peach, lemon verbena and green tea. Impressively full-bodied and round in the mouth, this has the real salt...
2019
Château-GrilletChâteau-Grillet
E Guigal, Ex-Voto, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
A dense, aromatically imposing wine despite the fact it's fairly closed at this early stage, giving little away. Very full-bodied indeed, full of fat and...
2019
E GuigalHermitage
M Chapoutier, L'Ermite, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
Very opulent for L’Ermite with a lower acidity than normal. The granitic freshness really helps in this vintage and you can somehow smell the saltiness....
2019
M ChapoutierHermitage
Alain Jaume & Fils, La Fontaine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
Very smart indeed - fresh, perfectly balanced and a great expression of Roussanne - it captures its power, shows its affinity with oak, displays its...
2019
Alain Jaume & FilsChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Château La Nerthe, Clos de Beauvenir, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
A quintessential expression of white Châteauneuf here. There's some dried pear and quince at its core, but the wine is dry and finishes long. Well-balanced...
2019
Château La NertheChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Clos des Papes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
Low acidity, a little on the heavy side with pear, tarragon, quince, anise and touches of grapefruit and lemon verbena on the finish. Good length...
2019
Clos des PapesChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Le Clos du Caillou, Les Safres, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
A refined and subtle Châteauneuf blanc, it's broad and full-bodied of course but it has a real inner finesse and precision. Very fresh, no excess...
2019
Le Clos du CaillouChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Le Vieux Donjon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
Pale coloured, the tiniest hint of pink. This is a delightfully fresh, floral, light and perfumed style, no artifice or oak influence on the nose....
2019
Le Vieux DonjonChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Cave de Tain, Au Coeur des Siècles, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
Honey, preserved lemon, and lanolin on the nose. The palate is layered with hazelnuts, juicy tropical fruit and vanilla. The finish feels endless, with lifted...
2019
Cave de TainHermitage
Domaine JL Chave, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
A tasting of barrel samples of different lieux-dits: Les Rocoules, Péléat and Ermite paint a picture of an exceptionally rich and opulent white Hermitage, with...
2019
Domaine JL ChaveHermitage
Ferraton Père & Fils, Le Reverdy, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
A little buttered popcorn on the nose from the oak, over the pear and yellow plum fruit. There's some ingrained vanilla too. Full-bodied, rounded and...
2019
Ferraton Père & FilsHermitage
M Chapoutier, Le Méal Blanc, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
A rich and textural style with a gently smoky element running through it. Fresher than de l'Orée this year, but still massively rich and concentrated...
2019
M ChapoutierHermitage
Château de Beaucastel, Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
Very powerful, rich and generous on the palate. The acidity is low, even for this cuvée, but there is an inner freshness. The oak is...
2019
Château de BeaucastelChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Château de Vaudieu, Les Clairettes de Gabriel, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
This has a smoky, spicy nose with all the softness of Clairette behind. The oak regime is robust, but unusually this Clairette has the concentration...
2019
Château de VaudieuChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Château de Vaudieu, Clos du Belvédère, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
Charming, elegant, fresh aromatics, not terribly pronounced currently but it’s still very young. Citrus notes come with air. The oak is important here and it’s...
2019
Château de VaudieuChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de Cristia, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
This is complex and complete with a compelling nose. Very round and full-bodied, well balanced, fresh and vibrant with Good length. The oak is certainly...
2019
Domaine de CristiaChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Julien Masquin, Montplaisir, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2019
Wonderful nose, so open and expressive. Lively and direct, really vivid and mineral. Very tight for now but it certainly wakes you up. Long, with...
2019
Julien MasquinChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Stéphane Montez du Monteillet, La Grillette, Condrieu, Rhône, France, 2019
Stéphane Montez says the cuvée is called La Grillette because it always has 'grilled notes (grillé), and notes of violet (violette)'. However it does so...
2019
Stéphane Montez du MonteilletCondrieu
Château-Grillet, La Carthery, Château-Grillet, Rhône, France, 2019
Made from a few rows of Viognier in AOC Condrieu that are situated at the top of the Chateau-Grillet amphitheatre and owned until recently by...
2019
Château-GrilletChâteau-Grillet
Clos de la Bonnette, Légende Bonnetta, Condrieu, Rhône, France, 2019
There's freshness, depth and a richness of aroma here that many Condrieu lack in 2019. Very full-bodied and rich, but with enough acidity and freshness...
2019
Clos de la BonnetteCondrieu
Stéphane Montez du Monteillet, Chanson, Condrieu, Rhône, France, 2019
Remarkably good acidity and depth of fruit. Not quite as elegant as some years, but very good for the vintage. Very rich, round and opulent,...
2019
Stéphane Montez du MonteilletCondrieu
Stéphane Ogier, La Combe de Malleval, Condrieu, Rhône, France, 2019
Lemon verbena and apricot. Soft, juicy, with a touch of apricot skin to the green tea and white flowers. It's opulent but not massive, with...
2019
Stéphane OgierCondrieu
Cave de Tain, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
Poached pear on the nose, with depth of fruit, freshness and intensity on the palate. This is a little keener and more energetic than most...
2019
Cave de TainHermitage
Delas Frères, Domaine des Tourettes, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
A fresh, fine, direct fragrance - quince, pear and plum. Very rounded and generous on the palate, a little on the fat side. This has...
2019
Delas FrèresHermitage
Fayolle Fils & Fille, Les Diognières, Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2019
Relatively pale for a white Hermitage. Plenty of interest on the nose: fresh pear, a touch of vanilla pod and white flowers. Full-bodied but only...
2019
Fayolle Fils & FilleHermitage
