Rhone 2010 in top three vintages of last 40 years says Decanter

Rhone 2010 in top three vintages of last 40 years says Decanter Rhone 2010 is one of the finest vintages for 40 years, Decanter s expert John Livingstone-Learmonth says in the latest issue of the magazine. Livingstone-Learmonth praised the Northern Rhone highly in the April issue of Decanter. In the May issue, on sale 4th April, he speaks highly of Southern Rhone. I place 2010 in the top three of my 40 years covering the Rhone, alongside the 1978 and the 1990, he writes. The vintage wins on several counts, but mainly because it embraces improved winemaking with that lucky draw a fabulous harmony of ripening. Thus the wines are ripe, harmonious, with gentle tannins and a depth of fruit that means they will develop evenly for many years This is true, Livingstone-Learmonth says, at every level, from Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone-Villages ( they express the vintage s drinkability to a tee ) to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and other top villages. While Grenache suffered from cold weather in June, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvedre were able replacements. Even the Cinsault was superb, the critic writes. Emmanuel Reynaud at Chateau Rayas described his as rich, a marvel. And it is hard to find anyone that disagrees. We have spent quite some time searching out gems from the Rhone Valley. They are not big names that are heavily marketed but small, artisan producers that embrace the style and terroir of their appellations. More often than not the domaines are run by the younger generation, full of knowledge and enthusiam and the results are quite spectacular.

The Wines Ogier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Clos de l'oratoire blanc 2011. In Stock $69.95. Special $59.50. Very Limited The Rhone Report: The 2011 Clos de l'oratoire des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is outstanding. A blend of 30% Grenache Blanc, 30% Clairette, 30% Roussanne, and 10% Bourboulenc that was aged mostly in stainless steel (Clairette aged in barrel), it is classic on the nose, with stone fruits, honeycomb, spice, mineral, and hints of brioche all showing. Structured, medium+ bodied, and with excellent acidity and richness, it s a knockout white that will shine for 3-5 years, possibly even longer. 91 Points 1a. Domaine Tour-Saint-Michel Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Tour du Lion 2010 from MAGNUM. More Stock coming! Pre Arrival Price 750ml $67.50 This cuvee comes from older vines and is typically a blend of 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre and Cinsault. Vine age is 50+ years. Grapes are destemmed and the wine is aged in a mix of foudres, tanks and barrels. I like this cuvee very much. The Rhone Report: More traditional and mineral-laced, the 2010 La Tour du Lion is a blend of 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 5% Mourvedre that is aged mostly in tank, with 20% of the blend seeing 2-year-old barrels. Elegant and more approachable than the Feminessence, it delivers plenty of black fruit characteristics to go with notions of smoked earth, wet stone, and meaty qualities, with only a hint of the barrique aging showing. This is followed by a full-bodied, gorgeously fruited 2010 that has a fleshy, mouth filling texture, brilliant purity, and a seamless finish. It should be better in a handful of years, and have 10-12 years or more of overall longevity. 94 Points 1b. Domaine Tour-Saint-Michel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Feminessance 2010 from MAGNUM. More Stock coming! Pre Arrival Price 750ml $84.00 The Domaine s prestige cuvee. From vines 60 years plus of age. 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah. Partly destemmed. Aged for 12 months in small oak barrels, of which a portion are new. For a prestige cuvee this is a bargain! The Rhone Report: Easily the most modern in the lineup, yet absolutely beautifully done, the 2010 Domaine Tour Saint-Michel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Feminessence is a blend of 65% Grenache and 35% Syrah that is aged half in new, and half in 1-year-old, French oak barrels. It offers up an intense array of black cherry liqueur, blackberry, white chocolate, vanilla, and spice box-like aromatics that give way to a full-bodied, seamless palate that has a decadent, almost voluptuous texture, pure fruit, and brilliant richness. I am certainly a fan, but it will not be for everyone given the modern slant. Nevertheless, I think the oak and modern profile here will mostly integrate with 4-5 years of bottle age, and it will have 12-15 years or more of total longevity. 