Rhône 2021 score table: top white wines
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After tasting more than 1,200 Rhône 2021 en primeur samples, Matt Walls has given his full verdict on the new vintage.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for the 89 white Rhône wines that scored 93 points and above.
Wines are listed in score order.
Producer | Appellation | Vintage | Score | Notes | Header Cell - Column 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 99 | Row 0 - Cell 4 | Richly aromatic, with deep pear and a touch of yellow melon. Lightly honeyed on the nose, then more noticeably so on the palate, with sweet oak spice melding with the sappy acidity. Powerful in flavour, but with great focus, clarity and freshness; this has huge length, without any excessive body. Good now, will be better in time. Grown on limestone soils, aged in barriques, 50% of which are new. Just 2,700 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2040 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 99 | Row 1 - Cell 4 | Nectarine fruit inlaid with a touch of fresh coconut. Full-bodied, generous and rounded, without any excessive oak - it's matured mostly in foudre and some old barriques. Perfectly judged, perfectly balanced and very long. It has great presence and energy, but no excess. Also contains Clairette Rose, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Picardan, Picpoul Blanc and Picpoul Gris. Just 6,000 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2040 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 98 | Row 2 - Cell 4 | Great concentration this year, making for a really intense, sappy Roussanne; pear tarte tatin flavours, alongside the intense cigar tobacco, cedar and sandalwood. Dense and concentrated, it's weightier than the 2020 vintage, and riper and denser than most 2021 Châteauneuf blancs. Huge length. The oaking is robust, it shows quite strongly so give this time. All aged in oak, half new, half one-year-old, mostly demi-muids. Drinking window: 2024 - 2034 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 98 | Row 3 - Cell 4 | Bright and zesty in aroma, with no overt oaking to detract from the purity of the fruit. Only medium-bodied, with lovely crisp acidity cutting through. The discrete oak comes through on the finish, adding some cashew nuttiness and salinity to the long finish. Well balanced, pure and precise, this is the pinnacle of pure Grenache Blanc. Grown on galets roulés, matured in used barriques. Just 2,600 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2037 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 98 | Row 4 - Cell 4 | Full-bodied and just a touch oily. The oak is forthright, and this has great concentration and huge power before a driving, saline finish. Almost too intense to broach now, but is likely to be very long lasting. Grown on sandy soils, matured in barriques (20% new) and concrete. Just 900 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2025 - 2050 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 98 | Row 5 - Cell 4 | Full-bodied, generous and broad, then a powerful beam of surging acidity rides in to refresh and cleanse the palate. The oaking is robust and will take time to harmonise, but this has the underlying power, concentration and extract to take it. Great length; an expansive, rich and regal Châteauneuf blanc. Also contains 10% each of Bourboulenc, Clairette Rose and Piquepoul. Grown organically on sand, matured in new barriques. Just 958 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2045 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 98 | Row 6 - Cell 4 | Piercing intensity on the nose, there's mango, candied citrus peels and salt. Only medium-bodied, but it's an athletic, precise and hugely energetic Ermite, with really driving, focused acidity and immense salty minerality. Straight, long, and intense. Rather than the extract and concentration of some recent warmer vintages, this has immense drive. Drinking window: 2025 - 2050 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 98 | Row 7 - Cell 4 | It's full-bodied, rich, opulent on the palate teamed with great salinity and length. Serious acidity for a Condrieu, real tension and energy - this has the life force to age well. Long finish. A great Condrieu in the making. All fruit from Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf lieu-dit La Combe. Aged in demi-muids and small foudres. Drinking window: 2025 - 2036 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 97 | Row 8 - Cell 4 | Perfumed and pure, this has the classic generosity of Condrieu fruit, but it's neat and defined. Spherical on the palate, with well-balanced acidity and no excess oak, well judged. A little peppery, spicy nip on the finish. Good sense of energy and freshness. Perfect balance. 