Rhône 2020: best-value wines
Having tasted over 1,200 wines for his vintage report, Matt Walls highlights his value Rhône 2020 picks which should offer excellent quality for the price.
In his Rhône 2020 vintage report Matt Walls found fresh, vibrant and deliciously drinkable wines across the Northern and Southern appellations, with many wines being approachable now.
Given that many wines won’t last as long as previous vintages such as 2016, 2017 and 2019, this could make the 2020s great value picks for immediate drinking.
Scroll down to see Matt’s best-value Rhône 2020 tasting notes and scores
Walls noted that this is the freshest vintage for whites since 2014, so lovers of white Rhône should seek out white Vacqueras, which are concentrated and energetic, and white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. White Crozes-Hermitage wines have vibrant and zesty aromatics and are particularly good value for money.
Rhône 2020 wines priced under £30 scoring 91+ points:
Cave de Tain, Fleur de Roc, St-Péray 2020 – £22 (based on 2019 prices)
Cave Julien Cécillon, Gemini, St-Péray 2020 – £20
Domaine Bernard Gripa, Blanc, St-Joseph, 2020 – £27.50 (based on 2019 prices)
Domaine Faury, Blanc, St-Joseph, 2020 – £24.25 (based on 2019 prices)
Domaine Faury, Hedonism Rouge, St-Joseph, 2020 – £23.13 (based on 2019 prices)
Domaine Jolivet, L’Instinct Rouge, St-Joseph, 2020 – £23.68
Domaine Gaylord Machon, La Fille Dont J’ai Rêvé Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020 – £24.95 (based on 2019 prices)
La Bastide St-Dominique, Chapelle, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020 – £26.99 (based on 2019 prices)
Château Sixtine, Cuvée du Vatican, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020 – £24
Château des Roques, Cuvée Blanche, Vacqueyras, 2020 – £19.95 (based on 2019 prices)
Château la Croix des Pins, Les Dessous des Dentelles, Gigondas, 2020 – £24 (based on 2019 prices)
Domaine des Amadieu, Garrigues, Cairanne, 2020 – £15.95 (based on 2019 prices)
Domaine Lafond, Blanc, Lirac, 2020 – £15.50
Domaine les Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé Beige, Tavel, 2020 – £16.95
Domaine Maby, Prima Donna, Tavel, 2020 – £12.50
See the Rhône 2020 full vintage report and top-scoring wines
See all 400 Rhône 2020 tasting notes and scores
Best-value Rhône 2020 wines by appellation
Below is Matt Walls’ list of some of the best-value Rhône 2020 wines.
Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu
Domaine Christophe Billon, Les Matisses, Condrieu 2020
Domaine Niero, Les Ravines, Condrieu 2020
Domaine Xavier Gérard, Arbuel, Condrieu 2020
Domaine du Monteillet, Fortis, Côte-Rôtie 2020
Domaine Faury, Revinescence, Côte-Rôtie 2020
Domaine Xavier Gérard, Côte-Rôtie 2020
Cornas and St-Péray
Cave de Tain, Fleur de Roc, St-Péray 2020
Cave Julien Cécillon, Gemini, St-Péray 2020
Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Montis, St-Péray 2020
Domaine Mucyn, Hypsos, Cornas 2020
Domaine Vincent Paris, Granit 30, Cornas 2020
Dumien-Serrette, Patou, Cornas 2020
St-Joseph
Domaine Bernard Gripa, Blanc, St-Joseph, 2020
Domaine Faury, Blanc, St-Joseph, 2020
Vignobles Chirat, Chays d’Oeuvre Blanc, St-Joseph, 2020
Domaine Faury, Hedonism Rouge, St-Joseph, 2020
Domaine Jolivet, L’Instinct Rouge, St-Joseph, 2020
Domaine Martine & Christian Rouchier, La Chave Rouge, St-Joseph, 2020
Hermitage
Domaine Belle, Blanc, Hermitage, 2020
Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Les Diognières Blanc, Hermitage, 2020
Ferraton Père & Fils, Les Miaux Blanc, Hermitage, 2020
Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Les Diognières, Hermitage, 2020
Ferraton Père & Fils, Les Miaux, Hermitage, 2020
Tardieu-Laurent, Hermitage, 2020
Crozes-Hermitage
Domaine Betton, Circé Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020
Domaine Gaylord Machon, La Fille Dont J’ai Rêvé Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020
Domaine Vendome, Les Pinets Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020
Domaine de la Ville Rouge, Inspiration, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020
Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Sens, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020
Domaine Melody, Friandise, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Château de la Gardine, Tradition Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020
Clos du Mont-Olivet, Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020
La Bastide St-Dominique, Chapelle, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020
Château Sixtine, Cuvée du Vatican, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020
Domaine Font de Courtedune, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020
Domaine Porte Rouge, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020
Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise
Château des Roques, Cuvée Blanche, Vacqueyras, 2020