94 Points 1c. Le Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Quartz 2010. Sold Out. 2011 available Pre Arrival 750ml bottle $131.50, Magnum $262.50 This wine comes from parcels of land in the lieu-dit "The Cassanets" which are composed of pebbles and sandy subsoil. The Grenache, which comprises 85% of the blend, was planted between 1956 and 1958. A parcel of Shiraz, in the lieu-dit "The Bédines", is on a soil composed of sand makes up the remaining 15%. After sorting in the vineyard the grapes are taken to the cellar in boxs of 300 kg. The grapes are partly destemmed. The Grenache is aged in old casks, the Syrah goes into newer Burgundian barrels. The wine is then assembled before bottling. Robert Parker: The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Quartz, which is aged in both foudre and truncated oak vats, comes from two lieux-dits, Les Cassanets for the Grenache and Les Bedines for the Syrah. It reveals crushed raspberry and kirsch notes as well as a

chalky stone-like character, but less of the Provencal roasted herb, lavender, and licorice notes than its siblings. Drink this dense, full-bodied, impressive 2010 over the next 15-20 years. 96 Points 1d. Le Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 2010. Sold Out. 2011 available Pre Arrival 750ml bottle $204.00, Magnum $408.00 The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve is a wine made only in the best vintages. The vineyard is composed of 60% Grenache (planted in 1930 in La Guigasse) and 20% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah (planted in 1939 in Les Bedines). The soil, composed of sand, gives the wine freshness and finesse. The grapes are harvested late to obtain the perfect maturity of Mourvèdre. Robert Parker: The virtually perfect (probably Domaine du Caillou s greatest wine since their 2001 example) 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Le Clos du Caillou is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre aged completely in 600-liter demi-muids, of which some are new. A dense purple color is accompanied by a stunning nose of lead pencil shavings, barbecue smoke, black currant jam, raspberries and blueberries. Full-bodied and exceptionally pure, powerful and elegant, this stunning wine needs 2-4 years of cellaring and should keep for 20-25. 99+ Points 2a. Domaine de Cristia Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Renaissance 2010. Pre Arrival Price 750ml $135.95, Magnum $271.95 From a 1.5 ha plot in the lieu-dit Le Cristia. The blend is typically 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah. The Grenache is over 100 years old! Yield 20-25 hl/ha. Destemmed. Aged in barriques 25% new, 75% 2-3 years old. The Rhone Report: In contrast, the 2010 Domaine de Cristia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Renaissance - a 60/40 blend of Grenache and Mourvedre - is aged all in barrel, with the Grenache seeing only neutral oak and the Mourvedre aged all in new oak. Showing spectacularly, it offers a thrilling array of blackberry, cassis, wild herbs, flowers, and roasted meats, with only a hint of graphite showing from its stint in barrel. Every bit as good on the palate, with brilliant freshness, fantastic purity, and a powerful, yet focused overall mouth-feel, this knockout offering needs a solid 4-6 years of bottle age, and will have upwards of two decades of overall longevity. 97 Points 2b. Domaine de Cristia Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2010. Pre Arrival Price Magnums Only $322.00 From vines aged between 30 to 40 years old are orientated east and grow on limestone dominated brown soils on underlying cracked hard limestone bedrock which allows very good water drainage. The Rhone Report: Very different in style when compared to the dense, focused Renaissance, the 2010 Domaine de Cristia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes (100% old vine Grenache aged all in 2-year-old barrels) is a total extrovert and is overflowing with sweet blackberry and raspberry styled fruit, licorice, rolled stones, and assorted mineral qualities on the nose. Very full-bodied and downright decadent, this still shows plenty of class and freshness, with superb mid-palate concentration, awesome purity, and masses of ripe tannin. It is a wine for unabashed Grenache lovers and will also have upwards of two decades of life. 97 Points

