2022 Clos du Mont-Olivet Chateauneuf-du-Pape France

2022 Clos du Mont-Olivet Chateauneuf-du-Pape France

with No Comment $40-$50Chateauneuf-Du-PapeFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

Clos du Mont-Olivet

Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Rhone Valley, France 2022

2022 Clos du Mont-Olivet Chateauneuf-du-Pape France

Clos du Mont-Olivet tells a vivid story of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Founded in 1932, the estate has long pursued a holistic vision, assembling vineyard holdings across multiple lieux-dits to express the region’s full breadth in a single wine. The 2022 vintage carries this philosophy forward, offering a composed, layered portrait shaped by the collective voice of the region, where complexity emerges from diversity, balance, and an understanding of the terroir.

 

That vision is grounded in decades of thoughtful vineyard acquisitions, guided by traditional farming practices. By working parcels across the appellation, Clos du Mont-Olivet has built a living archive of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s soils and exposures, allowing each site to contribute its own nuance. The result is a style defined by continuity and clarity, one that privileges harmony over immediacy.

A standout at our recent tasting, the 2022 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape distinguished itself through balance and composure. Built around Grenache and supported by a full spectrum of traditional Rhône varieties, it carries depth without heaviness, unfolding with measured structure and confident authority.

Clos du Mont-Olivet
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Rhone Valley, France 2022

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“The effusive nose of ripe raspberries and sour cherries pulls you into this concentrated and well-structured Chateauneuf. Firm core with plenty of licorice, black olives and spices, and a long, complex finish that’s beautifully supported by the expertly crafted tannins. A cuvee based on grenache made since 1932. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.”

94 Points

2023 Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

2023 Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

with No Comment $100 and overChateauneuf-Du-PapeFranceKevin VogtRhone Valley

Vieux Télégraphe

Châteauneuf-du-Pape
La Crau 2023

2023 Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

High above the Rhône plain, on the stony expanse of La Crau, the Brunier family tends one of France’s most storied vineyards. Each vintage of Vieux Télégraphe distills a century of devotion to this harsh and beautiful place, where vines grow not in soil but among stones. The 2023 release captures that heritage at its purest: a wine of sculpted structure, radiant fruit, and the unmistakable clarity that only this plateau can impart.

From hand-harvest to slow fermentation in concrete, every step at Vieux Télégraphe reflects patience. The old vines, some planted before the Second World War, yield small, concentrated berries that speak not of abundance but of endurance. Matured in large, neutral foudres, the wine develops a strength and texture that feels carved rather than built.

Few wines so seamlessly capture the paradox of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the marriage of Mediterranean warmth and mountain freshness. The 2023 Vieux Télégraphe radiates both: the generosity of ripe Grenache framed by the cool austerity of limestone. It stands as proof that in the right hands, hardship becomes harmony, and from the stones of La Crau, true beauty is born.

Vieux Télégraphe
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
La Crau 2023

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“In spite of its extreme youth, this great Chateuneuf-du-Pape leaps out at you with its depth of wet-earth, ripe red-berry and dried-flower aromas. Rich and concentrated, but so suave and refined. Incredible length! Already delicous, but this has a great future ahead of it. Drink or hold.”

98 Points

2021 M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine Rhone Valley

2021 M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine Rhone Valley France

with No Comment $60-$70Chateauneuf-Du-PapeFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

M. Chapoutier

Châteauneuf-du-Pape
La Bernardine 2021
Rhone Valley, France

2021 M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine Rhone Valley

At the intersection of tradition and innovation, Chapoutier’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine captures over a century of expertise in a single glass. Guided by Michel Chapoutier’s visionary approach and commitment to biodynamics, the 2021 vintage achieves a rare balance: power without heaviness, purity without austerity.

The wine draws its character from the Rhône’s storied terroir: ancient quaternary soils strewn with massive pebbles, remnants of a long-lost glacial river. These galets, mingled with clay and sand, form a natural oven by day and a cool haven by night, yielding fruit of remarkable intensity and elegance unique to Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The 2021 vintage is a masterclass in restraint and clarity. A Grenache-driven blend rounded out with Syrah and Mourvèdre, and raised for fifteen months in concrete, preserving purity of fruit and the unadorned voice of the vineyard. Elegant, concentrated, and profoundly expressive, La Bernardine 2021 is an eloquent reminder of why Châteauneuf-du-Pape remains one of the world’s great red wines.

M. Chapoutier
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
La Bernardine 2021
Rhone Valley, France

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“A textural, refined and velvety Chateauneuf-du-Pape with aromas of forest berries, wet stones, roasted meat, wild herbs and some bark. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. There is a refined texture here, silky at the center, with a delicate core of dark cherries challenged by an intense array of spices that provide verve and energy. Lively and focused finish with length. Try after 2026.”