Domaine La Fourmone, Le Fleurantine Blanc, Vacqueyras, 2020
Domaine du Terme, Vacqueyras, 2020
Château la Croix des Pins, Les Dessous des Dentelles, Gigondas, 2020
Domaine du Gour de Chaulé, Tradition, Gigondas, 2020
Domaine de la Ferme St Martin, Les Terres Jaunes, Beaumes de Venise, 2020
Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres
Domaine Alary, L’Estevenas Blanc, Cairanne, 2020
Domaine A. Berthet-Rayne, Castel Mireio Blanc, Cairanne, 2020
Domaine des Amadieu, Garrigues, Cairanne, 2020
Domaine Pique-Basse, Rasteau, 2020
Domaine Constant-Duquesnoy, Vinsobres, 2020
Domaine Chaume Arnaud, Vinsobres, 2020
Lirac & Tavel
Domaine Castel Oualou, Blanc, Lirac, 2020
Domaine Lafond, Blanc, Lirac, 2020
Domaine les Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé Beige, Tavel, 2020
Domaine Maby, Prima Donna, Tavel, 2020
Château de Montfaucon, Lirac, 2020
Domaine Coudoulis, Dédicace, Lirac, 2020
See tasting notes and scores for Matt Walls’ best-value Rhône 2020 wines:
Related content:
Rhône 2020 En Primeur: full vintage report and top-scoring wines
Rhône 2020 score table
St-Joseph 2020: report and top-scoring wines
La Bastide St-Dominique, Chapelle, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Orange blossom and pear, with macadamia and blonde tobacco from the discrete oak. This has breadth, but also a light touch on your tongue. The...
2020
La Bastide St-DominiqueChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Cave Julien Cécillon, Gemini, St-Péray, Rhône, France, 2020
Quite deeply coloured compared to the other 2020 Saint-Pérays. Rich aromas of exotic fruits, mango and star fruit. Full-bodied, opulent but not heavy, with good...
2020
Cave Julien CécillonSt-Péray
Château des Roques, Cuvée Blanche, Vacqueyras, Rhône, France, 2020
Noticeably full-bodied, but has the intensity, concentration of flavour and acidity to back it up. Juicy but dry, bright and gently tense, with just a...
2020
Château des RoquesVacqueyras
Domaine Faury, St-Joseph, Rhône, France, 2020
Musky lime on the nose. Middleweight style, this is fresh and precise with good acidity. Vibrant and zesty on the finish, making for a bright...
2020
Domaine FaurySt-Joseph
Cave de Tain, Fleur de Roc, St-Péray, Rhône, France, 2020
Orange blossom with subtle honeycomb edging. Medium- to full-bodied for the vintage, this has lovely sappy acidity running through it. A consistently very good cuvée...
2020
Cave de TainSt-Péray
Domaine Bernard Gripa, St-Joseph, Rhône, France, 2020
A little custard on the nose, crème anglaise and white flowers. Medium-bodied, with a lovely sense of lift and freshness to the aromatics, accentuated by...
2020
Domaine Bernard GripaSt-Joseph
Domaine Lafond, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Full-bodied, rich and fat on the palate, then neatens up on the finish with a nip of positive bitterness. Long finish, with some refreshing herbal...
2020
Domaine LafondLirac
Domaine Gaylord Machon, La Fille Dont J'ai Rêvé, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2020
Great intensity and presence on the nose, then power and concentration on the palate. The acidity is gentle, but the wine feels harmonious, with plenty...
2020
Domaine Gaylord MachonCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine des Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé Beige, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Assertive red fruits, some blackberry even. Full-bodied, full of flavour, powerful and structured, typically and proudly Tavel with a long finish. Good freshness and focus....
2020
Domaine des CarabiniersTavel
Domaine Maby, Prima Donna, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Full-bodied, plenty of strawberry and raspberry flavours, a strong beam of acidity and a fresh, structured finish. Classic Tavel, very good.
2020
Domaine MabyTavel
Château la Croix des Pins, Les Dessous des Dentelles, Gigondas, Rhône, France, 2020
Immediately more interesting than most Gigondas in 2020, there's detail and precision on the nose, with some intriguing spice notes. Full-bodied, with soft sweet plum...
2020
Château la Croix des PinsGigondas
Château Sixtine, Cuvée du Vatican, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Rounded, gentle, softly structured but with fresh, crunchy fruit. Not a particularly big or powerful Châteauneuf, but a well balanced one. Not giving much away...
2020
Château SixtineChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine des Amadieu, Garrigues, Cairanne, Rhône, France, 2020
Rich, full and deep, with softly ripe but bold tannins. More depth than most Cairannes this year, showing concentrated, unctuous, powerful berry fruit, and it's...
2020
Domaine des AmadieuCairanne
Domaine Jolivet, L'Instinct, St-Joseph, Rhône, France, 2020
There's a gently herbal, earthy side to the black fruits that gives this wine personality. Not overly full-bodied, there's some space in the wine. Clear,...
2020
Domaine JolivetSt-Joseph
