Jeb Dunnuck - 94 Points 

"Mostly Grenache with 15% Syrah brought up in foudre and old barrels, the 2019 Côtes Du Rhône Les Quartz tastes like a Châteauneuf du Pape as opposed to a Côtes du Rhône and offers a powerful bouquet of red and black fruits, melted licorice, and peppery garrigue. With loads of Provençal charm, full-bodied richness, and supple tannins, it's already hard to resist, and I see no need to delay gratification. Drink this beautiful Côtes du Rhône over the coming 5-7 years."

Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski

Drink Date: 2023 - 2035
A 60-40 blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre aged in a combination of demi-muids and new barriques, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Renaissance shows plenty of smoky, toasty nuances laid over the top of roasted cherries. Full-bodied, rich and velvety in texture, it finishes long, with overtones of mocha lingering on the finish. It's oaky now, but it should improve with short-term cellaring. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

I confess to being slightly disappointed in the offerings from this fine domaine this year. The Grangeon family owns vineyards in some superb sandy sites, including the lieux-dits of Cristia and la Font du Loup, but the 2019s and 2020s (to a lesser extent) are too easy in style, and some cuvees are overly marked by wood. Still, there is no denying their commercial appeal. The 2020 white, however, showed well on both occasions I tasted it. Baptiste Grangeon is picking those grapes a bit early "to keep the freshness," then compensating by using a bit more new oak and bâtonnage.

"I was a big fan of 2019 and less of 2020 in the beginning," Grangeon said as we tasted through the range. "But with time, I like '20 more and more." Alcohol levels here were close to 16% in 2019 but more like 15% in 2020. "You can't get in '19 what we got in '16—that was a perfectly balanced vintage. Chateauneuf is supposed to be a fine and elegant wine," Grangeon added in closing.

Looking at the older wines, the 2011 (there was only a single cuvee produced) should be consumed without further delay, and the 2001 came across as tired and of only academic interest at this point (no review given). As a rough rule of thumb, I would suggest drinking these wines within their first decade.

Published: May 06, 2022

Beautiful body, smooth mouthfeel and dark fruit flavours shine through in this Syrah from St Joseph in France's Northern Rhone Valley. Winemaker Jean-Baptiste Souillard makes serious, ageworthy expressions of Syrah with balance and potential longevity for those with the patience to wait for the depth to evolve into a silky aged expression of one of the great red grapes of the world. 

A great Syrah with black plum, blackberry and ripe red cherry notes from French winemaker Jean-Baptiste Souillard. 

This spicy full bodied red is new in store and offers great drinking now as well as ageing potential for up to a decade, potentially beyond. 

100% Syrah from the legendary slopes of Hermitage above the town of Tain in the Northern Rhone. 

The soils here are a fabulous mix of limestone, clay, silt soil and sandy gravel and the vines have an average age of over 30 years. The wine matures in barrel for a whopping 36 months with 50% new oak.

Deep ruby red with violet tinges on the eye opening into a spicy nose with red berries and delicate oak aromas. The palate is powerful and tannic with flavours of blackcurrant, vanilla, licorice and spice

A great Syrah from the northern Rhone appellation of Cornas, famous for its staunch full bodied dry flavoured reds and long ageability of wines made from here. This powerful red from Ferraton Pere & Fils has dark black fruit flavours, strong spicy aromas and a hint of black pepper, tar and earthiness all adding great complexity to an outstanding and youthful wine. 

Drinks well now, if decanted, and begs to be cellared for up to and potentially beyond 10 years. 

Everything that great Syrah can be is present and accounted for in this plummy, spicy, chocolatey dark red wine from Cote Rotie, the northernmost appellation for Syrah in France's Rhone Valley. 

Full bodied, dry, spicy and rich right now, this impressive red will age well, evolving into a silky, even more seductive red over at least 10 years. 

Only old vine Grenache (between 75-90 years) is used to make this wine. This is a deep, rich and vibrant red. The nose is very complex with notes of raspberry, licourice and spices. This is an opulent, generously fruity wine. Drink from now through to 2027.

Domaine Clusel-Roch is located in V?renay, the northernmost village in C?te R?tie, with a winegrowing history that predates the region?s fame. Although the estate comprises a mere 3.5 ha, their plots are small-but-mighty, consistently producing intensely coveted cuv?es. Now run by Gilbert Clusel, his wife Brigitte, and their son Guillaume, the Clusel-Roch family was among the first to adopt organic farming practices in the area, when Gilbert?s grandfather planted the core vineyard of the winery in 1935.

Syrah is the star here, and Clusel-Roch?s vineyards are not planted with just any syrah, but with the unique, low-yielding clone known as serine. Their single vineyard bottlings are in great demand (and limited quantity), but this cuv?e provides a rare opportunity to get an affordable taste of Clusel-Roch?s inimitable style

This bottle is classic Northern Rh?ne syrah, with a woody smoke over spice, plush blackberry, black raspberry, currant, and hints of crushed herbs.

A beautiful peachy expression of the viognier grape grown on the sand and granite steep terraced slopes of the northern Rhone.

Fermentation is at low temperatures, a third in new barrels and the rest in stainless steel tanks. The wine undergoes 100% Malolactic fermentation and is aged in 100% new oak.

Brilliant clear golden yellow in the glass with a nose that is Intensely floral and fruity; violets, apricots, peaches and citrus.

The palate is fresh, round and unctuous with lighter acidity and round fleshy fruits.

70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourv?dre from the Rhone. A rich, well structured wine. Full of plum and stewed fruit aromas. No oak results in pure fruit expression on the palate.