Southern Rhône 2024 En Primeur

Opulent damson, plum conserve and cassis on the nose leading into prunes and some heady aromas. The palate is very full and rich, mouth-coating and silky but will be approachable very soon. 3-10 years

From the oldest vines in front of the winery in a sunny sheltered amphitheatre. This wine shows complex black liquorice, olives and marmalade on rye bread on the nose, outlining the dense plummy fruit. A top note of violet and rose perfume leads into a sublime, powerful, velvety palate, with a great length and intensity. 5-15 years.

Intense, rich aromas of morello cherry conserve and ripe damsons. Olives and garrigue add complexity alongside a black pepper and meaty spice. A classy and rounded palate with delicate, although massive, tannins and an exciting chilli heat on the finish.

Lifted red fruits, with a touch of black in there too, along with some herbal, savoury aromas. Lots of juicy, redcurrant fruit with sweet, dried raspberry and garrigue. Wonderfully long and indulgent. Very limited availability. 5-15+ years.

Rich and dense bramble fruit with raspberries and plums whilst liquorice and violets add pleasing complexity. The mouthfeel is rounded and pleasant with an excellent balance between fruit, tannin and acids, showing a lovely high quality blackberry jam character. This is the new Laudun appellation, smaller than the Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun appellation and with lower yields. Superb value. 0-5 years.

Purple power! Open and expressive aromas of blueberries and black plums which are fresh and succulently ripe, framed by citrus perfume. The chewy tannins are of a good quality, making for a further fruit dominated, full body balanced by correct and pleasing acidity. 0-5 years.

Poised and aromatic showing a well-defined spectrum of plums on the nose. This is a big wine with a rich, fruity, chunky body firmly holding on to grippy tannin preparing it for a few years in bottle which will be very rewarding indeed, allowing the pure high-quality fruit to really spread its wings. 2-10 years

Grenache glory, with darker fruit, black plum and squashed blackberries on the nose with fresh leather and tobacco complexity. From the La Crau plateau and the lesser known Pignon (which is sandier) area the mouthfeel is truly silky and crystalline with a fudgy, black grape skin flavour and again crushed blackberry persevering on the finish. 5-15+ years.

The fruit for this wine comes from 2 plots in Rasteau itself and one on the very limit in Sables, so expect the intensity and power of Rasteau with a smaller price! Black raspberries and blackberries provide a rich fruit core which is framed by peppery varietal spice. The palate is elegant and notably long. 0-5 years.

This classical southern Rhône blend sees only concrete, not adding to but rather broadening the fruit profile. Uncover intense black and red fruit in front of an iodine background and lightened by violets. Unashamed, rich and full body on the palate. 0-5 years

A masterclass in Grenache, comprising 98% of the blend here from 100 year-old mountain vines. Big but elegant, fragrant damson and prune fruit whilst the mouthfeel is crafted expertly with finessed, fine grained tannin. 3-9 years.

From a 250m high plot on blue and yellow clay soils that retain water and slow ripening, comes this elegant and poised wine. Purple plums and ripe complexity, expanding into a fine, grape hyacinth perfume. Super, pure, velvety loveliness. 3-7 years.

50- to 80-year-old vines come together to produce this wine, showing expressive perfume, overt violets and blue flowers with a touch of green olive. Rich fruit, blackberries and intense damson compote. This structured palate is formed of full body and fine-grained tannin. 3-9 years.

Crispy red fruit, raspberries and redcurrants, and a whiff of perfume. The fruit is lively and fresh, indicative of the 2024 vintage with a tempting mineral streak through the centre, owing to the Argile Calcare soils the vines grow upon. The palate is soft and elegant with delicious tannin, softened by old barrels and cement tanks. 1-6 years

A selection of low yielding vines, which is matured in foudre and concrete, broadening and softening the powerful palate. Supple fruit, with showy damsons, blackberries and a red plum high note, surround the mineral core. Enviable intensity. 3-7 years.

Blackberries and blueberries here, which are very pure indeed, owing to the oxidised iron in the soil preventing any jamminess. A full but toned body on the palate laced with a mineral streak and a textured finish. 2-7 years.

A lesson in purity. Bright, pure raspberry and wild strawberry aromas, with a sweet scented, lifted perfume giving a brilliant grenache-y character! A rather soft palate which has great length prolonging the taste of the crystalline fruit. 2-5 years

Fresh green mango fruit alongside bright florals and a fennel lift. Lemon and lime zigzag the palate of this direct pressed and stainless steel matured, classic Rhône white blend from a 380m high calcareous hillside. 0-3 years.

Skilful light extraction and concrete maturation is well demonstrated in this wine, from vines on sandy 'limon' soils near the river Drome. Pure and vibrant aromas on the nose displaying violet flowers, fresh Victoria plums and bramble fruit and leaves. A characterful freshness across the palate lends a peppermint edge to the finish alongside broad tannin and super refreshing acidity. 0-5 years.

Low yielding, 35 year old vines from the plot directly in front of the winery dotted with pebbles which acts as a 'little heater' according to Thomas Richaud, produce this concentrated mini Cairanne. Counoise is the winery's joker variety, lending a fresh vein throughout this wine and others. Pronounced, concentrated black plum and blackberry nose, with a touch of leaf and varietal garrigue adding complexity. Mouthfeel will soften slightly in a couple of years and be truly rewarding. 0-5 years.

A highly Mourvedre dominated wine from terraces atop a forest protected hill to the north of the estate, yielding less than 10hl/ha. Intense black fruit, cassis and damsons, with a freshly applied leather complexity but purity and definition are evident together with good freshness and plenty of silky tannins. 3-9 years.

Concentrated, heady perfume consisting of pure black fruit including damsons, elderberry and varietal liquorice bark spice. The whole blend spends a year in large old oak vessels, lending a velvety texture to the palate and taming the high proportion of Mourvedre in this blend. From vines aged 40 to 90 years old yielding less than 20hl/ha (18 in 2024). This has promising cellaring potential. 3-7 years.

Soft, lilac flowers, damson compote and crunchy cranberries on the nose. There's a vibrant, silky soft palate with gastronomic grip and a little sloe lift. A superlative house red. 0-5 years.

Delightful, fresh fruit bursts from the glass, showing blackberries and elderberries with a lovely purity. A super chunky palate with chewy tannin, this is a big and rich wine not for the feint hearted. Great length sustaining the black fruit and old vine Syrah black pepper notes until the next sip. 3-9 years

A small proportion of white grapes add lift to the expressive cassis fruit. Cherries, plums and raspberries offer a comforting complexity to the nose alongside aniseedy and liquorice varietal spice. A full bodied, round and approachable palate and super length. Really excellent. 3-12+ years.

A deliciously balanced aroma, showing a mixture of red and black fruit, suave and supple. In the mouth this wine shows bright and ripe black plums and super ripe raspberries, there is a moreish, grippy texture and an expressive finish. 3-9 years.

There is an impressive freshness on the nose, of aromatic fennel and spice penetrating the dense core of red fruit. A bold and bright palate, displaying a fine, wild strawberry preserve character, fresh crunchy Victoria plums and a delightful zippiness. 3-10 years.

From a high altitude lieu-dit, slow ripening has produced a broad aromatic profile of chocolate, mint, crunchy blackcurrants and plums. Approachable palate with chalky tannin and fresh acidity, super sustained length. 3-9 years.