93 Points

2023 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee Unique France

2023 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee Unique France

with No Comment $30 and underCotes du RhoneFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

Le Clos du Caillou

Côtes-du-Rhône
Cuvée Unique Vieilles Vignes
Rhône Valley, France 2023

2023 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee Unique France

Le Clos de Caillou’s 2023 Cuvée Unique emerges from a domaine synonymous with perfection, revealing that excellence is measured not by appellation but by the integrity of its terroir and the hands that bring it to life. With ‘Cuvée Unique,’ the estate channels its mastery into a red of remarkable elegance, offered at a fraction of its more famous counterparts.

Its tale is as compelling as its character. In 1936, surveyors seeking to include Le Clos de Caillou in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC faced armed opposition, leaving an enigmatic void on the map that persists to this day. Only in the 1950s did vines take root, allowing this singular terroir nestled within the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape to flourish under the Côtes-du-Rhône banner.

The 2023′ Cuvée Unique’ is a symphonic blend of 70% Grenache, harmonized with Syrah, Carignan, and Counoise, drawn from vines rooted in ancient, mineral-rich soils. In it, there’s a quiet power and earnest confidence. For lovers of Rhône wines, this is not just a hidden gem but a compelling testament to place, heritage, and vision.

Le Clos du Caillou
Côtes-du-Rhône
Cuvée Unique Vieilles Vignes
Rhône Valley, France 2023

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“The 2023 Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Unique is a strong performer from this appellation, reflecting a vintage of balance and consistency. It combines elegance with freshness and moderate ripeness, avoiding excess weight or overextraction. The nose opens with clear notes of pomegranate, backed by iron minerals, violets, and a touch of scorched earth that adds complexity without heaviness. On the palate, it delivers fresh cranberries and spicy minerals, integrated with vibrant, fresh, and penetrating red fruits. The acidity provides lift and focus, supporting a medium-bodied structure that feels precise and well-proportioned. Tannins are fine-grained, contributing to a clean, persistent finish. This is a versatile Côtes du Rhône that drinks well now, or that will age gracefully for 5-10 years, gaining further nuance. A standout value at this level.”

95 points

2023 Domaine De La Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rhone Valley France

2023 Domaine De La Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rhone Valley France

with No Comment $50-$60Chateauneuf-Du-PapeFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

Domaine De La Solitude

Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Rhone Valley, France 2023

2023 Domaine De La Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rhone Valley France

The 2023 vintage from Domaine de la Solitude delivers a Châteauneuf-du-Pape that balances its muscular frame with breathtaking nuance. Anchored in deep tradition but lifted by a modern sense of elegance, it’s a wine that leaves a lasting impression: vivid, authentic, and unmistakably alive.

The estate carries a rich legacy that stretches back to the 15th century, through the venerable Barberini-Martin family. The label itself bears witness to this ancestry with three bishops’ hats symbolizing the family’s connection to Pope Urban VIII and his cardinal nephews, a lineage that echoes through every sip.

Their 2023 vintage, built on the classic triumvirate of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, includes trace amounts of all other permitted Rhône varietals, organically farmed and co-fermented, bringing this storied region to life. The wine is opulent without excess, layered yet precise, feeling both rooted and refined. It’s an articulation of place, and a vivid reminder of what makes this corner of the Rhône Valley so enduringly magnetic.

Domaine De La Solitude
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Rhone Valley, France 2023

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“Very rich and spicy, with impressive concentration and stacks of fine, soft tannins on the full-bodied palate. There’s licorice and meaty intensity in the crescendo finish. A cuvee of 60% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% mourvedre and 5% each counoise and cinsault. From biodynamically grown grapes. A small crop due to hail damage in May. Matured mostly in concrete tanks with a small number of oak casks. Drink or hold.”

95 Points

2020 Department 66 'D66' Grenache Cotes Catalanes France

2020 Department 66 ‘D66’ Grenache Cotes Catalanes France

with No Comment $30 and underFranceGrenacheKevin VogtRhone Valley

Department 66

‘D66’ Grenache 2020
Côtes Catalanes, France

2020 Department 66 'D66' Grenache Cotes Catalanes France

Dave Phinney’s 2020 Department 66 “D66” Grenache embodies bold creativity, revealing richness, old-vine sophistication, and profound depth. Crafted by visionary winemaker David Phinney, known for audacious, crowd-pleasing wines, D66 is a compelling endeavor rooted in the sun-drenched landscapes of France’s Roussillon region, where French elegance converges with Spanish intensity.

Sourced from the distinguished Côtes Catalanes IGP, the grapes flourish under the Mediterranean’s dynamic climate, where warm days are tempered by cool nights. This pronounced diurnal shift imparts remarkable concentration and lively acidity to the fruit.