20% new oak. Drinking window: 2022 - 2028 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 97 | Row 9 - Cell 4 | Super-fresh and so dynamic. A lovely brisk acidity propels the tangy lime fruit long into the finish. The oak is quite present but well judged and should integrate after a year or so in bottle. Impressive length and finesse. Parcel selection of old vines on sandy clay soil. Matured in demi-muid, with 15% new wood. Just 3,000 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2024 - 2038 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 97 | Row 10 - Cell 4 | Fennel and grapefruit on the nose. Only medium-bodied, with a lovely sense of freshness and tension. Great brightness, acidity and balance. Pure and precise, with great drinkability and length. Should be long-lived. Contains all six permitted Châteauneuf white grapes in equal measure, fermented in stainless steel, with malolactic blocked. Drinking window: 2023 - 2042 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 97 | Row 11 - Cell 4 | More nectarine than peach, this has real presence on the palate, and great freshness. Concentrated and intense, this has great salinity and impact and huge length, with a refreshing mineral edge. This is not a new cuvée, but rather an evolution of their cuvée Héritage. After a closer inspection of their plot boundaries, it transpired that their Chéry plot is actually partly in Vernon, partly in Chéry. So now they are bottling the Vernon part separately, and the remaining part of Chéry now goes into their cuvée Héritage from the 2021 vintage - hence the new name, Chérytage. Drinking window: 2022 - 2030 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 97 | Row 12 - Cell 4 | Lovely soft and floral aroma - a slightly nutty kind of honeysuckle scent. Medium- to full-bodied, well balanced, with lovely freshness and pinpoint acidity. The finish rolls on like a luxury duvet. An example of just how fresh and seductive Clairette can be in the right hands. From a parcel in lieu-dit Bois Sénéchaux on north-facing sandy soils. Just 3,000 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2045 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 97 | Row 13 - Cell 4 | Fresh pear and a touch of honey add to what is already a full-bodied, powerful expression on the palate, really intense and driving with plenty of extract. There’s a great sense of freshness and power, but no great fatness on the palate – it’s relatively lean in fact, and should live for a long time. Pure Marsanne over 50 years old, whole-bunch pressed and half fermented in demi-muids, half in vats. The vineyards are on pebbles, clay and some loess, facing south. Drinking window: 2023 - 2040 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 96 | Row 14 - Cell 4 | Honeycomb oak on the nose, then quite a broad and generous palate. Sappy acidity, although not as high as some white Châteauneufs this year, and a long finish. This has a good sense of lightness, drinkability and balance. The oak is quite forthright for now, so give this some time to come together. 80% Roussanne, 10% Grenache and Clairette, plus 10% of Piquepoul Blanc, Picardan and Bourboulenc. Part of the blend was matured in two- and three-year-old barriques for a year. Drinking window: 2024 - 2035 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 96 | Row 15 - Cell 4 | Quite introspective for now, mostly just the nutty oak showing itself on the nose. Distinctly savoury, dry and medium-bodied palate. There's plenty of extract, giving it a saline impression on the very long finish, where flavours of cinnamon spice, apple and quince intermingle. A good sense of finesse, this could be exceptional in time. Grown on sandy soils and aged in new barriques. Drinking window: 2024 - 2040 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 96 | Row 16 - Cell 4 | A tasting of the constituent lieux-dits before blending shows a white Hermitage that is about tension, freshness and minerality. It's zesty and crisp, with good acidity and will drink well from the outset. This isn't as concentrated as some recent vintages, but it's still a highly impressive wine that will age with interest. Picked on 23 August. Drinking window: 2033 - 2043 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 96 | Row 17 - Cell 4 | Deep honey, mango, honeysuckle indicate great presence on the nose, if not strongly aromatic at this stage. But it’s full-bodied and rich, tempered by good acidity and a deeply mineral element. It really has great presence and it dives deep into your palate, giving a long, rich, but cleansing finish. From lieu-dit Les Rocoules, where vines are nearly 100 years old. No new oak used. Drinking window: 2025 - 2043 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 96 | Row 18 - Cell 4 | Lovely fragrant peach aromatics, great purity, so clean, with jasmine over the top. Medium- to full-bodied, this has great focus and direction, lovely bright acidity, no excess alcohol or dominating oak, and a long finish. Beautifully balanced, this is a must-buy for Condrieu lovers. A new cuvée for Niero since the 2018 vintage, from the granitic lieu-dit Roncharde, just above the Côte Chatillon. Drinking window: 2022 - 2028 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 96 | Row 19 - Cell 4 | Relatively brisk and nimble for a pure Roussanne, this isn't as oaked as some, which helps the fruit to shine through more clearly. It's zesty and fresh, with an edging of cinnamon sugar from the oak. Rich and long, but with great freshness and length. Well balanced, this is very good winemaking on show. Grown on galets roulés and sand in the lieux-dits of Bois Sénéchaux and Terres Blanches. 