The 2015 Saint Joseph is a head-turner. Knockout aromas of violets, herbal notes and hints of raspberry preserves mark the nose of this medium to full-bodied wine. It’s firmly tannic but ripe and concentrated, with a long, mouthwatering finish. 234, The Wine Advocate, 30 Dec 2017, Joe Czerwinski
In contrast to the impenetrable 2015, the 2014 Cote Rotie is downright drinkable already, no doubt because of the vintage conditions. Medium-bodied, silky and red fruited, it's open and generous, ideal for drinking over the next 8-9 years. December 2019 Week 3, The Wine Advocate, 20 Dec 2019, Joe Czerwinski
Apparently, there's no Les Celestins in 2013, which was a challenging vintage in the Southern Rhône. That said, the barrel we tasted of the 2013 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Marie Beurrier was a bit light but elegant and silky in texture, with pomegranate-like red fruit and gentle spice. Wine Advocate (233),1st Nov 2017, Joe Czerwinski
Still not in bottle, the 2013 Cote Rotie was more tight and reserved on this occasion than during my tastings last year. Nevertheless, it still offers terrific depth and concentration, as well a plenty of tannic grip. Offering classic notes of violets, blackberries, raspberries, cured meats and pepper, it has a certain austerity and will be one to hide in the cellar for a good 6-7 years. eRobertParker.com (222), Dec 2015, Jeb Dunnuck
I found the 2013 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde reductive and hard to read from barrel, and it still shows some reductive aromas from bottle. Olive, truffle, forest floor, violets and ripe, black raspberry-like fruit characteristics flow nicely to a full-bodied, seamless Cote Rotie that has solid mid-palate depth and ripe tannin on the finish. There's lots to like here, but the reductive character will be something to watch and gives me a touch of concern. Give bottles another 4-5 years, at which point it will be easier to see where this is going. eRobertParker.com (222), Dec 2015, Jeb Dunnuck
The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape les Grenaches de Pierre is in the top 5-10 wines in the vintage. Coming from a single plot of sandy soils in La Crau and made from 100% Grenache, it knocks it out of the park with its black raspberry, cassis, lavender, licorice and smoked earth-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, it has awesome purity, no hard edges and building tannin. It’s already hard to resist, but will drink nicely through 2027. The Wine Advocate, Oct 31, 2014, Jeb Dunnuck
According to Marcel Bonneau on this visit, all of the 2012 wine will be bottled as Reserve des Celestins. Tasted from barrel, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins flirts with that fine line between deep, chocolaty richness and raisiny over-ripeness. This is full-bodied and powerful but silky at the same time. If it's bottled soon, it should be amazing. The Wine Advocate (233), 1st Nov 2017, Joe Czerwinski
Moving to the Cote Roties, the 2012 Cote Rotie, which was tasted from multiple barrels, shows the vintage beautifully, with the hallmark complexity of the estate, as well as plenty of pure fruit and texture on the palate. All of the samples show notions of olive tapenade, white pepper, tobacco and herbs to varying degrees, and it should end up being a medium to full-bodied, nicely textured effort that will be reasonably approachable on release, yet evolve gracefully. 210, The Wine Advocate, 30 Dec 2013, Jeb Dunnuck
Looking at the two Hermitage releases, the 2011 La Petite Chapelle (100% Syrah aged 15 months in oak) is an approachable, seamless and sexy effort that gives up a perfumed bouquet of black raspberry, cassis, creamy licorice and assorted chocolaty nuances. Medium to full-bodied, with loads of fruit and texture, this total charmer will continue to impress for a decade or more. 210, The Wine Advocate, 30th Dec 2013, Robert M. Parker, Jr.