2c. Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Cornelia Constanza 2010. Pre Arrival Price $144.50, Wooden Case of 6 Bottles $866.00 Cuvee Cornelia Constanza is named after another ancestor. It is 100% Grenache from 100+ year old vines. Yield was 25 hl/ha. 15% of the wine is matured in new oak barrels. Only around 3,000 bottles are produced and only in top years. First vintage was 2005. The Rhone Report: Even better and one spectacular example of old vine Grenache, the 2010 Cuvée Cornelia Constanza is 100% Grenache and comes from 90+ year old vines and the sandy of the famed La Crau lieu-dit. Overflowing with kirsch liqueur, wild strawberry, ground pepper, herbs de Provence, licorice, and garrigue, this is a no holds bar, thrill ride of a wine that is full-bodied, decadently textured, and perfectly balanced. Layered, multi-dimensional, and seamless, yet with gorgeous underlying structure and concentration, this might be a love it or leave it wine for most people, yet it offers a level of pure Grenache hedonism that just cannot be found anywhere else. I think it will age beautifully, yet do not be afraid to open bottle early either as it a knockout bottle of wine now. 98 Points 2d. Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reserve Secrete 2010. Pre Arrival Price $199.50, Wooden Case of 6 Bottles $1198.00 A blend of Grenache and Syrah. First vintage 2,000. Annual production around 3,000 bottles. The Rhone Report: My favorite vintage of this cuvee to date and a knockout wine that is up there with the best of the vintage, the 2010 Domaine de la Solitude (Lançon Père et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Secrète is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah that has all of the Syrah and a small portion of the Grenache aged in new French oak. Rich, deep, and powerful, with a saturated, inky color, this delivers a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors, with notions of blackberry, chocolate, smoke, pepper, graphite, and pot roast-like nuances all soaring from the glass. Where the Cuvée Cornelia Constanza is all Grenache, all the time, this has a (slightly) more restrained profile, while still playing in that full-bodied, decadent end of the spectrum. Very concentrated, structured, and beautifully balanced, this blockbuster needs 4-5 years of bottle age, and will shine for two decades or more. 98 Points 3a. Chateau Simian Chateauneuf-du-Pape Grandes Grenachieres d'hippolyte 2010. Pre Arrival Price 750ml $155.50, Magnum $316.00 From 95% very old vine Grenache (80-130 year old!) grown in the lieu-dits of Cabrieres and Palestor at the very north of the appellation. The Rhone Report: An incredible old vine cuvée (95% Grenache and 5% assorted varieties, from vines planted in 1888 and 1948) that s aged all in tank, the 2010 Château Simian Châteauneuf-du-Pape les Grandes Grenachieres d'hippolyte offers up a pure, essence of Grenache-like profile of sweet black raspberries, lavender, melted licorice, and assorted wild flower like aromas and flavors. Voluptuous, hedonistic, and with layers of sweet fruit, it flows onto the palate with no hard edges, awesome purity of fruit, and masses of sweet, velvety tannin. Full-bodied and incredibly concentration and rich through the mid-palate, it stays gorgeously focused and clean on the finish. It s knockout stuff that should shine for upwards of two decades. Decant if drinking anytime soon. 96 Points

3b. Mas de Boislauzon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee du Quet 2010. Sold Out individually. We have a few Mixed Dozens from this domaine available which include this wine: http://www.grandmillesime.com.au/product_info.php/products_id/9393 Cuvee de Quet is produced from a a blend of 80+ year old Grenache and Mourvedre (typically about 80/20) from three sites on the estate. Yields are extremely low. The grapes are not destemmed and 50% of the wine is matured and barrel - the other half in concrete vats. The wine is bottled without filtration. This is one of the great cuvees of Chateauneuf-du-Pape but unfortunately only 5,000 bottles are produced annually making it very difficult to find. Robert Parker: The remarkable 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Quet boasts a dark ruby/purple color along with a stunning bouquet of spring flowers, cranberries, black raspberries, blueberries, forest floor, incense and bouquet garni. The wine builds incrementally in the mouth, and the finish lasts nearly a minute. This amazingly full-bodied, gorgeously pure Chateauneuf du Pape has everything one could desire in a dry red wine. Enjoy it over the next 20+ years. 100 Points The Rhone Report: Even better, and eclipsing the estate s brilliant 2007, the 2010 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvedre that was aged in a combination of tank and barrel (no new oak is used). Sporting a deep, semi-opaque black/purple color to go with notions of blackberry, melted licorice, roasted herbs, truffle, seaweed, and crushed flowers, this absolutely brilliant Châteauneuf-du-Pape is full-bodied and seamless on the palate, with thrilling concentration, perfect balance, and massive tannic grip on the finish. While the texture leans heavily towards the decadent side of the spectrum, it stays remarkably light and fresh, never seaming heavy or over the top. Given the amount of tannin, it needs 3-5 years to flesh out, and should drink well for 20+ years. Tasted twice and knockout stuff on both occasions. 