60% is aged in foudres, 40% in new barriques. Just 4,000 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2040 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 96 | Row 20 - Cell 4 | A full-bodied, generous style of Condrieu, with characteristic fat and breadth on the palate. The alcohol is present but not excessive, it contributes further textural wealth and richness to the long finish. This is really excellent. Very pure, harmonious and classic. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 96 | Row 21 - Cell 4 | Medium-bodied, not massive, with a good sense of freshness and well-balanced acidity. A creamy texture, with lovely purity of sweet apricot fruit. Balanced alcohol, with plenty of energy, and surprisingly long. Very good indeed. From the Côte Chatillon, towards the northern end of the appellation. Drinking window: 2022 - 2025 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 96 | Row 22 - Cell 4 | Touch of reductive smoky bacon on the nose. Full-bodied, rich, quite unctuous but dry. The lime peel finish has cut and salinity, making it long and precise. From two parcels of galets roulés in the south of the appellation, fermented in stainless steel, aged in foudre and demi-muid. Drinking window: 2022 - 2034 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 96 | Row 23 - Cell 4 | Honeysuckle and tarragon notes on the nose, which is quite introverted at the time of tasting. Full-bodied, soft and pillow-like in texture. Lovely sense of freshness and better acidity than most previous vintages of this wine. Long finish. Really lovely, feather-light, but so intense. Surely the finest example of pure Clairette Rose in the world. Fermented and aged for six months in one-year-old barriques. Just 900 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2023 - 2032 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 96 | Row 24 - Cell 4 | Silky on the palate, with a touch of coconut oak and dried citrus peel. Fresh, balanced, with precise, cleansing acidity and a long finish. Not as deep or powerful as some, but there's great vibrancy, energy and drinkability. Grown on the sandy soils of Les Bédines, fermented then aged for four months in old barriques. 2,600 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2028 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 96 | Row 25 - Cell 4 | Intense violets on the nose, this is hypnotically aromatic. Very full-bodied and generous, with delicious peach fruit. Has a sense of sweet ripeness on the palate that's balanced by acidity and salty extract. This has real depth and will satisfy Condrieu lovers. La Berne was not bottled separately this year due to frost. Drinking window: 2022 - 2028 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 96 | Row 26 - Cell 4 | Intense struck-match reduction at this stage, the florals and mandarin aromas sit underneath. Full-bodied but not massive, this has great freshness, with the characteristic Condrieu generosity. You really feel the intense salty, assertive Chéry terroir underneath. Will be excellent - a very powerful style. Aged in two- and three-year-old demi-muids. Drinking window: 2023 - 2028 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 95 | Row 27 - Cell 4 | Full-bodied, rich and powerful, but not heavy. Gently oily in texture, cut through by incisive acidity. The oak is dominant for now after a 10-month passage in new oak barriques, which does help to give the finish impressive length. Good sense of freshness, precision and finesse underneath the oak, so give it a couple of years to come together. 6,000 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2024 - 2034 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 95 | Row 28 - Cell 4 | Lovely cooling glycerol glides across the palate, cut through with incisive acidity. Zesty lime squeezed over pear tarte tatin. Medium- to full-bodied, really energetic, balanced and finely detailed. Seriously good. Organically grown across three lieux-dits: La Crau, La Nerthe and La Rigole. It's principally aged in a variety of size and age of oak barrels for six months, including 20% new oak. Drinking window: 2022 - 2029 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 95 | Row 29 - Cell 4 | Lovely fresh and spicy nose that follows onto the palate, along with great energy and brightness. Really saline, with brisk acidity giving the wine a great sense of energy and cut. Long and vibrant. Grown on La Crau ouest, the Roussanne is vinified in barrique, one-third new, then matured in stainless steel for five months. Just 800 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2032 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 95 | Row 30 - Cell 4 | Good sense of freshness and acidity, with a point of lemon to the nectarine fruit. The oak is quite forthright, but the freshness and acidity help to bring balance. Remarkable intensity of flavour considering the relatively medium-bodied size. Ends fresh, with juicy, citrusy acidity into the saline, mineral and cleansing finish. Fermented with natural yeasts in demi-muids, then matured in the same barrels for 10 months. Just 850 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2036 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 95 | Row 31 - Cell 4 | A petal-soft, easy-going, floaty style of Châteauneuf blanc with a lovely sense of freshness and florality. Fairly full-bodied but not excessively so, with piercing acidity bringing lift and energy to the palate. Good sense of fluidity and drinkability. Also contains Clairette Rose and Grenache Gris. Grown across the lieux-dits of Les Bosquets, Cabrières, La Gardiole, Les Grandes Serres, Mont Redon and Terres Blanches, principally galets roulés. Fermented and then aged in stainless steel (80%) and demi-muids (20%). 