I can’t say the same thing about the 2010 Cornas, as it’s crazily backwards, concentrated and structured, and needs some bottle age to round into form. Nevertheless, the incredible quality is present in its purity, focus, full-bodied richness and awesome finish. Give it another 3-4 years and enjoy it over the following 15-20 years (if not more). Always a fun visit, this small vertical took place in Clape’s cellar in Cornas, with Pierre-Marie Clape, who’s now running the estate. We also tasted through multiple barrels of their 2012s and 2013s, but I’ll wait and include that commentary in the northern Rhone report due out in October. eRobertParker.com (214), Aug 2014 Jeb Dunnuck
The different cuvees that will go into the 2010 Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone, which is dominated by Grenache, but includes considerable Cinsault, suggest the final wine should possess a deep ruby color along with a lovely nose of spring flowers, kirsch, licorice, earth, pepper and spice. Full-bodied with supple tannins, this charming 2010 should drink well for 20 years. Wine Advocate (197), 31st Oct 2011, Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A wine that's certainly not for those seeking instant gratification, the 2010 Cote Rotie la Landonne is a powerhouse Cote Rotie that offers up deep, masculine notes of crushed rocks, smoked meats, game, espresso and assorted dark cassis and currant-like fruit. Full-bodied, tight, structured and backward, with fabulous mid-palate density and length, it needs to be forgotten in the cellar for a decade, but will have 40-50 years of overall longevity. Special Report (Sep 2015), The Wine Advocate, 14th Sep 2015, Jeb Dunnuck
Both the 2010 and the 2009 continue to blow me away every time I taste them, and to me, these represent the pinnacle of Cote Rotie—albeit in very different styles. The 2010 Cote Rotie la Turque is a much more masculine and edgy wine that's going to reward cellaring. Its inky black color is followed by classic notes of smoked meats, scorched earth, licorice and ample black fruits. Big, rich, tannic and structured, don’t think about touching bottles until at least 2020. Wine Advocate (228), 31st Dec 2016, Jeb Dunnuck
Schedule to be bottled next week (I suspect it will be in bottle by the time you read this), the 2010 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins is a sensational effort. Deeper, richer and more concentrated than the Marie Beurrier, it reveals an unusually inky ruby/purple color to go with overflowing notes of kirsch liqueur, roasted meats, crushed flowers, garrigue and just about every other Provençal spice you could name. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, layered and a blockbuster-styled effort, it should surpass the 2007 and possibly rival the 1990. This is a tour de force in Châteauneuf du Pape!My tasting with Henri Bonneau is always one of the highlights of my two weeks spent working in the Southern Rhône. As I’ve said before, the cellar conditions here are incredibly dirty, but the elixir that comes out of the barrels never ceases to amaze. However, I will say it’s incredibly difficult to really know what you are tasting and when it will actually see the inside of a bottle. For each vintage, I taste just two barrels, a young vines and a selection from La Crau. I expect the young vine sample to be the Cuvee Marie Beurrie, but it might very well end as just the classic Châteauneuf du Pape. The selection from La Crau is always a more impressive barrel sample and has more depth, richness and concentration. In great vintages like 2010, I’ve no doubt this will end up being a Reserve des Celestins release, yet in 2013 for example, I suspect this will end up either in the Cuvee Marie Beurrier or in a straight Châteauneuf du Pape bottling. Looking at the vintages tasted here, the 2010 and 2012 are clearly superior, but 2011 continues to impress as well, although I believe Henri finds this vintage too soft and forward for his tastes. The 2010 should be the next vintage readers will see on the shelves. It’s a great vintage, and while these wines are not easy to find, it’s worth the effort. eRobertParker.com (221), Oct 2015, Jeb Dunnuck
The three component parts of the 2010 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape show it to be a deeply colored vintage with terrific fruit intensity of licorice, raspberries and sweet, jammy cherries. Medium to full-bodied and ripe with 15+% natural alcohol and sweet, soft tannins, this ethereal 2010 is reminiscent of the 2005 although the tannins in the 2010 are more silky. 197, The Wine Advocate, 31 Oct 2011, Robert M. Parker, Jr.