Rhone Wine Buying Guide
Last month, Craig Suveg took the helm and taught our first class on the Rhone Valley. At the conclusion of the class, we received many requests from attendees about putting together a buying guide for Rhone Valley wines. Though it took us almost a month to get around to it, we’re happy to finally present our buying guide for the Rhone Valley to you.
Northern Rhone
Vintage Guide
Vintages in the Northern Rhone to buy:
2018, 2017, 2015, 2010, 2009, 2003, 1999, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1985, 1978
For top-of-the-line producers, we recommend holding all bottles younger than 1999 until your bottle has 20 years of age. For early maturing and more accessible Syrah from the Northern Rhone, we recommend a 1-2 hour decant for wines from 2003-2018.
Cote Rotie Producers
Guigal: Guigal is the undisputed king of Cote Rotie, producing top-of-the-line Syrah in nearly every vintage.
The La La Las are his top-tier single vineyard Syrahs. La Mouline is the softest and most fragrant, La Landonne is the most brooding and earthiest, and La Turque is somewhere in the middle. These wines are built like brick houses and sometimes require 30 years of bottle age to become accessible. Prices per bottle usually range from $500-$800 per 750ml.
Guigal’s Chateau Ampuis is a blend over several Cote Rotie vineyards and can offer a taste of his top-of-the-line offerings for a fraction of the price. Ampuis tends to start being accessible after 20 years with a 2-hour decant. Price ber bottle usually ranges from $150-200 per 750ml.
Guigal’s Brune et Blonde is another famous offering from a producer, combining fruit from Cote Brune and Cote Blonde. This wine is more red fruit oriented, and a unique representation of Cote Rotie. Price per bottle ranges from $60-$150 per bottle.
Rene Rostaing: Rostaing is another one of the top producers in Cote Rotie. The best selections from Rostaing are from La Landonne and Cote Blonde, which in top vintages range from $200-$400. Ampodium is his most price senitive offering and is priced around $80 while offering a taste of what his single vineyard wines can produce. This is one of the best entry-level Cote Rotie’s.
Michel Chapoutier: Though Chapoutier is known primarily for his wine in Hermitage, La Mordoree is a Cote Rotie we’ve had the pleasure of tasting several times, and always holds its own. From solid vintages, these bottles normally range between $125-$200.
Other buying tips on Cote Rotie: Cote Rotie and Hermitage are two of the most expensive places to buy wine in the Northern Rhone. The best way to find a deal is to memorize great vintages, and look for less well-known producers selling wine from those regions. Cote Roties from lesser-known producers from 2010, 2009, and 2003 can be found on the market for $50-$70, and at times, those bottles can have exceptional quality.
Hermitage Producers
Jean Louis Chave: Chave is the creme de la creme of Hermitage, and has been widely regarded as one of the best producers of Syrah in the world. His Hermitage fetches $300-$600 in almost every vintage, with exceptional vintages priced in $800-$1,000 per 750ml. This is clearly not Tuesday night wine.
Michel Chapoutier: Chapoutier makes top-tier Hermitage, and some of the best Syrah we’ve ever tasted has come from this producer. Le Ermite and Le Pavillion are his two best selections from this appellation, and typically fetch $200-$300 per bottle.
Jaboulet: This producer is famous for a wine called “La Chapelle” which translates to “The Chapel,'“ which tells the story of the hermit of Hermitage. We’ve found older bottles to typically outperform new vintages, but this is a classic that must be tried. Bottles can typically be acquired for $150-$250.
Other buying tips on Hermitage: Same advice here as with Cote Rotie. Cote Rotie and Hermitage are two of the most expensive places to buy with in the Northern Rhone. The best way to find a deal is to memorize great vintages, and look for less well-known producers selling wine from these regions. Hermitage from lesser-known producers from 2010, 2009, and 2003 can be found on the market for $50-$70, and at times, those bottles can have exceptional quality.
Crozes-Hermitage Producers
Crozes-Hermitage is the best budget wine in the Northern Rhone, giving consumers the ability to taste Northern Rhone Syrah at a fraction of the price of Hermitage or Cote Rotie. To reinforce this point, many of the best producers just mentioned having holdings in Crozes-Hermitage, and make exceptional wines from this region. Look for Crozes Hermitage crafted by the producers below from good vintages, and you’ll likely find some great bottles between $30-$60.