5,000 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2029 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 95 | Row 32 - Cell 4 | This has some strength of aroma and power on the palate, with pêche de vigne running throughout. Very good length, the alcohol is just a touch noticeable. Full-bodied, with a gently oily texture. One of the more powerful Condrieu this year, with a saline, cleansing finish. From an east-facing vineyard that buts up against Château-Grillet. Spends a year in barriques and 500-litre demi-muids, from new to three-year-old oak. 800 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2030 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 95 | Row 33 - Cell 4 | Like ripe peaches poached in a spiced liquor. Full-bodied and very powerful indeed. It has huge extract, intense salinity, driving acidity and great opulence, flowing into a long finish. A huge Condrieu. Parcels in Chavanay, Condrieu and Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône, at 250m altitude on average, south and southwest facing. Fermented in stainless steel, which finishes in barrique (10% new), where it spends 12 months. No racking, very little lees stirring. Drinking window: 2022 - 2030 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 95 | Row 34 - Cell 4 | Appears remarkably balanced on the nose in terms of oak - it doesn't dominate. Full-bodied, rich, opulent, but with a good sense of aromatic freshness. Powerful on the palate, with balanced alcohol and a gentle saline hint. The finish is long and not dried out from the oak, it stays succulent, silky, juicy and mandarin-infused. All parcels fermented separately in new oak, then blended. Drinking window: 2022 - 2028 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 95 | Row 35 - Cell 4 | Lovely sense of freshness, but still quite introverted; promising, however. Full-bodied, with a sense of generosity, not heaviness. Not as weighty or concentrated as some recent vintages, but the acidity feels naturally balanced and the fresh, mineral touch on the finish bodes well for the future. Remarkable drinkability and finesse, and should age well on its freshness and balance, but could be drunk early, too. The Michel family owns just 1ha of white varieties, and its white is regularly one of the best in the appellation. Malolactic is blocked to help retain freshness and acidity. Drinking window: 2022 - 2037 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 95 | Row 36 - Cell 4 | Mango and rhubarb notes. Rich and full-bodied, this is quite classic in the De l'Orée style, though not quite as rich and opulent as recent years. Very good acidity, it has more freshness than the past few vintages, though not quite the same opulence. From 60-year-old vines from lieu-dit Les Murets at the top of the hill. Drinking window: 2023 - 2023 | |
St-Péray | 2021 | 95 | Row 37 - Cell 4 | Really powerful and intense for what's just a medium-bodied wine. Great acidity, focus and drive, this is exceptional. So fresh, saline and focused. Exceptional now, with great tension. The first commercial vintage was 2020, and the vineyard was planted to start with in 2014 on granite soils, with continued planting thereafter. Aged 100% in demi-muids, some made of oak (15% new), some made of stainless steel. Drinking window: 2022 - 2030 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 95 | Row 38 - Cell 4 | A touch of rubbery reduction on the nose for now. It's full-bodied, fairly concentrated, and generous. There’s wonderful freshness, a particularly strong mineral expression. Finishes on a touch of toasty oak. A great vintage of Les Granits. A very granitic expression from an east-facing plot in lieu-dit St-Joseph, near Mauves. Drinking window: 2023 - 2032 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 95 | Row 39 - Cell 4 | Gorgeously fresh peach and blanched almond on the nose and palate, with a touch of lemon verbena. Full-bodied but not fat, with great energy. The alcohol is low, and there's good acidity, no overt oaking, good line and length. The perfect balance, and very classic, I'd drink this young. All in Stockinger demi-muids, 50% new; you don't notice the new oak, it works extremely well. Just 12.5% ABV. Drinking window: 2022 - 2025 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 95 | Row 40 - Cell 4 | A beautifully floral style of Condrieu, with jasmine and violets. Underneath there's fresh-cut pear. It's full-bodied, rich and opulent on the palate, with tremendous extract and concentration. Driving, intense salty finish. Drinking window: 2022 - 2030 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 41 - Cell 4 | Very oaky on the nose and palate, with intensely