Rhône 2023 En Primeur

A welcome return of Grisières after last year. 30% whole bunches were used to bring freshness to the wine which is very deep and concentrated with rich plum-laden fruit, plenty of spice and a more gentle floral note before a creamy, elevated finish. 3-12

Such an appealling nose on such a young wine! Intense citrus and orange blossom character with notes of jasmine. The palate is fresh and elegant at the same time as being weighty and concentrated with has a wonderful note of honey on the long finish. 0-5

Always the brooding one in the line up, more herbal and floral in nature. It is rich, shows great texture and mouthfeel as well as great intensity of cooked orange and spice. 3-7 years.

The vines are now over 40 years old so bring extra depth and concentration to the wine. Brambly with a touch of damson, before some present but well balanced tannins and a very pure fruit character with just a hint of dark chocolate, long on the finish. 3

From ungrafted 50 year old vines this elegant and floral with plenty of white orchard fruits, there is good concentration and depth on the palate with a hint of fresh almond and a lovely fresh finish. 0-3 years.

A clean fresh nose, with floral tones. Very attractive on the palate with super balance, the freshness coping admirably with a rich weighty fruit and demonstrating a chalky mineral note under sweet white peach fruit and super succulence on the finish. 3-7

A clean fresh nose, with floral tones. Very attractive on the palate with super balance, the freshness coping admirably with a rich weighty fruit and demonstrating a chalky mineral note under sweet white peach fruit and super succulence on the finish. 3-7

100% Syrah from a 0.25 ha plot within the lieu-dit Rozier on the Côte Brune. An elegant, fruit compote with fragrant, floral notes. The palate has fresh, red fruits, with a pleasing richness, great elegance and a powerful, finessed structure. 5-15 years.

Bright cherry and damson fruit with underlying notes of blueberry and plenty of aromatic spice. There is wonderful depth and savouriness with Szechuan pepper, spice, orange peel, a touch of garrigue and all finishing with silky tannins and mouthwatering salinity. Very precise, balanced and complex with great structure – this really is in a class of its own. 5-15+ years.   

Inviting fruit driven aromas lure you in to a palate full of pepper and spice. Damsons and blackberry mingle with the savoury, mineral backbone and yet more spice.  Supple and round this has immediate appeal. It is made from younger vines from across the estate and older vines not located within Piedlong or La Crau. 5-10+ years.  

The pale colour belies the intensity of flavour here. Open and expressive with juicy, ripe, cranberry and red currant notes, with a velvety mouthfeel and mineral undertone. Whilst it is a more refined, delicate style it still has plenty of concentration and complexity. The 70-year-old Grenache vines, which make up 90% of the blend, come from the stony Piedlong plateau in the heart of the appellation. 3-10+ years.

Sourced from a 30-hectare plot and christened the 'baby Beaucastel' this has been a long-time favourite of southern Rhône enthusiasts and once again it doesn't disappoint. On the nose the Coudoulet is quite restrained, with aromas of framboise, red petals

Sampling this icon wine in the U.K, outside of its debut showing at the Château is a new one for me but the extra time in bottle, is time well spent. Well balanced and frankly devoid of any hard edges, the 2023 is very precise and pure in style. Exuding aromas of forest fruit, red berry and spicy garrigue, the mid-palate is fresh, with excellent ripe purity of black fruit and hints of charcuterie and pepper. Whilst, possessing the intrinsic pedigree and backbone to develop for years to come it will provide huge enjoyment with just a few years of cellaring. Music to my ears!

Sampling this icon wine in the U.K, outside of its debut showing at the Château is a new one for me but the extra time in bottle, is time well spent. Well balanced and frankly devoid of any hard edges, the 2023 is very precise and pure in style. Exuding aromas of forest fruit, red berry and spicy garrigue, the mid-palate is fresh, with excellent ripe purity of black fruit and hints of charcuterie and pepper. Whilst, possessing the intrinsic pedigree and backbone to develop for years to come it will provide huge enjoyment with just a few years of cellaring. Music to my ears!

Sampling this icon wine in the U.K, outside of its debut showing at the Château is a new one for me but the extra time in bottle, is time well spent. Well balanced and frankly devoid of any hard edges, the 2023 is very precise and pure in style. Exuding aromas of forest fruit, red berry and spicy garrigue, the mid-palate is fresh, with excellent ripe purity of black fruit and hints of charcuterie and pepper. Whilst, possessing the intrinsic pedigree and backbone to develop for years to come it will provide huge enjoyment with just a few years of cellaring. Music to my ears!

Sampling this icon wine in the U.K, outside of its debut showing at the Château is a new one for me but the extra time in bottle, is time well spent. Well balanced and frankly devoid of any hard edges, the 2023 is very precise and pure in style. Exuding aromas of forest fruit, red berry and spicy garrigue, the mid-palate is fresh, with excellent ripe purity of black fruit and hints of charcuterie and pepper. Whilst, possessing the intrinsic pedigree and backbone to develop for years to come it will provide huge enjoyment with just a few years of cellaring. Music to my ears!

Just 6000 bottles are made of this 100 % old vine Roussanne, with 30 % fermented in oak and 70% in tank. Opening with nutty aromas, oak and hints of flora, it goes on to deliver a wealth of concentrated honey, dried apricot, almond and citrus peel and so much more. The mouthfeel is rich, layered, generous, almost oily and the finish goes on and on. A simply superb wine with the poise and class to cellar up to 20 years.

Golden in colour, the delicious ripe notes of honeysuckle, pear tarte tatin, tangerine and a hint of ginger are followed by a full-bodied, generous palate of peach, citrus and yellow fruit notes. Round, super textured with undeniable finesse, this is an excellent white Châteauneauf-du-Pape.

With a textbook golden hue, it reveals subtle aromas of yellow plum, citrus and rose petal. The core is generous and deliciously textured. A blend of Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Viognier and Clairette, it's beautifully balanced with hint of salinity. Built for the mid-term.

Packing a punch from the start, it exudes simply beautiful aromas of inky, blue and black fruit. More wafts of violets, crushed blackcurrant and morello cherry seduce you into going further. Clean, pure and fresh on the palate, the texture is silky smooth and brimming with dark fruits and velvety, ripe tannins. Finishing with a touch of spice, this is a real gem and is easily one of the best 'Les Crus' Famille Perrin produce. 

Hands down a contender for best 'bang for your buck' the Les Cornuds comes in at 14.5 % but gives no sense of being over blown, delivering from the off a wealth of beautifully ripe black and blueberry fruit. Luscious, Intense notes of kirsch, spice follow on the palate. Almost creamy in texture, the tannins are soft and ripe, but the lick of tangy acidity keeps it fresh. Nicely structured, with a deep core of fruit it will age nicely but why wait?

A new one to me, I was taken aback by the lightness of touch on show here. Sourced from very old vines in the centre of Gigondas, the intensity of black fruits, cassis, blueberry and waft of garrigue gave way to disarming elegance and purity. Clean, with fine tannins it possesses super dense fruit but wears it so well. With a touch of charcuterie and autumnal notes on the finish this is the joker in the pack for me. Delicious.

This particular 'selections parcellaires' is sourced from 90-year-old plots of Grenache and Syrah, amply demonstrating the intensity of flavour to be found in old vines. With enticing aromas of violets, blueberry and blackcurrant there's more core density of black fruit, cherry and spice on the palate. With a hint garrigue and damson notes on the finish, it holds nothing back. Well structured, balanced, reassuringly elegant with refreshing acidity, this is a serious wine which will age gracefully.