The Rhone vintage of a lifetime 

Ripe, fresh, mineral wines

Always a fascinating tasting because of Michel Chapoutier's philosophy of not interfering with what the season has done to his fruit, in 2015 the vintage really did speak for itself. And what it has to say is extraordinary. As Michel said, very tongue-in-cheek, in the northern Rhone we aren't so accustomed to vintages of the century. For him 2015 is a reminder of 1990, but his old friend Guigal said, 'no come on it's more like 1961 or 47'. In fact weather-wise 2015 in the Rhone was a topsy-turvy year with Cote-Rotie in the far north frequently topping Michel's daily temperature charts.

What did we taste in the wines? For a start there is fantastic freshness everywhere, even in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, where the remarkable wines (the best I've tasted here) had a vivid brightness, a sappy, crunchy, ripe character and sensible alcohol. From the northern Rhone, the Mordorée was rich, olivey and perfumed. The Crozes are impressive, but of course it is on the Ermitage hill that the stars always lie. The Syrahs there are magnificent - firmly structured and all displaying the vintage's typical minerality. The whites are deep and fresh at the same time and in 2015 beautifully reflect the ever-present terroir. One thing you can certainly say about 2015 - Chapoutier's biodynamic vineyards have done overtime to give wines showing what John Livingstone-Learmonth calls soil to glass transfer.

If you're not a fan of the heatwave and crave freshness and true minerality then this is possibly your soulmate Rhone wine. In short this is the Rhone vintage your cellar needs. /CW 

Offered subject to confirmation for shipment late spring 2018