concentrated, sappy lemon and lime fruit underneath. Toasty, smoky, nutty oak notes dominate the long finish. For serious oak lovers only - and they'll love it. Richly concentrated, pure, powerful and very long. North-facing Roussanne planted on clay limestone. Fermented and matured for 10 months in barriques - 50% new, 50% one-year-old. 4,000 bottles made. Drinking window: 2023 - 2034 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 42 - Cell 4 | With its poached pear flavours, this is rich, full-bodied and unctuous. It really envelops and spreads across the palate. The alcohol is quite rich, but the acidity helps to bring a cleansing finish. Full-bodied, but so full in deep pear flavour. Massive, might be too rich for some, but this is very good. Pure Roussanne grown on sand in La Bertaude. Fermented then aged for nine months in demi-muids. Drinking window: 2022 - 2030 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 43 - Cell 4 | Subtle lemon and lime zests on the nose, with a little tarragon, then yellow plum and pear on the palate. Well balanced and fresh, with no excessive body nor oak to distract from its purity and drinkability. An estate that has improved a great deal in the past 10 years and is now a very good source of fine Châteauneuf. This was grown biodynamically on sandy soils with some galets. Fermented then aged for 10 months in demi-muids. 2,000 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2028 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 44 - Cell 4 | A touch of reduction, but nothing overly distracting, alongside a little vanilla (akin to cream soda). Good acidity, a little buttery. Fresh and balanced, with good cut and precision. Grown on red sandstone and sand in lieux-dits Blachières and Cristia sud. 3,266 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2027 | |
Vacqueyras | 2021 | 94 | Row 45 - Cell 4 | Pear, aniseed and tarragon freshness on the nose. Remarkable impact and intensity for a Grenache Blanc-driven wine, with a long and saline finish. Well balanced, no excess oak or body - real focus and intensity. From 10-year-old vines on clay limestone soils. Hand harvested with sorting at the vine. Indigenous yeasts, fermented and aged for four months, half in stainless steel, half in one-year-old barriques. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 94 | Row 46 - Cell 4 | Quite powerful, full-bodied and certainly ripe, this has mouth-coating oily fruit, and plenty of peach and nectarine. There's no excess alcohol, the oak is well balanced, and it's very broad and opulent on the palate but with a saline, acid finish. It has an inner fluidity that makes it deliciously drinkable. One year in 228-litre ex-Viognier or ex-Chardonnay barrels, at least two wines old. No enzymes, a little battonage, malolactic completed, no fining, and some filtration just to remove the larger particles. Drinking window: 2022 - 2025 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 47 - Cell 4 | Tangy nectarine and a little peach. Full-bodied, but with a lovely sense of underlying freshness. Long, ample and perfectly ripe. Finishes dry, on hazelnut notes. Grown organically on La Crau, fermented in stainless steel and demi-muid, then aged in demi-muid. 5,000 bottles produced. The estate formerly known as Vignobles Mayard has been divided in two, creating two new estates from the 2021 vintage: Clos du Calvaire and Domaine Mayard. Drinking window: 2022 - 2027 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 48 - Cell 4 | Good depth on both nose and palate, this has nice concentration and interest. Fresh, saline, really full of life and energy, with good length. Loads of intense vibrant flavour, but no excess body or alcohol. Really expressive and joyful. Also contains 20% Bourboulenc. Half is vinified in barrel, the other half in stainless steel. 8,000 bottles made. Drinking window: 2022 - 2030 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 94 | Row 49 - Cell 4 | This has quite noticeable oak, and is full-bodied and rich on the palate. It’s really quite oily and mouthcoating, with deep-set but balanced acidity on a long finish. A classic white Hermitage in shape, perhaps not the most concentrated, but well balanced and satisfyingly bold and regal. Fermented and aged in new and recent barriques, partial malolactic. Drinking window: 2023 - 2030 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 94 | Row 50 - Cell 4 | Medium-bodied, with really quite driving acidity giving a great sense of energy and tension. The oak is well balanced, this has great natural power, but no heaviness or excess weight. Wait a year for further aromatic complexity to emerge. Hand-harvested old-vine Marsanne grown on granite. Fermented in 228-litre oak barriques then left on fine lees until the malolactic is finished. Drinking window: 2023 - 2029 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 94 | Row 51 - Cell 4 | A full-bodied and opulent style. It's counteracted but a firm, fruity acidity like a nectarine. Alcohol is well balanced, the oak lends spice without overly dominating the fruit, and the finish is fresh and long. Grown on loess soils, fermented and aged 70% in demi-muid (10% new), the rest in stainless steel. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
