SOUTHERN RHONE VINTAGE GUIDE

Click on each vintage to see what we currently have in stock on our main website:

  • 2021 - springtime frosts along with a cool and wet year resulted in one of the more challenging years in the Southern Rhône. The best examples still have an impressive ripeness and will find many fans that prefer a more elegant expression of Grenache. For fans of white wines, however, 2021s are chart toppers and should be on the radar for anybody who is a fan of the category.

  • 2020 - the wines from 2020 are attractive, balanced, and approachable. While they might lack the depth and concentration of the top vintages, they still are gorgeous examples from the producers and terroir that will blend early appeal with depth of flavor. A relatively easy harvest with normal yields, it will be a very consumer friendly year that will win a lot of fans over with ease. Both reds and whites show great focus and precision.

  • 2019 - a hot vintage that was balanced by some late season rain and cool evenings, the 2019s show plenty of depth, but also a tannin structure that hints at an ageworthiness. Another in a string of successful vintages, these powerful wines carry themselves well, even though they register a slightly higher level of alcohol and ripeness. The best of the vintage includes wines that have the ability to be all-timers for a given estate, but it is not as consistent as some other banner years like 2016 or 2010.

  • 2018 – The 2018 vintage in the Southern Rhône bears a strong resemblance to 2017, with significantly reduced Grenache yields due to warm, wet weather at the start of the growing season and subsequent difficulties with mildew. The crop was again smaller than in a normal year, but the berries that were harvested were of very high quality. Good weather after mid-June made for "wines that show plenty of fruit and an attractive, early-drinking character allied to ample concentration," according to Joe Czerwinski of Wine Advocate. A notable development is that many producers are focusing more on Mourvèdre and Syrah, but also on lesser-known red varietals and white varietals as options to balance out the power of the darker red grapes.

  • 2017 – A vintage that despite low yields may have produced the best of both worlds: wines with relatively early drinkability and surprising freshness but also with marked concentration and good aging potential. The 2017 vintage is a lesson of quality but not quantity, as yields were down up to 70 percent across the region (Gigondas was especially hard hit, with reports of 25% crop loss). Heavy spring rains during the vines’ flowering period resulted in shatter, especially for Grenache, so the blend of many cuvées had to be altered to make up for the lack of Grenache (expect more Syrah as well as Clairette Blanche). Low yields and drought conditions led to a vintage with small but beautifully formed berries that produced wines of very good concentration.

  • 2016 - A remarkable vintage that will rank among the all time greats in the region. A bit less structured than 2010s, but a bit more focused than the 2007s, it borrows some of the most attractive elements of great Châteauneuf vintages and will produce some thrilling wines to follow over the years. This quality can also be clearly seen in regions outside of Châteauneuf, with many stellar selections from Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and beyond.

 

  • 2015 - A terrific vintage that will thrill Southern Rhone fans of all stripes. The appellations saw great quality across the board and even the whites are some of the region’s best. A bit more cool and less concentrated than 2010 or 2007 for example, it is still a vintage that is quick to draw comparisons with the best of the Southern Rhone.

 

  • 2014 - An easygoing vintage of wines that will be enjoyable in the near-term, 2014 wasn’t without its challenges. Often paired with its predecessor 2013 in that they’re both cooler vintages, this is a vintage that will be one that will reward a sharp eye for value where it can be found in some of the top producers or cuvees that saw top sites and luxury cuvees declassified into the entry-level wines.

 

  • 2013 - Very low yields produced some compelling wines, but it was another challenging vintage for Chateauneuf and the surrounding areas. Where the 2014s are more attractive at this stage, the 2013s have more stuffing and ability to age. A lot of comparisons are to classic 80s vintages, or the charming 2008s with a bit more concentration. The whites, however, are very strong.

 

  • 2012 - A very solid, beautiful vintage for the Southern Rhone. It does not reach the heights of the elite vintages insofar as concentration or top wines, but the quality across the board well surpasses its surrounding vintages and there are many ageworthy and rewarding wines to be found. It is not a vintage of extremes, but the overall quality is attuned to a high level and the best examples are stunning.

 

  • 2011 - Fresh, lively wines with early accessibility. In the shadows of the tremendous 2010s, these are instead refreshing wines that drink well young and have an admirable focus and verve. Those that enjoy the style will find a ton of great value and wines that can be enjoyed without a long decant or too much planning/cellaring.

 

  • 2010 - Wines of incredible quality and caliber, they are superlative examples of how a great vintage in the Southern Rhone is not just built on concentration and ripeness, but also structure and acidity. These wines have a ton of stuffing and the quality across the board from varietals to communes is equally exciting. A reference-point vintage if there ever was one, 2010s will long go down as some of the greatest wines to ever come out of the region. They’ll require some time in the cellar and/or a long decant.

 

  • 2009 - A vintage that quietly showed its true mettle after a few years, it balances a big, ripe characteristic with poise and potential. The wines at the higher end often approach the best of some great vintages and there are plenty of gems to be found throughout different price-points. Often found at fault for not being up to the region’s epic vintages, it is one full of sleepers that have terrific upside.

 

  • 2008 - As it often happens, 2008s got lost in the shuffle with the massive 2007s looming over them. For those that don’t want to have to cellar forever or spend a premium for back vintages, the wines are on a quick maturity track that has often found admiration from folks who appreciate that in their Chateauneuf.

 

  • 2007 - A very controversial vintage, but one that is often considered among the best modern vintages for those who love the full throttled, ripe side of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The top wines in the vintage are undeniably special and will be fascinating to follow for decades as they have been a point of comparison for everything to follow.

 

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