2021 Northern Rhône

This Coteaux du Lyonnais, which is made from Gamay, has earned a huge following for its upfront peppery blue fruit and soft tannins. The vines grow on decomposed granitic soils that lie south of Lyon, and it’s made by one of Côte-Rôtie’s most accomplished winemakers, Guillaume Clusel. In 2021 it feels crunchier and tighter than some recent vintages, with a sour cherry bite keeping it lively and energetic. As always, it is great value.

This is Clusel Roch’s classic blend. Indeed, until recently it had been called ‘Classique’ rather than Les Schistes. It comes from a range of vineyards across the iron-rich soils of the Côte Brune, including Le Plomb, Montmains, and the bottom of Viallière. The blend is saline and taut, with a flash of fresh cherry running through the palate. Fragrant, with a little cool spice.

This cuvée is always the most powerful in the Clusel Roch stable, and even though the frame of all the 2021s is a little slimmer than recent warmer vintages, this still shows plenty of density and concentration. It comes from vines planted in 1935 by Guillaume Clusel’s great-grandfather. The parcel sits high up, above La Viallière, and makes a complex and structured wine.

La Viallière is one of the great sites of the Côte Brune. Its mid-slope position and high proportion of gravelly stones aid drainage and produce wines of great finesse and voluptuous depth. This was the highlight of the Clusel Roch cellar in 2021 - lovely notes of torrefaction give the sweet fruit a toasty charm. It is a warm site, and usually produces the roundest, richest wine here. In 2021 it is on song: the freshness and elegant balance of the vintage showing it at its best.