St-Péray | 2021 | 94 | Row 52 - Cell 4 | Bright, freshly cut pear on the nose. Full-bodied with more weight than most 2021 St-Pérays, teamed with vibrant, buzzy acidity that really lasts into the finish. Lovely freshness and length. Different in style to their 2020, but similar in quality, with really noticeable cleansing acidity. Drinking window: 2023 - 2040 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 53 - Cell 4 | Tense and fresh, well balanced, without any oak to get in the way of the pure, zesty fruit. Pear, apple, a squeeze of lime and some leafy herbs. Very drinkable, would work well as an aperitif and with lighter dishes. Grown on sandy limestone soils, all fermented and aged in stainless steel. Just 2,000 bottles produced. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 54 - Cell 4 | Already a deep gold colour in the glass. Rich stewed apple and cooked pear reveal controlled oxidation here, bringing notes of petrol, chamomile and an underlying nuttiness. Rich, flavoursome and long. A natural style Châteauneuf, atypical in style, but will find many fans for those that enjoy what a touch of oxidation can bring. Mostly fermented and aged in demi-muid, a small proportion in stainless steel. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 55 - Cell 4 | Fresh and ripe lime aromas, with a touch of nectarine. This has real precision, with added focus coming from the zesty acidity. Only medium-bodied, it's certainly not gloopy, fat or overly alcoholic. Cedar oak spicing from the use of 30% new barriques (the rest spends time in steel and foudres), which brings welcome spice that's all well integrated. Good length. The whites from Domaine de la Solitude are extremely good in 2021. Drinking window: 2022 - 2027 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 94 | Row 56 - Cell 4 | Fairly full-bodied but not overly gloopy. Powerfully flavoursome, with length and depth that are brought into focus by good acidity and quite robust oaking. Very long. A pure Roussanne from parcels in Bois de Boursan and La Crousroute. Fermented in stainless steel, aged in used barriques, just 500 bottles made. Drinking window: 2022 - 2027 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 94 | Row 57 - Cell 4 | Utterly classic jasmine, violet and apricot aromas, this could only be Condrieu. Full-bodied, with a touch of fresh yoghurt on the palate. There's a subtle, positive bitter nip on the finish, good persistence, no excess oak or alcohol. Very good, compact and measured. From three parcels: Poncins, Chanson and Roncharde. Spends 12 months in 220 and 500-litre barrels, recently used but not new. Drinking window: 2022 - 2025 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 94 | Row 58 - Cell 4 | 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 powerful, and already drinking well. Zesty, crisp acidity helps to rein in the rich, opulent fruit, giving a long finish. This will work well on the dinner table. Domaine Garon is fast becoming one of the best domaines in the northern part of the northern Rhône. Drinking window: 2033 - 2043 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 94 | Row 59 - Cell 4 | Subtle almond and honeysuckle aromas lead to a medium- to full-bodied palate. This is not a massive Hermitage by any means, but one with freshness, acidity and focus. Has some natural class and substance, but I would drink this in its youth. The oak is well integrated and not excessive. A 0.18ha plot of 70-year-old Marsanne at the foot of the Hermitage slope. Malolactic is completed. Drinking window: 2023 - 2032 | |
Vacqueyras | 2021 | 94 | Row 60 - Cell 4 | Citrusy in style, with kaffir lime leaf, grapefruit pith and white pepper. Fresh and cleansing, this is medium-bodied, with balanced alcohol and lovely firm acidity, and a sense of finesse. Less Bourboulenc than usual due to frost. Grenache, Clairette, Roussanne, Marsanne, Bourboulenc and Viognier. Matured in tonneau, foudre and 180-litre terracotta amphora. Drinking window: 2022 - 2029 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 94 | Row 61 - Cell 4 | Classic Hermitage weight, density and richness on the palate, with lovely acidity and a remarkably mineral expression. The long finish is surprisingly potent. Unusually this is ready already, though well concentrated. 18 months in old barriques. 70-year-old vines. Drinking window: 2023 - 2036 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 94 | Row 62 - Cell 4 | An easy-going style that's bright, fresh and well balanced. There's lovely cleansing acidity, no excess body or oak. A classic expression of Condrieu, for drinking young. Good energy and freshness. Drinking window: 2022 - 2025 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 94 | Row 63 - Cell 4 | Mango and apricot aromas with a touch of almond. Rich on the palate with impressive concentration, but it's tightened up by discrete supporting oak and a mineral sheen. The acidity is low, but it’s very classic with a long finish. From a parcel in Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf, 20% new oak. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 93 | Row 64 - Cell 4 | Not terribly expressive on the nose at the time of tasting, and broad and fat on the palate. Not the most vibrant, perhaps, but there’s good length and concentration. It needs a year to settle – then might be worthy of a higher score. An 80-year-old parcel of Marsanne grown on loess and alluvial terrasses. Aged on the fine lees in 400-litre barrels, 45% new, 35% second-use, 20% third-use, for eight months with regular bâttonage. Drinking window: 2024 - 2032 | |
