(VN 93-95 points) Full, bright-rimmed violet. Highly fragrant cherry and black raspberry scents, along with suggestions of pipe tobacco, olive, peony and baking spices. Juicy and energetic in the mouth, offering...

Moving to the three Hermitage releases, the 2020 Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes offers a deep, saturated purple hue as well as a powerful bouquet of scorched earth, creosote, peppered meat, liquid violets, and both black...

This is ripe, juicy and mouthfilling, with lots of enticing raspberry, boysenberry and fig compote flavors enlivened with anise, fruitcake and mulling spice accents. Shows good energy through the finish. Grenache, Syrah...

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is slightly deeper ruby/plum-hued and is based on 47% Grenache, 29% Mourvedre, and 24% Syrah. Smoked red and black fruits, ground pepper, cured meats, and leather all emerge on the nose, and...

True to form, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Trois Sources is a softer, more elegant wine than the Les Hauts-Lieux and offers a gorgeous perfume of black cherries, black licorice, tapenade, violets, herbes de Provence...

The 2018 Côte Rôtie Les Triotes offers another level of richness, giving up lots of black and red fruits intermixed with plenty of peppery spice, plum sauce, and candied violets. With loads of charm, medium to full body...

(90-92 points) In addition to their brilliant Chateauneuf du Papes, this estate makes two terrific Rasteau. Their 2018 Rasteau offers a medium to full-bodied, fruit-forward, balanced style as well as the more blue fruit...

Including slightly more Mourvèdre and from a cooler, higher elevation terroir, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux has more cassis, game, peppery herbs, and olive notes, as well as the classic violets and black...

(95-97 points) Not yet bottled, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all very old vine Grenache from the sandy soils of the Cristia lieu-dit. Brought up in demi-muids and a mix of new and used barrels, it gives...

Opaque ruby. Mineral-accented blackberry, cherry, smoked meat and olive aromas show fine detail and a spicy black pepper flourish. Energetic cherry and red and dark berry flavors are complemented by a candied violet...

Burning embers, graphite, violets, and mostly blue fruits dominate the 2020 Saint Joseph Les Royes, an Hermitage-like Saint Joseph that has medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and...

Very enticing, showing a plump core of dark currant and blackberry preserve flavors, with ganache, anise and savory hints providing nice contrast from start to finish. Nice streamlined finish. Drink now through 2030...

Transparent yellow. Smoky, mineral-accented citrus and orchard fruits on the nose, along with a suave floral nuance and a touch of iodine. Sappy, concentrated and lively on the palate, offering pear liqueur, tangerine...

Explosive blackberry and elderberry fruit on the nose, but there’s nothing exaggerated about this youthful Saint-Joseph. Seriously ripe with a wonderful coolness to the concentrated and focused palate. The fine-grained...

A great success in any vintage, but a marvel in a difficult year, this superb wine offers a deep, dark, red hue. The perfume, with its blend of flowers, licorice, garrigue, spices, cherries and plums is gorgeous. Richly...

Very expressive and fruit-driven, with a gorgeous beam of raspberry, plum and cherry puree flavors stitched together seamlessly, while enticing red tea, incense and red licorice notes fill in throughout. Gorgeous...

Dark and winey, with a grippy, brambly frame and a solid core of raspberry, black currant and boysenberry fruit. The backdrop reveals lots of anise, bay and black tea notes. Still backward, with an ironclad finish, this...

(95+ points) The 2020 Cornas Pur Granit is brilliant stuff. Ripe black cherries, blueberries, scorched earth, smoked game, and iron are just some of its nuances, and it's medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered...

A much more powerful wine based on 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina reminds me slightly of the 2011 with its spicy, perfumed, complex bouquet of red and black fruits, dried...

A bright, high-pitched style, with makrut lime, green apple and green melon flavors laced with a jasmine note. A subtle mineral edge provides balance on the finish. Drink now through 2024. 850 cases made, 170 cases imported.

Smelling this great Chateauneuf is like gazing into a deep chasm. Amazing complexity with aromas ranging from black raspberries through to candied orange, but also notes of raw meat and licorice. Super-concentrated...

(91-93+ points)A step up, with more depth and density, the 2018 Rasteau Les Argiles Bleues is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that was brought up in foudre. Incredibly pure notes of cassis, black raspberries, new...

Shows appealing sanguine, meaty character, with a core of steeped plum and a firming spine of iron. Well-defined, with chalky tannins, dried herbs, lavender and toasted apple wood. Drink now through 2030. – KB

Beautifully measured. Perret avoids any excess fat, oak or alcohol to produce a particularly charming, effortless style. So vibrant with fresh acidity and a perfumed finish; not as concentrated as his 2020, but brighter...

The 2021 Saint Joseph Blanc is clearly outstanding, offering bright citrus, orange blossom, and honeyed flower notes in a medium-bodied, elegant, beautifully balanced package. I like its mid-palate depth and...

Inky blackberries on the nose. Very smooth, with cooling fruit, and just a nip of soft tannin. Good sense of purity, very neat, with a fresh finish. From the far north of the St-Joseph appellation, the vines are 25 years...

The only cuvée produced in Saint Joseph, the 2021 Saint Joseph has a classy, elegant, medium-bodied style that brings good ripeness as well as classic notes of blackberries, ground pepper, violets, and spice, with just a...