2015 Rhone en primeur

It may be that the Rhone valley is the region to benefit most from the marvels of the 2015 growing season. The freshness of the cool nights particularly benefited the southern climes. All the wines I’ve tasted so far have energy and great balance.

Freshness and purity

In the northern Rhone the reds resound with fizz, zing and purity – a bit like fireworks night on the tip of your tongue, followed by depth and resonance as the deft heft of the Syrah flows across the palate. They will resolve and develop into exciting and grown up wines with complexity and a rich core of fruit. The Marsanne and Roussanne whites are almost more dense and intense at this stage. But 2015 is a stellar Syrah year for sure.

In the south, whether your thing is the plateau of Chateauneuf-du-Pape or the heights of Gigondas or the communes between, a combination of almost perfect weather and some brilliant growing and winemaking has given us some of the most complete, tense and balanced reds and whites of recent times. Even the 100% Grenache wines are showing on excellent form, but those with more Mourvedre and a dollop of Syrah will be giving their drinkers the red carpet treatment. /CW