Fine Wine > Still > Rhone > 90-92 Pts > $20-50

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The exceptional 2009 Crozes-Hermitage is one of the top wines of the vintage. A complex bouquet of black olives, licorice, ground beef, spring flowers and red and black currants soars from the glass of this 100% Syrah that is aged in 3-year-old barrels as well as larger foudres. With remarkable..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Domaine Grand Venuer's 2010 Lirac Clos de Sixte is outstanding. It is a full-bodied, rich, textural wine with abundant blue and black fruits interwoven with garrigue and licorice..."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Another blockbuster is the 2010 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau Cuvee Marc. Composed of 50% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 25% Syrah, this is a fabulous value from an increasingly promising appellation. A sumptuous bouquet of kirsch, licorice, chocolate fudge, blackberries and graphite emerges from..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The larger-scaled 2010 Crozes-Hermitage Le Rouvre offers a dense purple color followed by aromas of graphite, fruitcake, black currants and blackberries. This stunning, full-bodied, rich Crozes-Hermitage has a lot in common with the more serious wines from Hermitage...

Despite the name,..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
…exquisitely fragrant, ethereal nose of licorice, kirsch, sandy, loamy soil and spice box. The remarkable perfume and expansive texture are amazing… Grenache at its finest.

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"... loads of roasted Provencal herbs, sweet black cherry, black currants and black raspberries, beautiful purity, full-bodied texture and a long finish."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Vivid red. Floral-accented scents of candied red fruits and herbs. Refreshingly bitter and precise, with energetic raspberry and cherry flavors picking up spiciness with air. The floral quality comes back on the bright, spicy, very persistent finish. I like this wine's clarity and balance."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"... One of the sleeper cuvees of the entire cellar, ground pepper intermixed with tapenade, creme de cassis, and smoky barbecue notes are followed by a wine with great fruit, good acidity, and striking minerality. It should drink well for a decade or more."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The darker, fuller-bodied 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits plenty of blackberry and black raspberry fruit as well as good acidity and freshness. This rich, dense ruby/purple-colored 2010 is capable of 10-15 years of cellaring."