Rhône 2023 en primeur: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Rhône 2023 en primeur vintage rating:

Northern Rhône 2023: 3.5 / 5

Fresh, supple and drinkable reds at the southern pole; more concentration in the northern reaches, making for some very fine Côte-Rôtie. Vibrant, fresh whites, particularly good in Hermitage.

Southern Rhône 2023: 3.5 / 5

A juicy, ripe vintage, relatively soft in tannin and acidity, but nonetheless displaying detailed terroir expression. Châteauneuf more mixed; some excellent, others overripe. Consistently good vintage for whites throughout the region.

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‘When we get rain, there’s too much; when we get sun, there’s too much.’

This was Guillaume Sorrel’s summary of current weather patterns in the Rhône, and it’s one that many winemakers would recognise in 2023. It was a season of extremes that pulled this way and that, but most winemakers managed to wrestle good results from the chaos.

On paper it was another very hot, dry year – it didn’t break records like 2022 did, but it wasn’t far off. The year started out exceptionally dry, but thankfully the rain came mid-May – and it kept coming in regular small showers.

The water was welcome – crucial, in fact – but it brought with it downy mildew and black rot in the jungle of foliage that burst forth, particularly in the northern Rhône. It made for a demanding few months for vignerons.

Scroll down for Matt Walls’ top-scoring Rhône 2023 wines

Summer was hot. The heat rose in a crescendo throughout late August with a fierce heatwave that left an indelible stamp on the vintage. As in 2022, there were some blockages in ripening, but they weren’t as significant in 2023.

The impact was typically concentrated grapes, reduced acidity and more potent levels of alcohol.

The result in the southern Rhône is a clutch of juicy, approachable and early-drinking wines that are enjoyably ripe with soft tannins and gentle acidity. This style can be found throughout the region, but the appellations that really surpassed themselves were the lesser-known crus – Vinsobres, Lirac, Beaumes de Venise and Rasteau.

Northern Rhône red wine of the vintage:

Stéphane Ogier, Lancement, Côte-Rôtie

Northern Rhône white wine of the vintage:

M Chapoutier, L’Ermite, Hermitage

Southern Rhône red wine of the vintage:

Domaine Santa Duc, Clos des Hospices, Gigondas

Southern Rhône white wine of the vintage:

Domaine de Beaurenard, Boisrenard, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

See all 400 Rhône 2023 tasting notes and scores

The weather was similar in the northern Rhône – producers here were also hit by the August heatwave – but there was even more drama.

There were sudden, localised hailstorms in Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage and parts of St-Joseph. More seriously, there was a torrential downpour in the southern part of the northern Rhône on 18 September. Over 100mm of rain was dumped overnight.

Certain spots were hit worse than others, but it resulted in some dilute wines, particularly in Crozes-Hermitage.

Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, and the northern parts of St-Joseph, however, were spared, with just 20mm falling around Ampuis. So it’s a vintage of two halves in the northern Rhône – the wines at its northern pole are excellent; further south, simply good.

Southern Rhône 2023: Full report and top-scoring wines

Northern Rhône 2023: Full report and top-scoring wines 

White wines were a success story throughout the Rhône in 2023. They have intensity, freshness and energy, and are more appetising than the 2022 whites, which are often heavy in comparison.

Most of the past eight vintages have been some combination of hot and dry, but they nonetheless all have a distinct style. They usually need significant time in bottle to show their best.

The 2023s, however, are immediately drinkable and enjoyable. So it will be a useful vintage in that respect, tiding us over until the others are ready to drink.

Key Rhône producers in 2023

Northern Rhône

• Benjamin & David Duclaux
• Domaine Clape
• Domaine Jean-Paul Jamet
• Domaine JL Chave
• Domaine Marc Sorrel
• Domaine Vincent Paris
• M Chapoutier
• Maison Stéphan
• Stéphane Ogier
• Yves Cuilleron

Southern Rhône

• Château de Beaucastel
• Château de Nalys
• Château de St Cosme
• Château Rayas
• Clos des Papes
• Domaine de Beaurenard
• Domaine de la Janasse
• Domaine de la Solitude
• Domaine des Bosquets
• Domaine l’Anglore

Top-scoring Rhône 2023 wines:

See below the 30 highest scoring wines, listed white then red in score order.

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