2018 Rhône

Very inky, this comes from three different parcels, and production is tiny. Deep and powerful, with bloody notes and dark fruit and tapenade, there’s real intensity and structure here. Very long, very Hermitage.

A stunning rosé, the 2019 has notes of peach blossom and wild strawberries, as well as lots of oyster shell and seaspray. An impressive wine, this will age, too.

Alain’s top wine, the Cuvée Antoinette in 2017 is outstanding. Notes of herbs, dark berries and tapenade swirl from the glass, with a poise and energy that draws you in. The finish is long and rich, but with beautiful detailing, too. Impressive.

Over the past few decades, Gros' Noré has emerged as a top Bandol address, rubbing shoulders with its famous neighbour, Tempier. Their powerful Mourvèdre blends are rich, spicy and impressively ageworthy, and as with all great Bandols, retain a salty, herb-infused freshness. This has a deep and chewy structure, with the scent of roasted spice and a beautiful thread of acidity running through it.

There’s a beautifully balanced, yet intense and powerful Cornas. Notes of blood and iron, and such an inky character. This is a brilliant wine.

80% Marsanne and the rest Roussanne, with the former from 100 year old vines. There’s plenty of spice and fragrance and texture. Very long.

From Mauves and Tournon, there’s finesse and energy to this Saint-Joseph. Dark fruit, and plenty of fragrance, the spice on the finish gives the wine lift and length.

Delicate and saline, with texture and wild white flowers, this is a beautiful Marsanne from one of the Rhône’s white wine masters.

Exotic but not overblown, there’s notes of peach blossom and nectarines on the nose, with a zippy, fresh palate. Very well put together: everything we’d hope for from this masterful winemaker.

From a parcel in the heart of the village, this has a very floral and intense nose. The vines here are 100 years old, and that gives this wonderful precision and focus. Incredible.

A grippy and savoury wine from one of the masters of white wine in the region. Incredible power and drive, with texture and a mouthwatering finish. Brilliant for the price.

One single parcel, this year it’s from the top of Champelrose next to Sabarotte and Les Vieilles Fontaines. Wow. Intense and mineral. Beautiful fragrance. Floral, complex, mineral and savoury. This is so so good, with complexity and focus in spades.

From 100 year old vines, this is an intense, powerful Cornas. Notes of dark cherries, with plenty of focus and savoury notes, too. Brilliantly balanced, and very long.

The 2018 Vieux Télégraphe is a lesson is brilliantly balanced Châteauneuf. Notes of bramble and garrigue herbs on the nose, with tapenade and just a hint of ripe citrus adding lift and energy. The palate is structured and fresh, with a coolness that lasts. Brilliantly focussed.

Lafite’s successful venture in the Languedoc has continued its winning streak with this 2017. It’s a blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache typical of the appellation of Corbières, with a certain Bordelais sophistication in evidence, where toasty oak supports the robust but polished tannins and creamy dark fruit flavours.

You may not know Vinsobres, but this is the one to discover. Wild, intense, with excellent length, it wouldn’t look out of place in Châteauneuf.

From the heart of the village, this is one of the best Gigondas out there. Notes of sun-baked earth and wild berries, together with a herbal lift, make this an impressively detailed, complex wine.

From around the Chapelle, where the soils are poor, this is a Marsanne with tons of texture and vibrancy. It comes from the oldest vines, and is one for the long haul.

From the base of the hill, this is one of the outstanding purchases of the Chapoutier range. Intense, grippy tannins and rich, inky fruit, swirl from the glass. Concentrated and intense, a powerful Ermitage.

From old vines, this is a remarkable Hermitage. Intense dark fruit and tapenade, but still the fine thread of acidity we’ve come to love from Claire’s wines. Elegance and power.

Around 10% Roussanne in the blend here, with the rest Marsanne. This comes from three plots: L’Ermite, La Tourette and Le Sabot. Apples and spice, this is excellent but will need plenty of time to come together.

Clos Boucher is very near to the legendary Château Grillet, and this shows the opulence and purity that the estate is renowned for - at a fraction of the price. Lovely salinity here, with plenty of palate weight, and really expressive fruit. Excellent.

A blend of numerous different parcels, this is an elegant, finessed Crozes from Claire Darnaud. Notes of anise and pepper, and plenty of strawberries. Delicious.

Around 70% comes from the Côte Brune, with the rest from the Blonde. Dark and brooding, but with Côte-Rôtie’s trademark elegance, this is a nicely focussed and impressively long Syrah.

One of the greatest vineyards in Côte-Rôtie has produced a tour de force in 2018. This is powerful and structured, yet with such finesse apparent, too. Very well balanced, and stunningly long on the finish. A delight to even try.

From 30-80 year old vines, this is textured, fragrant, and very fresh. A Crozes that could easily be mistaken for a Hermitage.

A bargain at this price, this is a delicate yet intense Hermitage, with notes of blue fruit and lots of floral, violet character. A true Syrah, this couldn’t be from anywhere else.

Always the first, and the last, plot to be picked at the estate, this has notes of iron oxide and plenty of deep blue fruit. Loads of energy here. Very long indeed.

A blend of countless different grape varieties, this is the 41st vintage of Mas du Daumas Gassac. And it’s one of the finest, dubbed, “one of those vintages that only comes around every 10 years” by the estate. Gentle vinification and slow ripening have crafted a wine of elegance and finesse: one for the ages. It’s not to be missed.

This is a tightly wound white, but with air it gets better and better. It’s almost volcanic in style: it reminds a little of Etna, but with real precision and length. At six years old, this is a delight.

Lots of blue fruit on the nose here, but also plenty of floral notes, and a lovely energy on the finish. This is beautifully judged, and very long.

There’s a lovely precision to the 2017 La Source from Philippe. Glossy fruit and a lovely herbal notes give way to a lightly grippy palate, with excellent palate weight. Lovely.

2016 was a remarkable vintage in this area, and this is intense, grippy, with stunning coiled energy. Philippe’s best wine yet?