Northern Rhône

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. It’s their signature wine, and a window onto their elegant style.

This cuvée is always the most powerful in the Clusel Roch stable, with its density and length. 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. It is intense, and can be unyielding in youth, but with time in the cellar will capture the essence of this domaine in the glass.

This is in-keeping with the Clusel Roch style, with high-toned red fruit and a lithe body. It’s a fairly new addition to their range, having first separated out the parcel in 2018. It sits high up on the slope, facing eastwards, on limestone and schiste soils. It’s got more muscle than the Viallière, but remains more forward than the Grandes Places.

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 and notable substance. It offers a complex laying of flavours and tones, with the rich scent of torrefaction twinned with sweet berry fruit. It is a warm site, and therefore produces the roundest, richest wine here.

This domaine only makes one wine from across the Côte Blonde and Côte Brune, and they throw everything they’ve got at it. In fact, they are the only domaine still producing just one blend in Côte-Rôtie, and when you taste the wine, you know they are fully justified in continuing this tradition. Bernard has recently retired, and his son, Pierre, is clearly hitting his stride. The wine is both powerful but balanced, with plenty of gusto on the mid-palate. The nose is laden with aromas of violets and tapenade, smoke and spice.

This unadorned, fruity and fresh Viognier is one of the only Condrieus you will find that is vinified and aged entirely in stainless steel, seeing no oak at all. Pierre seeks above all else texture in his Condrieu, and this wine has become a classic in its own right. It comes from a granitic south-west facing parcel, and produces floral wine that shows the minerality of Condrieu, rather than the oily weight it can tend to.

This is the emblematic cuvée of the Rostaing domaine, which blends 15 lieux-dits from around Côte-Rôtie. It showcases the Rostaing signature style: rich, dense fruit, with bold tannin structure. It is savoury and highly appetising.

Pierre only started bottling this vineyard separately in 2016, and it has since proved to be well-worth following. It comes from a half hectare parcel just north of La Landonne which is home to 80-year-old vines planted by Pierre’s grandfather. He decided to isolate the parcel as he says every year these vines make such a pure and quintessential expression of Côte-Rôtie they deserved their own spotlight.

This is arguably Côte-Rôtie’s most famous vineyard. In Pierre Rostaing’s hands this magnificent cuvée is dense and grippy, with a sophisticated restraint. Powerful and captivating.

This is one of the most sought-after wines in the Rostaing stable, and only produced in tiny volumes. It displays a decadent nose, with a palate of ample structure and volume. It needs time, but this has a promising future ahead. Powerful, but poised.

Like the Côte Blonde, this is only produced in tiny volumes, and demand is always huge. None at all was made in 2021, so we’re pleased to see it back on form in 2022. It has so much power on the young palate, and will surely go on for decades.

It’s hard to express how much we love this cuvée. It’s a juicy, pure, light-footed, and expressive Syrah that comes from vines planted just beyond the limits of the Côte-Rôtie appellation. It is fragrant and open, with vivid cherry and cranberry notes. There’s a deliciously leafy freshness, with the scent of peonies woven through the fruit. Fresh, bright, and appetising. Stock up. This has fast become a Lay & Wheeler favourite.

This is Syrah wearing its Pinot cloak. The Kamaka is the wine that needs the most explanation in the Bott cellar. Seyssuel, on the other side of the river to Côte-Rôtie, is an appellation on the march. There are hopes that it will be elevated to full cru status within a matter of years. Here, the schist and gneiss soils glisten in the sunlight; there’s no granite on this side of the river. The Syrah that grows here is floral and pinot-esque, with an elegant texture and a spicy, salty undertow. Kamaka is the Maori word for rock or stone, and a nod to Graeme’s Kiwi origins. Much more than a curiosity.

This plot is in fact Graeme and Julie’s garden, and was where their whole project began. It sits between Côteau de Chéry and Château Grillet, below their house in Vérin. The wine is made in tiny quantities and shows a step up in concentration and tension on the straight Condrieu. It is fresh and refined, coming in at 12.5%.