Jaboulet
Michel Chapoutier
Jean Louis Chave
Alain Graillot: Alain Graillot is a household name in Crozes-Hermitage, putting the appellation on the map the same way Guigal did for Cote Rotie. Graillot makes superb Crozes-Hermitage Syrah that ranges from $100-$200.
Emmanuel Darnaud: Darnaud has some of the best budget Crozes-Hermitage out there, and his Cuvees are affordably priced between $40-$60.
Domaine Rousset: Same insane value as Darnaud. If you can find any of these bottles please let us know!
St. Joseph Producers
Similar to Crozes-Hermitage, St. Joseph has attracted some of the biggest names to the appellation like J.L. Chave. There producers create outstanding wine in the appellation, which can usually be acquired for $50-$80. However, there are two producers in St. Joseph to know that are really upping the wine game in the sub-region.
Pierre Gonon: The top producer of St. Joseph. Bottles in good vintages should be priced between $125-$200.
Bernard Gripa: Gripa is the sleeper option in St. Joseph, producing compelling wines for $50-$80.
Cornas Producers
Cornas is one of our favorite appellations in the Northern Rhone, one which is widely overlooked for the most prestigious appellations of Cote Rotie and Hermitage. Make no mistake, some of the wines produced in this region can compete at the highest levels and can be staggering in their complexity.
August Clape: The king of Cornas, who put the region on the map. These bottles can range from $200-$400. Aromatically the wines are among the most intense we’ve ever experienced and can be well worth the money even in that price range. Clape also makes an entry-level Syrah called Renaissance priced around $80-$100 which is a solid introduction to his quality production.
Thierry Allemand: This once cult producer has now gone mainstream, creating singular wines from the vineyards of Chaillot and Reynard. Priced $250-$400.
Alain Voge: A classic producer that while not making the spellbinding wines of the aforementioned Allemand and Clape, still produces quality bottles between $80-$120.
Marcel Juge: We’ll throw this on here for fun. These bottles are like unicorns. Nearly impossible to find, and rumored to be other worldly. Priced at $350+.
Southern Rhone
Vintage Guide
Vintages in the Southern to buy:
2016, 2010, 2007, 2001, 1998, 1995, 1990, 1989
For top-of-the-line producers, we recommend holding all bottles younger than 2010. Bottles of Southern Rhone GSM are typically best from 15-30 years old, especially with a 1 hour decant.
Chateauneuf de Pape Producers
CDP is the most well-known of the Southern Rhone appellations. Though producers are permitted to use 13 varietals in their wines, the predominant blend is Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Here are a list of the best producers in Chateauneuf de Pape.
Chateau de Beaucastel: Arguably the most well-known producer in the region, producing a blend that includes all 13 varietals permitted in CDP. Most bottles can be acquired from $60-$100, with the best vintages sometimes pushing $150-$200.
Vieux Telegraphe: Less funky than Beaucastel, with lots of cherry liquor and potpourri notes. Always elegant, and moderately priced between $60-$90.
Clos des Papes: A Mourvedre heavy blend that produces unique wines incomparable to that of anything else in CDP. Priced between $130-$200.
Domaine de Pegau: Devin’s personal favorite. A grenache heavy blend aged in large Slovanian Oak Barrels. Always the deepest in texture and depth (to our taste). Their Reservee is priced between $70-$100. If you decide to take the plunge, the high-end Pegau is called Cuvee de Capo. Bottles are $350 and above.
Le Vieux Donjon: The bet budget CDP on the market. Priced between $50-$70, there’s no going wrong with this producer at this price point.
Chateau Rayas: The highest end, most revered of all CDP. Bottles are never less than $500, even in off vintages, and usually hover around $1,000 in the best years. Chateau Fonasalette and Pignan, technically Cote du Rhones, are made by the same family, and showcase the legendary winemaking techniques used by the Rayas clan. Fonsalette is around $250, and Pignan is around $200.
Gigondas Producers
Gigondas could most accurately be called the Crozes Hermitage of the Southern Rhone. Abundant value and quality compared to CDP. Two producers in Gigondas, in particular, have come to create some of the best wines in the Southern Rhone.
Chateau St. Cosme: The St. Cosme Gigondas, a GSM blend, is every bit as good as Beaucastel, and comes in at a cool $50. Some of their high-end selections, like the “Valbelle” come in close to $100 but are well worth the money for the quality.
St. Damien: A classic Gigondas producer with a budget price point. Some of the best Gigondas we’ve had is from this producer, and bottles typically range from $40-$50 even with 10-15 years of age.