Louis Barruol has turned out a successful 2021 Cote Rotie, evoking hints of espresso, smoked meat, black olives and tart berries. It's medium-bodied and silky-textured, with tea-like notes on the complex, elegant finish.- JC

From an underrated vintage in the Rhône, the 2006 Hermitage La Chapelle is a beautiful, supple, layered wine that checks in behind the all-time greats yet unquestionably matches or surpasses most of the later 1990 and...

The classic 2020 Saint-Joseph Les Grisières presents wafts of graphite, crushed violets, ripe red fruits and cedary undertones. Elegant and refined, this concentrated and neatly structured red has all the ingredients for...

Moving to the single vineyard 2020 Côte Rôtie La Landonne, this beauty is 100% Syrah that spent 16 months in a mix of new and used barrels. It's similarly deep purple/plum-hued yet has a more mineral-laced, focused...

Pretty notes of thyme and rose petals jump out of the glass in this well-crafted, earthy red. Warm soil and salted, smoked meat accents join a hint of toast to overlay red currant, dark chocolate, violet and spice...

Showing more minerality than the le Meal, yet more plushness and sexiness than the l’Ermite, the 2006 Ermitage le Pavillon is a tour de force that gives up sensational notes of crushed rocks, blackberries, currants...

The 2014 Ermitage Le Pavillon isn’t quite ready for action just yet. Time in the glass unlocks pronounced graphite, cured meat, cigar box and blackcurrant aromatics. Taut and precise, the full-bodied 2014 is enveloped by...

The elegant 2013 Ermitage L'Ermite opens with jammy red and black fruits, tobacco, crushed violets, cured meat and earthy undertones. Medium-bodied and refreshing, the 2013 engages the palate with solid concentration and...

This sports some warm, inviting fruit, with layers of boysenberry, fig and blackberry compote rolling through, inlaid with melted black licorice and warm fruitcake flavors, all backed by a long, refined echo of minerality...

An elegant expression of Cornas, with real complexity. High-toned cherry and olive tapenade are laced with sweet bay leaf, lavender and earth. Well-managed tannins support the supple core of red fruit. Shows a refined...

A firm yet enticing expression with a captivating blend of black cherry, crème de menthe, violets, and black olives. Fresh and vibrant, the palate is silky, with well-integrated tannins and a whisper of clove on the...

Pure cassis, blue fruits, new leather, graphite, and hints of bouquet garni define the aromatics of the 2022 Cornas, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, an ultra-fine, pure, seamless mouthfeel...

Shimmering ruby. Fresh black and blue fruits, candied flowers and baking spices on the expressive nose. Appealingly sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering juicy blueberry, cherry and spicecake flavors that firm up...

A savory, herbaceous and spicy Côte-Rôtie in a somewhat leaner style, yet this boasts a seductive textural purity, with all elements nicely meshed. Liberally dusted in white and black pepper, while a core of red fruit...

A texturally beguiling red, with a chewy, creamy stream of dark chocolate, perfumed lavender, plum paste and warm spices framed by alder and camphor. Large in scale yet not heavy, with a supporting beam of iron, plus an...

A texturally beguiling red, with a chewy, creamy stream of dark chocolate, perfumed lavender, plum paste and warm spices framed by alder and camphor. Large in scale yet not heavy, with a supporting beam of iron, plus an...

Harmonious and pure, with winey, ripe tones of red currant, incense and pretty violet built on a chalky, fine mineral foundation that brings form and drives the length. Texturally stunning, with smoky, savory, olive and...

Rose, potpourri, red and black fruits, and very floral notes all emerge from the 2022 Côte Rôtie Côte Brune, a medium to full-bodied Côte Rôtie that has beautiful tannins, an incredible sense of minerality, and a very...

Creamy and suave, with a winey layer of cassis and salty plum woven with dried tobacco, forest floor and grilled anise. Supple, with a brush of oak toast on the ripe, rich, chalky mineral–lined finish. Drink now through...

(94+ points) Harvested mid-September and from a lieu-dit in the southern part of the appellation, the 2020 Côte Rôtie Maison Rouge (100% Syrah with 40% stems) was vinified and aged in barrels, some of which were new...

A vibrant and well-structured St.-Joseph with intense violet aroma in the nose and on the palate. This is well complemented by the crisp tannins and smoky character. Racy and very mineral at the long linear finish. From...