Rhône: New Releases

This is one of two signature reds at the domaine (the other is the Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes). It is a fruit-driven style with density and finesse. A long, gentle maceration draws out subtle liquorice and dark cherry notes with a lovely volume.

Alain Voge’s pithy sparkling wine, Les Bulles d’Alain, is unlike anything else we have on our list. It is lively, dry, refreshing, and refined. If you’re in the mood for bubbles, but don’t want the weight of a Champagne, this is the perfect option, and a smart price too. It’s a very good example of why Saint-Péray has built its renown for sparkling wines.

This is the second of the domaine’s signature cuvées (the other is Cornas Les Chailles). It comes from, unsurprisingly, the old vines which are planted further up the slopes at altitudes ranging from 250-400m. Small amounts of whole bunch fruit add freshness and silkiness. Superb old vine intensity, this is concentrated but still so accessible.

Alongside their impressive reds, the domaine makes wonderful still whites from Marsanne. Saint-Péray Ongrie is a mouth-watering white, with Marsanne’s satisfying and refreshing bitterness matched to fresh, ripe fruit.

This wine is only made in the best vintages. The wine’s intensity is dialled up, thanks to the 30% whole bunch fruit used and ageing in 30% new oak. There is so much density here, with abundant but fondant tannins. One for the long-haul.

The domaine only makes one wine, and they throw everything they’ve got at it. It is a blend of two parcels from the Côte Blonde and two from the Côte Brune. It is powerful but balanced, with plenty of gusto on the mid-palate. The nose is laden with aromas of violets and tapenade, smoke and spice. Its silky tannins and sappy acidity let the sweet fruit core slowly unfurl. This is a paradigm for Côte-Rôtie’s capacity for purity.

These vines enjoy the freshening influence of altitude. They are located between 120-300 metres high, and as a result, this 2019 has such a charming crunchy, vibrant, fresh texture. There are bursting red berries and mineral freshness. A perfect Crozes if you like freshness and vim in your Syrah, and a stand out from the appellation in 2019.

Baron Louis, their flagship red, is a testament to Rodolphe’s efforts to preserve local traditions and old rare varieties. The base is a classic 50% Grenache. But the other half is made up of floral Cinsault, powerful Mourvèdre, fresh Counoise, and fruity Carignan. The good value for money here cannot be overemphasized. Juicy, floral, fresh and poised.

We’ve watched the 2015 Ventoux Rouge develop in tank ever since just after the 2015 harvest, and it’s fair to say that this has really blossomed. On the nose, notes of wild violets and a core of juicy fruit, while there’s incredibly refined tannins and a very long, mineral finish. This is a beautifully judged red from Even Bakke: an absolute bargain from a benchmark of the Ventoux.

2019 is the second, and sadly last, vintage of this wine, which comes from a plot of very old (100 years+) vines found just 200m from the appellation boundary of St Joseph. It is a blend of local varieties like Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, with the striking addition of a Savoyard grape variety: Jacquère. Usually, this variety is found on the Alpine slopes, and makes salty, mineral, vibrantly high-acid wines. The 2019 is lower in alcohol and lighter in body than the 2018, with a distinctly salty twist thanks to the Jacquère. Don’t miss it.

At first it is lightly scented with notes of elderflower, pineapple and rose. With some air and time in the glass it begins to open up and show Viognier’s brilliant flare. It’s luscious, silky, and fresh on the palate, with a scintillating mineralogy woven through the tropical fruits making it irresistible. As ever, this is a benchmark Condrieu from the Perrets.

This is a special cuvée made from old vines, with a high proportion of Mourvèdre in the blend (30%). In 2018 Jean-Paul couldn’t make this cuvée as volumes were so reduced by mildew, so 2019 sees a happy return. It is very dense and peppery, with some wild garrigue herbs entwined in the kirsch fruit.

Juicy and pure, light-footed and elegant, this Syrah has such a smooth and fresh frame, it will drink well from the off. It comes from vines near Ampuis, planted higher up, just above the Côte Rôtie appellation. It is bursting with fruit, high energy, and joyful in its expression. Another triumph from this young domaine. Stock up.

This is a poised and energetic Condrieu. The Botts are not looking for richness and ripe alcohols in their whites. To that end they pick fairly early. This is 13.5% abv, and is packed with vibrant fresh fruit flavours - melon and Conference pear with a hint of nutty almond in the background. A superb wine.

This tiny cuvée is the jewel in the crown at this estate. Whilst it might be easy for a young domaine to buy vineyards in Seyssuel, it is not so easy in Côte-Rôtie. But Graeme and Julie do have two tiny parcels, and this cuvée has already won them much praise as newcomers to get seriously excited about. The 2019 continues their strong form in producing serious and impeccably balanced Côte-Rôtie.

This is perhaps the wine that needs the most explanation in the Bott cellar. The name may sound unfamiliar. Don’t worry, we’d never tried a Seyssuel either. It comes from vines planted just a 10 minute drive from Ampuis. The soils here are made up of schist and gneiss and Julie says they look shiny when the sunlight catches them. There’s no granite here, on the other side of the river, and the Syrah is floral and pinot-esque, with an elegant texture. Kamata is the Maori work for rock or stone, and a nod to Graeme’s Kiwi origins. Light, fragrant, and delectable. More than a curiosity.

2019 is the first release made from the vines Julie and Graeme planted themselves in their garden. Effectively, where their whole adventure began. The vineyard sits between Coteau de Chéry and Château Grillet, behind their house in Vérin. They like to pick their whites early, and here they have captured the freshness of just-ripened Viognier with its silky texture in this stunning debut. There’s a tangy grip here which we love. Just 934 bottles have been made.

This is another wine to get excited about chez Bott. It has that textured, dark-fruited, graphite-lifted, floral character we love in Saint-Joseph. There is a silkiness to the tannins, helped by the gentle vinification. Excellent stuff.

This Gamay is a revelation. It’s made by one of Côte-Rôtie’s most accomplished winemakers, Guillaume Clusel, whose Syrahs are as enthralling as they come. This Gamay comes from the decomposed granitic soils that lie south of Lyon. It is a juicy and delicious red at a great price, with silky tannins and a fresh backbone of acidity couched in ripe, red berry fruit.

This is Clusel Roch’s classic blend. It comes from a range of vineyards across the Côte Brune, including Le Plomb, Montmains, and Bas de Coteau. Spicy and graphite-textured, with floral notes, and some intense black olive and cassis notes beneath. A classic Côte-Rôtie.

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. It is savoury, smooth, and long, with silky tannins and peppery freshness.

This cuvée is always the most powerful in the Clusel Roch stable. It comes from vines planted in 1935 by Guillaume Clusel’s great-grandfather. The parcel sits high up, above La Viallière, and makes a dense, complex, and structured wine. The tannins are compact in their youth, and it will need some time in bottle to unfurl. Magnificent Syrah.

This comes from fruit grown exclusively on the granitic slopes in the heart of Cornas, and has made a wonderfully floral, fragrant, block-fruited wine in 2019. The finely textured palate has brilliant poise, with excellent, long freshness, and small, spicy tannins. Intense and fragrant.

Domaine Courbis makes three Saint-Joseph cuvées, and this is always our favourite. It comes from a south-facing granite slope in the south of the appellation, and makes a complex, vibrant example. Great value as ever.