Wine & Spirits - February 2017 - 53

YEAR'S BEST RHONE WINES
Our blind panels tasted 360 new-release Rhône wines over the past 12 months. Tara Q. Thomas, our critic for Rhône wines, rated 64 as
exceptional (90+) and 33 as Best Buys. Find a complete list of wines tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com.

WHITE
C H A T E A U N E U F - D U - PA P E

clean and refreshing, and should gain more
complexity with another five years in the
cellar. § Domaine Select Wine Estates, NY

CO L L INES RH ODANIENNES

218049

93 | Famille Perrin

217689
$92

2014 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Château de
Beaucastel Blanc ^ The Perrins farm about
17 acres of white varieties at Beaucastel,
the majority of it roussanne. That grape
accounts for about 80 percent of this wine,
with bourboulenc, clairette, grenache blanc
and picardan making up the rest. Vinified
mostly in tank, with 30 percent in barrel,
it strikes a head-turning balance between
juicy, peachy fruit and breezy, floral delicacy.
The wine grows in breadth as it takes on
air, roussanne's nutty warmth coming up
alongside garrigue-like notes of earth and
herbs, and yet it retains its initial energy,
even after a couple days open on the counter.
Decant it if you open it now; otherwise wait
another six to eight years. § Vineyard Brands,
Birmingham, AL
218056

91 | Dom. de la Solitude

$50

2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc ^ Michel
and Jean Lançon farm a contiguous 100 acres
just outside Bedarrides, about 15 acres of
which are planted to white grapes. Their 2015
is mostly clairette with 30 percent roussanne
and 15 percent grenache blanc. It's quietly
opulent, with a lemon-oil density and a gossamer sheen of spicy oak. Floral notes give
it lift, while the sandy texture gives it the
weight and substance for a veal stew. § Langdon Shiverick, Los Angeles, CA
217386

90 | Dom. Patrice Magni

$50

2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Sensation
Blanc ^ Blended from 30 percent each clairette
and roussanne, the rest grenache blanc, this
has a lemony acidity that channels through
the rich texture, making way for mineral
notes and pithy citrus flavor. It finishes

90 | Jean-Michel Gerin

$20

2014 Collines Rhodaniennes La Champine
Viognier (Best Buy) ^ If viognier's florals are
often too much for you, try this one. It's more
green than fruity, more lean than plump, an
elegant viognier with a green-bean snap to
its acidity and the scent of herbs in bloom. §
Esprit du Vin, Boca Raton, FL

CONDRIEU
217665

90 | M&S Ogier

$120

2013 Condrieu Les Vieilles Vignes ^ From a
parcel of vines planted in 1948 in the granite
soils of the lieu-dit La Combe, this is a deeply
savory viognier, nearly meaty in both texture
and flavor. It tastes of papaya and peach,
lemongrass and lemon peel, with firm, saline
minerality holding the flavors fast. Time may
bring more air into the texture, which right
now is dense to the point of feeling slightly
sticky. Give it another year in the cellar, then
serve with something rich, like a shellfish
stew. § Domaine Select Wine & Spirits/Robert
Kacher Selections, NY

COTES DU RH ONE
217544

91 | Domaine de Dionysos $40

2015 Côtes du Rhône Villages Charline ^
Benjamin Farjon converted his family's
estate to biodynamics in 2014, 42 acres in the
Vaucluse just north of Orange. He planted
the marsanne and roussanne for Charline
just five years ago, and yet they've already
produced an elegant white, lemon-bright and
creamy. The acidity clinches it, reining in the
fruit's fatness, keeping the wine shapely and
ready for roast sea bass. § Serge Doré Selections,
Chappaqua, NY
218000

88 | Brotte

$15

88 | M. Chapoutier

$17

87 | Domaine Boisson

$18

86 | Les Dauphins

$10

2015 Côtes du Rhône Villages-Laudun
Bord Elegance (Best Buy) ^ Floral and delicate, this lasts on light, crisp peach fruit and
herbal notes, lacy and elegant. § Monsieur Touton Selection, NY
215144
2015 Côtes du Rhône Belleruche (Best
Buy) ^ A rich, ripe vintage of Belleruche, this
blend of grenache blanc, clairette and bourboulenc has a saline streak that keeps the
golden apple flavors refreshing. It's full-bodied and silky, a white for winter dishes like
choucroute. § Terlato Wines Int'l, Lake Bluff, IL
217978
2015 Côtes du Rhône Villages-Cairanne
Blanc (Best Buy) ^ Creamy pear flavor fills in
this fleshy wine, while the acidity contributes
a crunch and balancing bitterness. The
alcohol is a little spicy, wanting something
rich to balance, like a pork shoulder. § Wines
of France, Mountainside, NJ
217649
2014 Côtes du Rhône Réserve (Best Buy) ^
Dewy and lush in its floral tones and full
body, this waxy, herb-tinged white has the
breadth to match an herb risotto. § Monsieur
Touton Selection, NY

C R O Z E S - H E R M I TA G E
217820

90 | E. Guigal

$30

2014 Crozes-Hermitage (Best Buy) ^ Primarily marsanne (with five percent roussanne)
off hillside vineyards, this is fermented in
a mix of stainless steel tanks and used barrels. The 2014 is fragrant and clean, a bright
Crozes with sweet apple flavor. The texture
feels like crushed velvet while the acidity
keeps the wine feeling fresh, an agile balance
for the dinner table. § Vintus, Pleasantville, NY

H E R M I TA G E
217816

92 | E. Guigal

$75

2012 Hermitage ^ Even after two years in second-use barrels, this Hermitage Blanc feels
fresh, its satin texture suffused with floral
notes. The blend is mostly marsanne, with
five percent roussanne, the vines ranging
WINE & SPIRITS

FEBRUARY 2017

http://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com http://www.beaucastel.com/our-wines/?vincod=6MFCTE http://www.domaine-gerin.fr/vins/la-champine-viognier

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - February 2017