This fresh, bright, early-picked Viognier epitomises Graeme & Julie’s skill at handling this grape. Where their Condrieus are emerging as some of the most interesting in the appellation, this ‘First Flight’ is a great value window onto their style. The vines are grown in granite soils at 300m altitude. This zips across the palate with the natural freshness, and an attractive almond bite on the finish.

Each year we see the Botts refine their style, and this 2022 Condrieu is an exciting step forward. They like to keep freshness in their Condrieu, rather than seeking richness and weight, and so they react quickly and pick early. This 2022 comes in at a poised 12.8% abv, giving it freshness and precision in spite of the warm growing season. It is poised and energetic, vibrant and lively, with beautiful aromatic appeal. The granitic soils of Condrieu give the wine minerality and freshness alongside natural ripeness. It should be superb after a year in bottle.

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. Impeccably balanced Côte-Rôtie from the outstanding 2020 vintage.

If André’s straight Condrieu is the benchmark, then this is a wine that transcends its category altogether. The vines here are approaching 70 years old, and the wine has a lifted salty aroma taking it to another level altogether. So much tension and persistence on the palate.

This is so zesty and vibrant, with a beautiful orange zest and floral scent. The palate is silky and mineral - a combination that André has a dab hand at conjuring from the Viognier grape.

This Syrah comes from old vines grown on the steep slopes in the north of the long, narrow St Joseph appellation, near the domaine in Condrieu. It is dark and brambly, with a brightness and clarity on the palate of crunchy cassis fruit with a twist of licorice.

This comes from a blend of grapes from Chavany, which give the wine a fruity profile, and grapes from Vérin, which add minerality and tension. It has a detailed nose of nettle freshness, with a great mineral length on the palate. This is a highly accomplished Condrieu blend, and great value for money. It is the fruitiest, most approachable Condrieu that François makes.

This bursts with green pineapple perfume; both exotic and vibrant, with a silky, textured palate. It comes from a single vineyard in the south of the appellation, in St Pierre de Boeuf. The east/north-east aspect makes this site cooler than many, and its granite and gneiss soils results in superb mineral tension to the wine.

This site is in Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône, just south of Château Grillet in the heart of the Condrieu appellation, where the quartzite mica-schist soils make wines of length and finesse. It is smoky, firm, and energetic, and clearly has plenty to give over the years to come.

This is made from a selection of their oldest Marsanne vines in St Joseph. Half aged in tank, half in 600l oak foudres. It typically has an exotic aroma of rich apricot and guava fruits, with a powerful weight on the palate and pithy freshness underneath.

This impressive white comes from 50-year-old+ Marsanne vines, is whole-bunch pressed and is fermented half in 600l oak foudres, half in vats. The vineyards are south facing, and are always the first to be harvested. This is full-bodied, concentrated, powerful and intense on the palate with notes of fresh pear, honey and hazelnuts. Yet a lean, freshness prevails. Incredibly impressive.

Ermitage De l'Orée comes from 60-70 year-old Marsanne vines from lieu-dit “Les Murets” at the top of the hill. Perfumed with white flowers, stone fruit and quince, the palate is wonderfully textured, with zippy acidity and a chalky, mineral finish. Expertly-judged.

This is the exquisite zenith of Ermitage whites from Chapoutier. It’s a parcel situated right at the top of the hill, just around the chapel, where the vines struggle in the poor, granitic soils, resulting in this quite astonishing wine. It shows flamboyant intensity on the nose: there's mango, citrus peel and a lick of salinity. It’s precise and hugely energetic, with focused acidity and lots of salty minerality on the finish.

Les Varonniers comes from Chapoutier's oldest vines (60+ years) in Crozes, grown on south-eastern facing granitic soils. The elegant palate is packed full of cassis, black pepper and smoky notes and despite the cooler nature of the vintage there is wonderful ripeness of fruit. Drinking beautifully now, but with the capacity to go on.