St-Péray | 2021 | 93 | Row 65 - Cell 4 | Gloriously expressive mango fruit on the nose, this is so fresh. Full-bodied, rich and opulent but not gloopy. It has great concentration and bright acidity, really vibrant, long and flamboyant, but without excess. The oak is well integrated, and overall it's balanced and delicious despite its unusual power. One for the dinner table. Drinking window: 2023 - 2030 | |
Lirac | 2021 | 93 | Row 66 - Cell 4 | Much deeper in colour than most Lirac blancs this year. The attractive, fresh Clairette florals are accompanied by tobacco leaf and cedar; there's a touch of fennel too. Full-bodied, the acidity is on the low side on the mid-palate, then it rises on the finish, where it mingles with some gentle oak spice and finishes long. Should be long lived. Likely to be better with age, in fact. Drinking window: 2022 - 2035 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 93 | Row 67 - Cell 4 | I love the freshness and complexity of this wine - candied citrus peel along with subtle almond notes and more exotic fruits. Well balanced, fresh and precise thanks to the driving acidity that keeps the wine moving, extending its length. Grown on sandy soils, fermented principally in stainless steel, with a fraction in new oak barriques and amphorae. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
Cairanne | 2021 | 93 | Row 68 - Cell 4 | Fresh and pure, this is slightly more perfumed than some 2021 Cairannes, with a touch of peach on the nose. Rounded, fruity, perfectly balanced. Pure and harmonious finish. Just a really lovely, intense yet not heavy expression of white Cairanne. Also contains 10% each of Bourboulenc, Marsanne and Viognier. Drinking window: 2022 - 2025 | |
Cairanne | 2021 | 93 | Row 69 - Cell 4 | A little honeycomb touch to the nectarine fruit alongside a discrete nutty edge. Good concentration and weight of fruit, this is longer and deeper than the Jean de Verde cuvée this year. Fresh, focused, not overly thick or heavy. Matured in stainless steel for eight months before bottling. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
St-Péray | 2021 | 93 | Row 70 - Cell 4 | Full-bodied, with a good sense of weight and concentration, allied to a really bright, zingy citrus freshness. Focused and precise, very young still but this has great length and energy. Made from hand-harvested Marsanne and Roussanne grown on clay limestone soils. Fermented in barrel then left on fine lees until the malolactic is finished, with some stirring of the lees. Drinking window: 2023 - 2030 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 93 | Row 71 - Cell 4 | Full-bodied, but with a good sense of freshness and acidity. A classic expression of apricot and peach fruit, finishing dry. Well balanced alcohol, no excessive oak. Fermented then aged for nine months in barriques. Drinking window: 2022 - 2025 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 93 | Row 72 - Cell 4 | Intense nectarine and pear aromas that follow through to the palate. There's a touch of sweetness on the mid-palate that is quite flattering. Fairly full-bodied in style, it would be quite opulent if it wasn't for the freshness and acidity that helps to rein it in and give it a long finish. From old vines grown on granite, on south-southeast-facing slopes. Malo completed, weekly battonage. Drinking window: 2022 - 2026 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 93 | Row 73 - Cell 4 | Notes of blond tobacco and cedar on the nose, but not overly oaky, there's just 5% new oak. Full-bodied, with lovely bright acidity. There's a flattering, welcome note of sweet ripeness to the pear and quince fruit. Good length, balanced and precise. Partly fermented in stainless steel, partly in old barriques, left on lees with some battonage. Also contains 20% Grenache Blanc and a few drops of other local varieties. Drinking window: 2022 - 2027 | |
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2021 | 93 | Row 74 - Cell 4 | Lovely, freshly cut pear notes, backed up by tarragon. Full, rich and silky. Good acidity and a subtle mineral line. There's a nuttiness on the long finish, a touch of spice, all lengthened by firm acidity. This shows Grenache Blanc at its best, with nicely integrated oak. Grown principally on galets roulés, fermented in stainless steel then aged for 10 months in old barriques. 700 bottles made. Drinking window: 2022 - 2030 | |