The 2020 vintage artfully blends the bold, fruit-driven character of Californian winemaking with the refined finesse of French terroir. Each sip weaves a captivating story, harmonizing robust richness with graceful nuance, delivering an unforgettable experience that bridges two worlds. Treat yourself to a Grenache that defies borders and conventions, poised to enchant your senses.

Department 66
‘D66’ Grenache 2020
Côtes Catalanes, France
Retails at: $40

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“The Orin Swift 2020 Department 66 Grenache open with a rich, complex nose of wild strawberries, blackberries, plums, baking spices, earth, and a hint of wet stony minerality. On the palate, the wine has flavors of ripe black cherries, black currants, fudge brownies, and baking spices. The wine has a solid structure with firm tannins, indicating a suitability for further aging, but also a friendly approachability making it drinkable now.”

94 Points

2022 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee Unique

2022 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee Unique

with No Comment $30 and underChateauneuf-Du-PapeFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

Le Clos du Caillou

Côtes-du-Rhône
Cuvée Unique Vieilles Vignes
Rhône Valley, France 2022

2022 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee Unique

Le Clos de Caillou, celebrated for its flawless 100-point Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines, reveals that true distinction need not carry an extravagant price. The 2022 Côtes-du-Rhône Vieilles Vignes (Old Vines) ‘Cuvée Unique’ emerged as the highlight of our recent tasting, a vivid demonstration of this estate’s remarkable skill in crafting wines that surpass all anticipation.

Its tale is as compelling as its character. In 1936, surveyors seeking to include Le Clos de Caillou in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC faced armed opposition, leaving an enigmatic void on the map that persists to this day. Only in the 1950s did vines take root, allowing this singular terroir nestled within the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape to flourish under the Côtes-du-Rhône banner.

The 2022 ‘Cuvée Unique’ weaves together 70% Grenache with Syrah, Carignan, and Counoise, drawn from vineyards echoing the iconic Châteauneuf-du-Pape landscape. This wine unfolds with grace, its focused intensity reflecting the meticulous artistry behind it.

If one Rhône wine deserves your attention this year, let it be this striking and memorable Cuvée Unique.

Le Clos du Caillou
Côtes-du-Rhône
Cuvée Unique Vieilles Vignes
Rhône Valley, France 2022

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“The Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Unique 2022 unfurls with an inviting and nuanced bouquet, where crushed cranberries and ripe red cherries intertwine seamlessly with hints of lavender. A subtle iron note lends complexity, while delicate pie spices round out the aromas. This wine is a vibrant tapestry of mixed juicy red and black berries on the palate, their brightness amplified by a liquid mineral component that elevates each sip. Concentrated yet lively, the flavors penetrate with precision, revealing a black tea character that lingers. It’s a wine of remarkable energy—mouth-wateringly delicious, with a vitality that dances across the tongue, leaving a vivid and refined impression.”

95 Points

2018 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits

2018 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits

with No Comment $30-$40Cotes du RhoneFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

DOMAINE SANTA DUC

2018 GIGONDAS
AUX LIEUX-DITS

2018 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits
Domaine Santa Duc embodies the cumulative knowledge, heart, and experiences of six generations, each contributing to the wine’s signature, becoming a permanent part of their evolving story. Aux Lieux-Dits is a blend of eight unique parcels of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsault, farmed biodynamically, bringing out the purest essence of Gigondas terroir.
 
Meticulous in every aspect of production, Domaine Santa Duc’s team handpicks and hand-sorts the grapes, feeding them into stainless-steel thermoregulated vats by gravity, ensuring the quality of each berry remains intact. Aging takes place in 3600-liter Stockinger oak foudres and 800-liter terra-cotta amphorae, emphasizing the wine’s fruit and spice characteristics, creating an ethereal mouthfeel and tantalizing finish that’s profoundly memorable, vastly overdelivering at this value price.
 
DOMAINE SANTA DUC
2018 GIGONDAS
AUX LIEUX-DITS
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“….Black-cherry and mulberry flavors are ripe but briskly balanced by a dazzling mineral freshness and salty, chalky finish. Fruity yet shaded by subtle kisses of charcuterie and dried earth, it’s a complex, hedonistic wine that’s at peak now through 2030. Made from organic and biodynamic grapes.”
94 Points
 
“Discreetly floral with blueberry and liquorice – rounded and juicy. A discrete style of wine, but it’s well balanced and has a sense of drinkability. There’s a nice sense of tannic finesse and it has good sense of direction and focus. Firm and well balanced, without excesses. Eight different plots around Gigondas, biodynamically farmed, partly destemmed. Drinking Window 2021 – 2027.”
94 Points
 
“Ripe but understated style, with a mix of Damson plum, black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors mixed with wood spice and black tea notes. Stylish, pure finish. Drink now through 2033…”
93 Points
2017 Clos Du Caillou Cotes Du Rhone Cuvee Unique VV

2017 Clos Du Caillou Cotes Du Rhone Cuvee Unique VV

with No Comment $30 and underCotes du RhoneFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

CLOS Du CAILLOU

2017 COTES Du RHONE
CUVEE UNIQUE VV

2017 Clos Du Caillou Cotes Du Rhone Cuvee Unique VV
Clos du Caillou is a top producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines, who at their core are stewards of their land. They’ve practiced biodynamic viticulture since the early 2000’s, and they were certified organic in 2010. Interestingly, their Old Vine Cotes-du-Rhone comes from a parcel walled by renowned Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards. It was intentionally left out of the appellation by the owner, following a bureaucratic spat back in 1936. It’s truly one of the best Cotes-du-Rhone wines made.
 