This comes from old vines in the southern part of the St Joseph appellation, on the opposite side of the river to Hermitage. The soils here are poor and stony. Plenty of classic, dark fruits, smokiness and herbal notes run through the palate, laced with ripe, silky tannins and a fresh, uplifting acidity.

This parcel sits at the bottom of the Hermitage hill on alluvial soils. In 2022 it is fleshy and full, with notes of fragrant red and black fruit, game and cracked black pepper. It is detailed, pure, elegant and complex. Utterly charming.

50-year-old Syrah vines grow in the high terraces of shingle and clay on the Hermitage hillside. This is rounded, with a voluminous texture and superb notes of dark fruits, black cherry, smoked meat, leather and a hint of dried rose petal. There is impressive complexity, with layers that build and build.

Coming from a 65 year old parcel, on the all-granite soils of lieu-dit Les Bessards, Le Pavillon displays cassis, blackberry and cracked black pepper notes. On the palate, the tannins are fine and swept along with fresh acidity, underpinned with a lovely, smokiness. This is a captivating Hermitage.

This legendary wine comes from the vines situated right at the top of the Hermitage hill, near the St Christophe chapel, on very old, decomposed granite soils. The vineyard’s 80-year-old vines produce a fresh, vibrant wine, with lots of pepper, smokiness and blue fruits on the nose, and fine yet spirited tannins. Needs some time to unfurl, yet with outstanding potential.

Les Rocoules is one of the most outrageously flamboyant, unapologetically full-throttle whites on our list. Its broad shoulders and rich oily depths have won it many fans over the years. The old vine concentration here lends the wine intense complexity on the finish.

This is a blend of two parcels and is the hidden gem of Sorrel’s range. 20% comes from Bessards, and 80% from Les Plantiers, just below Le Méal. These vines produce fruit with real power, and this wine has a great presence. But the floral tones and salty fruit make it more accessible than the Gréal, and mean it should start to open up a little earlier.

Le Gréal is a unique and special blend, and the signature wine of the Sorrel domaine. 90% is drawn from the lauded Le Méal parcel, at 10% from Les Gréffieux, on the Hermitage hillside. There is a small amount of Marsanne co-planted amongst the Syrah that makes it into the blend, adding freshness and mollifying the tannins. These Sorrel vines date back to 1928 and produce exquisite concentration. This astonishing wine is consistently one of the hottest tickets in the Northern Rhône. It is fragrant, concentrated, powerful and poised. It demands cellaring, and will reward many times over for those who can wait.

Guillaume Sorrel's whites are as interesting and profound as his reds. This wine from Crozes is a little more forward and floral than the Hermitage Blanc, making it delicious in its youth. It is apple-scented, fresh, bright, with wonderful energy.

This is grown in kaolinite soils, a clay-limestone soil that only accounts for around 1% of Crozes-Hermitage. These white soils result in highly mineral wines. It is peppery and juicy, with tapenade and spiced fruit notes.

Alain Graillot has long reigned as Crozes-Hermitage’s most respected grower. His sons Maxime and Antoine now run the ship and are making Crozes par excellence. This 2022 is sweetly fruited, with excellent depth. It always sits in the red spectrum of fruit, where all the best Crozes find themselves. It has structure, but also an effortless tenderness, thanks perhaps to its whole bunch fruit (the influence of Alain’s training at Domaine Dujac?).

Alain Graillot has long reigned as Crozes-Hermitage’s most respected grower. His sons Maxime and Antoine now run the ship and are making Crozes par excellence. This 2022 is sweetly fruited, with excellent depth. It always sits in the red spectrum of fruit, where all the best Crozes find themselves. It has structure, but also an effortless tenderness, thanks perhaps to its whole bunch fruit (the influence of Alain’s training at Domaine Dujac?).