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise | 2021 | 93 | Row 75 - Cell 4 | Peach in colour, not white. Fruits span pêche de vigne, lychee and melon, with a touch of butterscotch in the background. Fairly full-bodied, fresh, and finishes clean, not cloying. Further peach on the finish. Great sense of purity, not a hugely powerful vintage but a very good one, with balance and purity. Aged in stainless steel. 110g/L residual sugar. Drinking window: 2022 - 2036 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 93 | Row 76 - Cell 4 | A relatively rich white Hermitage that’s full-bodied and weighty, with lemon curd, lemon verbena and lemon zest touches on the nose and palate. Good acidity gives a good sense of freshness. There’s no great length, but it’s very precise. The oak adds richness, but doesn't dominate. From lieux-dits Maison Blanche and Diognières. Aged for 18 months in new and one-year-old barriques. Drinking window: 2023 - 2031 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 93 | Row 77 - Cell 4 | A lovely light and floral style on the nose, and on the palate it’s only medium-bodied this year, not as rich as a typical vintage, and much higher in acidity. Vibrant and zesty. Fermented in fûts and old barriques, this spends a year on the lees. Drinking window: 2023 - 2028 | |
Condrieu | 2021 | 93 | Row 78 - Cell 4 | Very full-bodied indeed, really rather oily. It does have driving acidity, which helps to bring balance to this concentrated and intense wine. This is almost like a late harvest style, but it finishes dry, with a firm, cleansing acid line. Alcohol is on the high side, but not overly excessive. An extreme style - and Condrieu is already quite full on! 70% is aged in barriques, 10% new. Drinking window: 2023 - 2030 | |
St-Péray | 2021 | 93 | Row 79 - Cell 4 | Almond and apricot fruit characters, which are soft and juicy on the palate, but all shot through with laser-like acidity that projects the flavours into a long finish. Beautifully fresh and energetic. Malo completed, followed by eight months maturation, 30% in barrique, the rest in stainless steel. Drinking window: 2023 - 2026 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 93 | Row 80 - Cell 4 | Peach, almond and apricot flesh, this has a really lovely nose, and it follows through to the palate. Beautifully harmonious, nicely ripe but not excessively so. The use of oak is discrete. This is perfectly balanced, a really lovely, classic example of fine white St-Joseph that’s also soft and approachable. From 40-year-old vines grown on granite. Half is aged in recently used but not new oak barrels. Drinking window: 2023 - 2026 | |
Vacqueyras | 2021 | 93 | Row 81 - Cell 4 | 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, concentrated, super-fresh and piercingly flavoursome. Also contains 10% Viognier. Drinking window: 2022 - 2028 | |
Vacqueyras | 2021 | 93 | Row 82 - Cell 4 | Honeysuckle aromas and some that are quite nutty from the oak. Intense honeycomb and piercing acidity play with the plentiful oak - this is very intense in flavour; a food wine. The oak is robust, but should settle in time. Long, saline finish. Fermented in small foudres with indigenous yeast. Drinking window: 2023 - 2028 | |
St-Péray | 2021 | 93 | Row 83 - Cell 4 | Ripe but not overripe, this has zesty nectarine with a subtle nutty note – a beautifully fresh nose. Full-bodied, rounded and plump on the palate, with good concentration, all focused by the time spent in oak. The oak spice makes itself known on the palate. From two plots, one on granite, one on limestone, from 40-year-old vines. Malo completed. Drinking window: 2023 - 2026 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 93 | Row 84 - Cell 4 | Honeycomb, meringue and a subtle nuttiness to the nose. It's full-bodied, quite broad and silky. Rich pear and apple compote on the palate, finishing dry and long. A fairly rich style of St-Joseph in what can be a lean vintage. Grown on schist and gneiss soils at 310m altitude. Drinking window: 2023 - 2026 | |
Cairanne | 2021 | 93 | Row 85 - Cell 4 | Expansive aromas and flavours of almonds and pear. Great freshness, well balanced. Feels firm, with plenty of extract but no heaviness or crude texture. A natural expression, showing the elegance of the terroir. Also contains 20% Marsanne. Biodynamic, indigenous yeasts, no malolactic. Drinking window: 2023 - 2027 | |
Hermitage | 2021 | 93 | Row 86 - Cell 4 | Heather honey and pear on the nose, it's relatively rich and full-bodied, with lower acidity than most this year. Enjoyably luxurious but not overly fat in texture, with good length of fruit. The oak is well integrated. 40-year-old vines grown on loess; 50% new oak. Drinking window: 2022 - 2028 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 93 | Row 87 - Cell 4 | Decidedly oaky on the nose, with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg spice. It’s silky on the palate, not quite as concentrated as some years but very fresh, with well-balanced acidity. It’s full-bodied and really quite toasty and oaky, but it's still a compelling wine. I would drink this younger than usual. Guigal has 5.5ha of this lieu-dit, 2.5ha of which are white varieties, and these are planted at the top of the hill. Aged in oak barriques, 50% new, 50% one-year-old. Drinking window: 2023 - 2030 | |
St-Joseph | 2021 | 93 | Row 88 - Cell 4 | There’s a subtle macadamia nut sheen to the citrusy fruit. A silky, rounded, middleweight style with well-judged oak and flavours of yellow plums and a touch of coconut. Good acidity. 10 months spent in a variety of sizes of oak barrel, none of which are new. Malo completed. Drinking window: 2023 - 2026 |