Rhône 2021: best value wines
Having tasted over 1,200 wines for his vintage report, Matt Walls picks his top value wines from both the northern and southern Rhône in 2021.
Severe frost in early April wreaked havoc across both the northern and southern appellations of the Rhône Valley in 2021, with many producers losing a large majority of their crop.
The reds that did materialise tend towards lean, green flavours, because grapes struggled to ripen. A few producers struck lucky, with late-budding varieties or pockets of vineyard less affected by frost.
St-Joseph, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise offer particularly good value this year.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Matt Walls’ best value Rhône 2021 wines
See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores
See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines
Rhône 2021: best value wines at a glance
Northern Rhone
Domaine Garon, Blanc, St-Joseph
M Chapoutier, Haut Chamblard, St-Péray
Domaine François Merlin, Rouge, St-Joseph
Domaine Guy Farge, Harmonie, Cornas
Domaine Lionel Faury, La Gloriette Rouge, St-Joseph
Southern Rhône
Domaine A Berthet-Rayne, Castel Mireio Blanc, Cairanne
Domaine la Ligière, Chemin Blanc, Vacqueyras
Château Redortier, Rouge, Beaumes de Venise
Domaine des Bernardins, Rouge, Beaumes de Venise
Le Clos de Caveau, Fruit Sauvage Rouge, Vacqueyras
See also:
Northern Rhône 2021 full report and top-scoring wines
Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu | St-Joseph | Cornas and St-Péray | Hermitage | Crozes-Hermitage
See also:
Southern Rhône 2021 full report and top-scoring wines
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise | Rasteau, Cairanne and Vinsobres | Lirac and Tavel
Rhône 2021 score tables:
All top Rhône 2021 score table
Top-scoring southern Rhône 2021 score table
Top-scoring northern Rhône 2021 score table
Rhône 2021: best value wines by appellation:
Below is a list of some of the best value wines within their appellation.
Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu
Benjamin & David Duclaux, La Chana, Côte-Rôtie
Domaine Burgaud, Côte-Rôtie
Domaine François Merlin, Côte-Rôtie
Domaine Garon, Les Triotes, Côte-Rôtie
Domaine Garon, La Vieille Maison, Condrieu
Domaine Niero, Chérytage, Condrieu
Domaine Niero, Coeur de Roncharde, Condrieu
Cornas and St-Péray
Domaine Bernard Gripa, Les Figuiers, St-Péray
Domaine Guy Farge, Grain de Silex, St-Péray
Delas, Chante Perdrix, Cornas
Domaine A&E Verset, Signature Verset, Cornas
Domaine Guy Farge, Harmonie, Cornas
St-Joseph
Domaine Alain Voge, Les Côtes Rouge
Domaine Coursodon, Paradis Saint Pierre Blanc
Domaine François Merlin, Rouge
Domaine Garon, Blanc
Domaine Guy Farge, Vania Blanc
Hermitage
Cave de Tain, Au Coeur des Siècles Blanc
Domaine du Colombier, Blanc
Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Les Diognières Blanc
Crozes-Hermitage
Domaine Aléofane, Blanc
Domaine des Combat, Cuvée Domaine Blanc,
Domaine Gaylord Machon, La Fille Dont J’ai Rêvé Blanc
Domaine Marc Sorrel, Blanc
David Reynaud, Beaumont Rouge
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Château Sixtine, Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Clos du Mont-Olivet, Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Clos St Michel, Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Clos St Michel, Tradition Biologique, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de la Solitude, Tradition Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine du Grand Tinel, Les Roussannes de Charles, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise
Château Redortier, Rouge, Beaumes de Venise
Clos de Caveau, Fruit Sauvage Rouge, Vacqueyras,
Domaine des Bernardins, Rouge, Beaumes de Venise
Domaine du Cayron, Gigondas
Domaine la Ligière, Chemin Blanc, Vacqueyras
Domaine Raspail-Ay, Gigondas
Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres
Domaine A Berthet-Rayne, Castel Mireio, Cairanne
Domaine Alary, L’Estévenas, Cairanne
Domaine des Amadieu, La Copado, Rasteau
Domaine Pique-Basse, Rasteau
Famille Perrin, Les Hauts de Julien, Vinsobres
Lirac & Tavel
Domaine Coudoulis, Euphorie, Lirac
Domaine Maby, La Fermade, Lirac
Château d’Aqueria, Tavel
Domaine de la Mordorée, La Reine des Bois, Tavel
Les Vignerons de Tavel, Domaine des Carteresses, Tavel
The best value Rhône 2021 wines to seek out:
Wines listed northern then southern Rhône, by colour and score.
Related content:
Rhône 2021 en primeur: full vintage report and top-scoring wines
Northern Rhône 2021: full report and top-scoring wines
Southern Rhône 2021: full report and top-scoring wines
M Chapoutier, Haut Chamblard, St-Péray, Rhône, France, 2021
Michel Chapoutier is more readily associated with Hermitage, but he owns vineyards across the northern Rhône and beyond. He’s a relative latecomer to St-Péray, but...
2021
M ChapoutierSt-Péray
Domaine Garon, St-Joseph, Rhône, France, 2021
Deeper in colour than most 2021s. Lovely bright zesty nectarine notes on the nose, that come through on the palate. This is seriously concentrated and...
2021
Domaine GaronSt-Joseph
Domaine François Merlin, St-Joseph, Rhône, France, 2021
Gorgeously fresh, aerial nose, brimming with violets and pounded blueberries. A touch of nutmeg adds to the scent. Smooth, rounded, and surprisingly sweetly approachable for...
2021
Domaine François MerlinSt-Joseph
Domaine Guy Farge, Harmonie, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2021
A lovely herbal display on the nose, with fresh thyme, rosemary and bay. They follow on to the palate, met by juicy, smooth berry fruits....
2021
Domaine Guy FargeCornas
Lionel Faury, La Gloriette, St-Joseph, Rhône, France, 2021
Really gorgeous nose, with oregano, rosemary and menthol. It has the fresh chewy feel of stemmy tannins on the palate; it will require a couple...
2021
Lionel FaurySt-Joseph
Domaine A Berthet-Rayne, Castel Mireio, Cairanne, Rhône, France, 2021
The domaine was badly frosted here in 2021, and the Viognier and Bourboulenc was all destroyed. This cuvée usually has six varieties, but in 2021...
2021
Domaine A Berthet-RayneCairanne
Domaine la Ligière, Le Chemin Blanc, Vacqueyras, Rhône, France, 2021
Delightfully fresh and fruity style. Plenty of extract in salty intensity. The long finish is held up by a shining beam of acidity. Really intense,...
2021
Domaine la LigièreVacqueyras
Clos de Caveau, Fruit Sauvage, Vacqueyras, Rhône, France, 2021
Purity, freshness and aromatic precision - a promising start. Full-bodied, rounded, generous and fruity. Feels very Vacqueyras and has really punchy acidity to match the...
2021
Clos de CaveauVacqueyras
Domaine des Bernardins, Beaumes de Venise, Rhône, France, 2021
Interesting blend, and it comes through on the nose - it's a fruity, floral style of Beaumes that's really appealing. Full-bodied, rounded, generous and fluid,...
2021
Domaine des BernardinsBeaumes de Venise
Château Redortier, Beaumes de Venise, Rhône, France, 2021
Decidedly fragrant, with plentiful blackberry fruit and firm acidity. There's some athletic power and energy in this wine; it's tannic now, but should soften to...
2021
Château RedortierBeaumes de Venise