99+ Points 3c. Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape Chaupin 2010. Sold Out. 2011 available Pre Arrival $152.00 100% Grenache (does 100% Grenache make the greatest Chateauneufs? - very possibly!). Vine age: 70 years to almost 100 years. Elevage: 12-14 months. 75% in tank, 25% in small oak barrels. Approx 40% of the oak barrels are new. So roughly speaking about 10% of the wine sees new oak. Robert Parker: A potential candidate for perfection is the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin, which may turn out to eclipse my favorite Chaupin to date, the 2007, and closely behind it, the 2009. Dense blackish/purple, with extraordinary intensity, precision and focus, this wine is very backward due to the higher acids in this vintage, but has a layered, skyscraper like texture and a stunning nose of kirsch, black raspberries, lavender, and spice box. Some licorice also makes an impression. Enormously concentrated yet relatively delicate and light on its feet for a wine that is probably 15%-plus in alcohol and as concentrated as this is, it should be a future legend of Chateauneuf du Pape and evolve for 20-25 years. 98-100 Points 3d. Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2010. Sold Out. 2011 available Pre Arrival $203.00 Vine age: 60-100 plus years. Elevage in wood which includes some new small oak. An outstandingly concentrated wine. Robert Parker: The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is black purple as well, but slightly more restrained and lower in alcohol, with more noticeable tannins and acidity. Nevertheless, this is still a phenomenally concentrated wine, with notes of barbecue spices, blackberry and black currant fruit, smoked herbs, charcoal, incense and an intense lavender note. The tannins kick in following the full-bodied, massive mouthfeel, as well as the acidity. This wine will need to be forgotten for 8-10 years, which is somewhat atypical for a Janasse Chateauneuf du Pape. It can be consumed over the following three-plus decades. An absolutely brilliant wine, as are all of these in the Janasse portfolio. 98-100 Points The Rhone Report: More rich and voluptuous, yet with a similar level of purity and precision, the 2010 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes offers up loads of creamy blackberry, raspberry liqueur, melted licorice, wild flowers, and toasted spice nuances on the nose. Every bit as good on the palate, with a thrilling texture, full-bodied power, and gorgeous

underlying structure and tannin, this knockout Châteauneuf-du-Pape stays light and elegant, with nothing out of place or over the top. As with the Chaupin, it is no doubt a brilliant drink now, yet it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age, and will shine for two decades or more! 99 Points 4a. Domaine Clusel-Roch Cote-Rotie Vialliere 2010. Pre Arrival Price 750ml $142.50, Magnum $285.00 95% Syrah (1958, some 1985), 5% Viognier from site of same name with schist soils, part destemmed, crushed, 3-4 week vinification, cap punching, aged 30% new, 70% 1-year oak 24 months, unfined, unfiltered, a revival, but first recent wine 2009. Drink Rhone: (casks, bottling Aug 2012) quite a thorough red. Has a rather stiff-baked aroma, lead pencil and smoky rocks; mingling in is some early red cherry, and the nose also shows spine. Very good harmony on the palate, its texture is supple; it is even drinkable now with its integrated, ripe tannins. A wine of subtle qualities, nothing showy. Its length is good, clear, subtle, lovely. Its balance is great, really serene. It declares the finesse of the Northern Rhône very openly, and has great velveteen texture. 5 Stars 4b. Domaine Clusel-Roch Cote-Rotie Les Grandes Places 2010. Pre Arrival Price Magnums only $345.95 From vines planted in the 1930's. Drink Rhone: (casks, to be bottled August 2012) attractive, quite full red; reserved, careful nose, bit one can sense its ripeness and balance. A little toast, brioche baked bread in with raspberry fruit airs and a smoky glint, a schist snap and flowers such as rose the fruit here is curvy. Has a rounded but fluid attack it delivers free running red fruits and a supple, easy to like texture. Good balance, is a harmony wine that will slowly expand. From 2014, but its harmony will allow early drinking even if it is a bit of a crime. There is a gentle mineral breeze on the aftertaste. It is refined, light touch, has the tightness of the schist, plenty of ways to go. 4(5) Stars Scan the QR Code to view the full range of Chateauneuf-du-Pape we have available Scan the QR Code to view the full range of Cote-Rotie we have available Grand Millesime Pty Ltd 21 Toorak Road South Yarra, Vic 3141 Phone: (03) 9326 5737 Fax: (03) 9326 6744 www.grandmillesime.com.au sales@grandmillesime.com.au