As with almost all of the Syrahs here, the 2020 Syrah The Deal was not destemmed, saw an extended maceration, and spent 18 months in 40% new French puncheons. Deep ruby/purple-hued, it has an incredibly floral perfume of...

Shiraz sourced from old vineyards in the Barossa (Krondorf, Tanunda, Marananga, Ebenezer and Moppa) and the Eden Valley. Vibrant and pure at heart with deep black plum, black cherry and boysenberry fruits, plentiful...

Inky violet color. Heady, smoke- and spice-tinged cherry, blueberry, peony and incense aromas show excellent clarity; mineral and cured meat notes build with aeration. Juicy and energetic, especially in the context of the...

Deep, dense purple/red colour, with concentrated chocolate and plum aromas and flavours, a fair degree of oak but not overdone, and a trace of reduction on the early nose. Dense, powerful, concentrated but all things in...

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...

(93+ points) Seemingly refined by the additional elevage since I reviewed a barrel sample last year, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a big, rich, dark-fruited and almost tarry effort, but this...

(93+ points) Seemingly refined by the additional elevage since I reviewed a barrel sample last year, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a big, rich, dark-fruited and almost tarry effort, but this...

Glass-staining ruby. An expansive bouquet evokes blue fruit preserves, potpourri and olive paste, and a hint of smoky bacon builds in the glass. A vibrant mineral nuance adds energetic lift to sappy boysenberry...

Glass-staining ruby. A highly complex, expansive bouquet evokes fresh dark berries, olive paste, potpourri and incense, along with exotic spice and smoky mineral notes that build steadily with air. Sweet, focused and...

One of the highlights in this range, the 2019 Syrah is gorgeous. Bright red/purplish berry fruit and floral notes race out of the glass. The 2019 was done in equal parts of cement and neutral French oak, an approach that...

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...

Saturated magenta. Displays vibrant, mineral-accented black raspberry and cherry scents that are complemented by suggestions of olive, cracked pepper and violet. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering energetic red and...

(93-95 points) Closer in style to the 2018 than the 2017, the 2019 Cote Rotie is a big, rich, powerful Côte Rôtie that has loads of meaty, gamey black fruits, smoked herb, pepper, and chocolate-like aromas and flavors...

(VN 96-98 points) Glass-staining purple. Assertively perfumed cassis, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and floral aromas take on espresso, olive and smoky bacon accents with aeration. Juicy, chewy and energetic on the palate...

Bright violet. Expansive, mineral-tinged aromas of black and blue fruit preserves, potpourri and olive, and a spicy nuance that builds in the glass. Sweet, tightly focused cassis, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors...

The 2018 Syrah impresses for its precision and nuance. There is plenty of the textural richness readers have come to expect from Pride, but that is balanced by striking aromatic definition and presence. Floral accents...

Still very young, this great Cote-Rotie has an incredibly dense nose of forest berry fruits, licorice, smoke and pepper. Stunning concentration and enormous structure, but everything fits together beautifully. Enormously...

A decidedly smoky style that’s robust with plenty of impact, and very tannic and focused. The oak is noticeable but not excessive, and there's no excess alcohol, just great drive and freshness. Thyme, rosemary and...

How is it possible to marry this kind of syrah power with the extraordinary refinement of this Cote-Rotie? It just glides effortlessly over your palate. Then, right at the end, the power creeps up on you and inexorably...

(VN 94-96 points) Inky violet. A wild, smoke- and spice-accented bouquet evokes kirsch, cassis, smoked meat, olive and succulent herbs, with mineral and floral notes emerging as the wine opens up. Firm, sharply etched...

The inky hued 2019 Ermitage Le Méal offers up a classic, kaleidoscope-like bouquet of red and black fruits, smoked meats, crushed stone, spice, and burning embers. Full-bodied, ripe, and opulent, it has a wonderful sense...

The star of the show as well as one of the wines of this great vintage, the 2019 Ermitage Le Pavillon comes all from broken granite soils of the Bessards lieu-dit and was all destemmed, vinified in concrete tanks, and...

The 2020 Ermitage Le Pavillon is pure gold, and Hermitage doesn't get any better. Incredible aromatics of cassis, graphite, burning embers, and crushed stone all emerge from this beauty. Stunningly proportioned and...

(98 - 100 points) As usual, Chapoutier's 2018 Ermitage l'Ermite is a standout among standouts. Crushed stone, blueberries, even a touch of herb feature on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is cool and crunchy but...

Incredibly dense elderberry fruit with raw-meat, smoked-bacon, balsamic-vinegar, mushroom and tar aromas. But there are plenty of other nuances in this astonishing Hermitage! Gigantic fine tannins support the wide-screen...

If you ever wondered why Hermitage had such a special reputation then you need to taste this towering masterpiece of this appellation. Spectacular mountain freshness as well as enormous concentration and underplayed...