Alongside their impressive reds, this domaine makes wonderful still whites from Marsanne in Saint-Péray. Ongrie shows Marsanne’s satisfying bitterness and mouth-watering freshness, supported by subtle new oak, giving it a Burgundian feel. Notes of dried honey and lavender make it a stand out white Rhône. It’s great to see this wine back after none was made in 2021.

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.

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 (20%) add freshness and silkiness. It shows old vine intensity, with density and precision in its notes of tapenade and cassis.

This wine is only made in the best vintages. It comes from a vineyard that sits between Sabarotte and Savaux, right in the middle of the slope. The wine’s intensity is dialled up, thanks to the 30% whole bunch fruit used and ageing in 20% new oak. There is intensity here, with abundant but fondant tannins. This will reward the patient.

This flagship Cornas cuvée is a blend of parcels, including a 1.2 hectare parcel of the celebrated Reynard vineyard. It has silky tannins gliding along a long, savoury Syrah backbone. Olivier always recommends that it will benefit from some time in bottle.

This Côtes du Rhône is a great introduction to one of the Rhône’s enduring greats. It is earlier drinking than the statuesque Cornas, but with every bit as much charm.

Franck Balthazar is making some of the most exciting and sought-after wines in the Northern Rhône, gaining an army of fans for his low-intervention, whole-bunch, cool and balanced Cornas Syrahs. Franck buys organically grown fruit for this Côtes du Rhône from the southern Rhône village of Séguret. It’s a classic blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. It shows incredible intensity for a wine of this level, and as a result is mind-bogglingly good value.

This is the pinnacle of the Balthazar cellar - a Cornas that defines Franck’s style for making complex and ethereal Cornas from old vine fruit, vinifying with 100% whole bunch. It shows impressive tension, with a superbly long, silky finish. This is Cornas at its very best.

Casimir is a blend of fruit from the younger vines of the domaine grown across a few parcels. Like the Chaillot it is made with 100% whole bunch fruit, and aged in old oak barrels, using minimal sulphur dioxide additions. There is plenty to get excited about here: it is the most ethereal and fragrant of the Balthazar Cornas.

Franck inherited this parcel from his grandfather, and replanted it in 2015 and 2016. So the first vintage released was the 2019, and only in tiny volumes. Like his other wines, it shows a master of whole-bunch at work, in total command of low-intervention élevage. In contrast to the Casimir, this is broad-shouldered and muscular, perhaps thanks to the high proportion of clay in the soil here.

This cuvée is made in only tiny volumes, and released to just a few customers. It is made from Chaillot grapes (a particularly old parcel), and is vinified and aged without sulphur. Just 1 gramme per litre of sulphur is added before bottling.

A nutty, waxy wine from one of the masters of white wine in the region. It comes from the vines planted above the winery (an old railway tunnel that burrows through the hillside). It has drive, volume, richness, and a long peachy aromatic length. Stéphane is one of just three winemakers in the appellation to bottle a 100% Roussanne.

This comes from a selection of 100-year-old vines in some of Stéphane’s best parcels, Champelrose, Eygats, and Combe. It shows amazing presence of tannins and drive, and will benefit from a little time in bottle. Hugely elegant, mouth-coating, and intense.

Pur Noir is a barrel selection of the best of Vin Noir, so from Champelrose, Eygats, or Combe. It is only ever made in the best years and sits at the pinnacle of Stéphane’s cellar. It is a sensational wine, with depth and flare.

A nutty, waxy wine from one of the masters of white wine in the region. It comes from the vines planted above the winery (an old railway tunnel that burrows through the hillside). It has drive, volume, richness, and a long peachy aromatic length. Stéphane is one of just three winemakers in the appellation to bottle a 100% Roussanne.

This cuvée flies out the door, so much so that we have to be early to confirm our allocation or it all goes well before the en primeur campaign. It’s pithy, expressive, and with a supple freshness. It’s beautiful to drink in its youth, but will develop well with some time in bottle.