We recently opened our cellars for an En Primeur tasting of the latest vintage from the Rhône Valley. Across the range, the wines showed great promise for the long term. Below, we delve into just a few highlights from a fantastic vintage.
In early March, we welcomed almost 30 producers to our cellars for a tasting of the 2022 vintage from the Rhône Valley. Across our cellars, the wines – of which there were over 100 – were split into Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône.
In the north, the Syrah grape reigns supreme, reaching its (very steep) zenith in the villages of Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage and Cornas. Here, the red wines are renowned for their power and grace, with plenty of black fruit and spice character (some even with a distinctive note of bacon fat). Whites are made from Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne, and tend to be fresh and aromatic, with some styles displaying tropical fruit flavours. The appellation of Condrieu is particularly famed for its white wines, which are renowned for their richness and body.
In the Southern Rhône, the reds are warmer and riper than their northern counterparts, typically made from a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (often referred to as GSM blends) as well as other grape varieties such as Cinsault. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous appellation in the south, producing many fine collectible wines. However, many of the wines made in the South are sold as Côtes du Rhone; although they are not celebrated for
This Article was originally published on Barry's Wine Blog
