Southern Rhône 2019 report plus top scoring wines

Southern Rhône 2019 Overall rating 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. Southern Rhône 2019 wine of the vintage: Le Vieux Donjon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, 2019 So how hot was it, exactly? Well on 28th June 2019, the temperature in Gallargues-le-Montueux near Nîmes hit 45.9 ̊ C, a new record for France. It was also exceptionally dry throughout the Southern Rhône, with barely any rainfall during the summer months. [subscriber-content]Hot and sunny weather is to be welcomed of course – grapes need to ripen – but nobody would hope for conditions like this. Scroll down to see Matt's top Southern Rhône 2019 tasting notes and scores Quick links

Individual appellation analysis and top-scoring wines: coming soon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres Lirac & Tavel

Inevitably, there are many unbalanced wines, with low acidity, excessive alcohol, and jammy or raisined flavours. But by no means all. There are also some delicious, rich, vivid wines that are well worth buying. Weather conditions Unusually, what made all the difference wasn’t what happened during the growing season, it was what happened before; in the words of Louis Barruol of Château de Saint Cosme, 'a vintage is not just a summer.' Heavy rains during the previous autumn and winter replenished the water in the soil, giving the vines access to just enough moisture to sustain them during the brutal summer that followed. Old vines with deep root systems in water-retaining soils could make the most of this; young vines, or those on free-draining soils, fared less well. There are other mitigating factors. For a start, there was none of the devastating downy mildew that wreaked havoc in 2018. Neither was there any serious coulure like in 2017, so yields were high, helping to temper the climatic extremes. There was no problem with ripeness, and vineyards had a clean bill of health at harvest. With no rot or threat of rain winemakers could choose their moment to pick with precision. And the time of harvest was crucial; potential alcohol levels escalated wildly towards the end of the season. Grapes were small, with thick skins, making for concentrated wines with robust tannic loads. Top performers Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a preternatural ability to cope with climatic extremes, and it is undoubtedly the best performing appellation this year. The best wines are hugely powerful, with velvety tannins and great vitality. Gigondas had another very good year, as did other fresh terroirs such as Vinsobres and the northern reaches of the Southern Rhône. It’s a less exciting year for Vacqueyras; too many wines have thick, leathery tannins. Often this is down to overextraction – a common miscalculation this year throughout the region. White wines often excel in cooler vintages such as 2014. 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. Apart from some select Châteauneufs, the whites should be drunk straight away, and enjoyed for their youthful vigour and exotic fruit. When it comes to the reds, it’s hard to generalise. Many will be at their best when young. But the top Châteauneuf reds will age for decades. The 2019 vintage will always be remembered for its heat, but it’s not the whole story. As the years roll on, some wines will age quickly, but others will surprise and delight for many years to come. [/subscriber-content] See Matt's top Southern Rhône 2019 tasting notes and scores The following list comprises wines that scored 96 points and above. There are also 24 wines that scored 95 points and 31 that scored 94 points. [wine-collection] See also Rhône 2019 En Primeur: Full report Northern Rhône 2019 report plus top scoring wines