- Lea & Sandeman Wine Merchants

First things first: the 2023 vintage in the Rhône has produced some exceptional wines and if, like me, you enjoy ripe fruit-forward wines, then you are in for a real treat. I spent five days travelling north to south, visiting almost every estate we work with and a few that may be interesting for the future, as we like to keep an eye on the up and comers too. This is a super-busy time during vintage, and I was grateful to all our hard-working vignerons who took time away from the 2024 vintage to let me taste the previous year’s 2023s from barrel or recently bottled wines. Before we went out, we'd heard around the traps that this was a vintage that needed 'taming' because of the ripeness and exuberance of the fruit (and indeed we sent out an email expounding this view), but once we got down to visiting our growers, this turned out to be a story that concerned only the larger, négociant-led producers who, as they are buying in fruit, have less control over what comes into the winery. It cannot be overstated that for the growers making wines from their own fruit, yes, 2023 had its complications, but in a world of uncertain weather patterns this perhaps will become the norm, and they were unanimously happy with what they picked. Hot on the heels of the warm 2022 vintage, the exciting 2023 is marked by freshness, fruit, elegance, good acids & good structure. Up and down the Rhône I kept hearing a similar story; a hard vintage to read, you really had to keep on top of the weather reports and be in constant touch with the vineyards. As we all know, it all starts in the vineyard, the leading producers all pay more attention to what goes on here than in the cellars. What happens in the cellars is important of course, but with great material from the vineyards come the great wines. Day 1 First stop Condrieu early on the Monday morning with the engaging and bright Isabelle Guiller of Clos de la Bonnette, who in my mind has some of the most beautiful vineyards in the appellation. Isabelle noted 2023 was ‘difficult but beautiful, warm & dry with good yields’ the wines tasted, are as ever here, exceptionally good, expressive and correct. From here we head straight to Domaine Rémi Niero, where all the whites are showing what will be repeated up and down the Rhône Valley: ‘bright freshness’. Adrien also gave me the first insight into the reds from 2023, and this is going to be a lovely vintage for them too. A quick pit-stop for lunch and off to see the exciting ‘young pretenders’ at Domaine Bruyère et David, who are keen to show us around their new wine making cellars, the theme of freshness & bright floral fruit continues. Last call of the day is to the ‘Kiwi d'Ampuis’ at Domaine G&J Bott. Graeme and Julie specialise in freshness in any vintage, and there is no let-up in the quality here. Graeme is frank and forthright about the reds, which are excellent, and I look forward to seeing them in bottle. Dinner at Le Glacier in Vienne & early to bed. Day 2 Côte-Rôtie today, and the first port of call is Maison Clusel-Roch who are based up in the northern end of the appellation, but with some prime lieu-dits all around Côte-Rôtie’s famed slopes. A glimpse of the prices being commanded in a local shop by semi-mature vintages of Guillaume’s pure and elegant wines gives you an idea of the high regard they are held by critics and consumers the world over. This is always one of the best tastings, as he weaves his way through the barrels to give me an indication of the make-up of the blends. This is man who knows his vineyards very well and the wines are looking super smart. Lovely purity, fine elegant wines. After this we make a quick diversion to the northern limits of Côte-Rôtie as I have been tipped off about a new estate who has some plots in an area where Guigal has just spent a fortune on acquiring even more vineyards, the wine tasted were good but not compelling enough; one to keep an eye on. A quick lunch at Les Epicurieux in Ampuis and restaurant owner Arnaud encourages me to contact yet another new producer. He had recently sent Decanter’s Matt Walls to investigate, and my interest was piqued. I am a sucker for wines made in a garage, you get a real feel for the passion and skill of a producer working in such restraining environments and Frédéric Gallet’s prove to be very special indeed. Sadly, he has no intention of expanding the tiny quantities produced, there is nothing for sale, and that's that. Still, a brief moment of excitement and wines to search out when in France. Back to the schedule and a speedy journey through the village of Ampuis and into southern end of Côte-Rôtie. The village of Tupin-et-Semons is where Benjamin & David Duclaux are based. This is always one of my highlights of the northern Rhône. In my view, they make the most precise, pure and elegant wines in the valley. For the first time it isn’t one of the brothers, but David’s son Matthieu who conducts the tasting. He is bright and amiable youngster who has his father’s laugh and sense of humour. My tasting notes are full of ‘fresh floral fruits, elegance, purity and brightness’. As ever, this is an estate that delivers some beautifully crafted wines & with Matthieu it looks like the future is in good hands too. Final call of the day takes us up high above Ampuis, driving though some of the great vineyards to the cellars of Patrick & Christophe Bonnefond in the tiny village of Mornas. This is a domaine that always delivers fine, structured, age-worthy Côte-Rôties that can be some of the most compelling of the region. Christophe’s daughter Léa is slowly taking control of the estate, and there are signs of a lighter touch in the cellars. Lots to like from here in 2023, expressive fruit-forward wines with a structure that is sapid and subtle. A quick call into a friend’s cellars in Condrieu for a cleansing beer & that is a wrap for the day and another fruitful take on the vintage in the bag before we move south to Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas on Wednesday. 2023 in Côte-Rôtie is looking exceptionally good. A rather forgettable steak frites that evening. Day 3 An early start and heading south into Crozes-Hermitage. It was exciting to retaste the wines of Christelle Betton, they did not disappoint, this is a new addition to the Rhône selection and I am really pleased with the quality here, very Crozes indeed, that being lots of bright raspberry, redcurrant and blueberry fruits in the reds and freshness & bright floral fruits in the whites, also an extremely good and age-worthy Hermitage Blanc, these wines have real personality, not unlike Christelle herself, a force of nature. I can’t wait to show these in London. Off to one of our long-term collaborators in Gilles Robin, a big range of wines made, all of which are very well made and correct. It is the ever-reliable Crozes Hermitage Cuvée Papillon (2022 available here) that is always the star here and the 2023 is just delicious and will not disappoint. Christelle Betton recommended a friend’s restaurant for lunch, which served the best steak frites of the week. The last port of call in the North before we head into the southern Rhône is to Domaine Lionnet in Cornas. It is another highlight of the week to taste with Ludovic, and he is proud to show off his recent improvements that give him a little more space in his cramped cellars. I really like what we taste here, the wines have big bold flavours, in the reds, this will be a great vintage for Cornas, the whites are textured and expressive too. Then onto the motorway and southward bound...

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