The winery forged Clos du Caillou’s old-vine Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvée Unique from 45-year-old vines grown in sandy soils, which lends to the silky elegance and fine-grained texture that’s become a hallmark of their wines.
 
The 2017 vintage harmoniously married 82% Grenache with 18% Syrah and was kept for 16 months in Oak. The wine offers supple yet compact fruit that spans black cherry, wild lavender, hints of wild game, and a touch of spices on the palate.
 
CLOS Du CAILLOU
2017 COTES Du RHONE
CUVEE UNIQUE VV
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This classically built wine begins with a complex nose including red cherries, baking spices, minerally iron, and sweet violets. The concentrated flavors carry red plums, kirsch, red currants, and earthy mushrooms to a delightfully long finish on the palate. This wine is a stunning value in every vintage, and one that almost everybody who tastes it loves.”
92 Points
2013 Delas Domaine Des Genets Vacqueyras

2013 Delas Domaine Des Genets Vacqueyras

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtProprietary RedRhone ValleyRhone ValleyUncategorized

DELAS 2013 Delas Domaine Des Genets Vacqueyras

2013 VACQUEYRAS
DOMAINE DES GENETS

 
As much as I love the innovative and forward styles of New World GSM blends (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre), I’m equally drawn to the complexity, depth and character found in Old World GSM’s, which originated in the Rhone region in Southern France as early as 600BC.  With trials and tribulations spanning hundreds of years, many of the best wines in the Old World give you that feeling of antiquity and historical relevance when you taste them.  Vacqueyras is located in the Southern Rhone Valley of France, just a few kilometers from Gigondas.  Many consider it to be the younger and more affordable brother to the iconic region of Chateanuef-du-Pape.  The wines from Vacqueryas are revered for their power and when you find one that’s been perfectly cellared and is ready to drink like this one, they can offer some of the greatest value in the Rhone Valley.
 
The region shares similar soils and climate to neighboring Gigondas, and like Gigondas their reds are often built around a core of Grenache.  Winemakers in Vacqueyras tend to use more Syrah than in Gigondas, and in turn the wines can be deeper, richer and even more powerful.  The 2013 Delas Domaine Des Genets is a prime example and with a few extra years of bottle age, the 2013 is absolutely stunning.  In fact, we bought every bottle available before our glasses were emptied… It’s that good and at $23, this could go fast…
 
DELAS
2013 VACQUEYRAS
DOMAINE DES GENETS
 
Your Price: $23/btl 
 
From Vinous: “Vivid ruby. Lively red berry and cherry aromas pick up hints of lavender and peppery spices with air. Silky, gently sweet and focused on the palate, offering juicy raspberry and spicecake flavors and a touch of smokiness. Dusty tannins come up slowly, adding shape to a long, fruit-driven finish.” 90 Points
From Richard Jennings: “Bricking dark red violet color; mature, ginger cake, dried berry, licorice, dried fig nose; tasty, black fig, licorice, ginger cake palate with good balancing acidity; medium-plus finish (blend of Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre)”  93+ points

Customers that enjoy a beautiful Vacqueyras may also enjoy these two terrific Rhone Wines…

2014 Lavau Gigondas 2013 Paul Jaboulet Aine Gigondas
LAVAU
2014 GIGONDAS
RHONE VALLEY, FRANCE
 
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From Vinous, “Youthful violet. Aromas of fresh black and blue fruits are complemented by suggestions of peppery spices and pungent flowers. Sweet and open-knit, offering jammy blueberry and cherry compote flavors that tighten up slowly in the glass. Finishes smoky and long, with harmonious tannins coming in late.” 90 Points
PAUL JABOULET AINÉ
2013 GIGONDAS
PIERRE AIGUILLE
 
Your Price: $27.99/btl

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From Vinous, “Limpid ruby. Perfumed aromas of ripe red berries, peppery spices and potpourri, complicated by a woodsmoke nuance. Silky, expansive and gently sweet, offering concentrated raspberry liqueur and lavender pastille flavors and an allspice quality that builds on the back half. Finishes sweet, sappy and persistent, with firming fine-grained tannins adding grip.”  90 Points