Red wines from Rhône

Supple and ripe with juicy flavours of plum jam, liquorice, Mediterranean herbs and cocoa. Medium-to-full body, with moderate acidity and light tannins.

Mas des Bressades was one of our first acquisitions, and Cyril Marès's wines have not failed to delight us in each successive vintage.

The Costières de Nîmes, the Rhône’s southernmost appellation, was previously called Costières du Gard before a name change in 1989. Until 2004 it was considered part of the Languedoc, but today it is included in the Rhône.

The Costières de Nîmes was settled by veterans of Julius Caesar's campaigns in Egypt, and today's bottles from the appellation bear the unlikely symbol of the Roman settlement: a crocodile chained to a palm tree.

Gold medal, Concours des vins Orange 2014

From the west of the Rhône and just opposite Châteauneuf du Pape, Lirac yields some really delicious red wines. In fact, we're finding it difficult to persuade some devoted fans to try anything else.

The Manissy vineyard is south facing, producing a flamboyant and full-bodied wine, smooth and silky with tremendous black fruit, oak and spice. It's a natural match for grilled or roasted meat, and it's organically produced to boot.

The Manissy estate was built in the middle of the 18th century and belongs to the Congregation of Missionary Fathers of the Holy Family, who planted the first vines in 1916, working the land and making wine using biodynamic methods.

In 2004 young winemaker Florian André was appointed to take charge. He carries on the traditional way of winemaking for the 'Tête de Cuvée' but modernized the cellar and developed new products to expand the range. Since 2012, all the estate's wines have been certified organic and the range includes two kinds of Tavel, a red Châteauneuf-du-Pape, two types of red Lirac, and Côtes-du-Rhône red, white and rosé as well as an IGP Gard made entirely from Syrah.

A serious charmer, cherry red in colour with a rich, enticing nose of spices and ripe fruit. The concentrated red berry flavours are balanced by notes of cherry, blackberry and spices with just enough structure and pleasing length.

Serve this attractive red from the prestigious Perrin stable at a comfortable room temperature for effortless pleasure, with or without a special meal in mind.

Though this is a wine for immediate enjoyment, it can certainly age for a while if necessary.

The power and body of the Rhône but with a higher register too, of spice and floral notes. The palate is fresh, with herbal and cocoa-tinged flavours alongside its vigorous black fruits. This is a relatively racy incarnation of Vinsobres, but it's a serious contender nonetheless when it comes to rich, savoury meals that demand something substantial in the wine department.

Vinsobres is the most northern appellation of the southern Rhône, so it is well suited to Syrah. In ‘Les Cornuds’, the Perrins use the maximum allowable percentage of Syrah, given that appellation laws stipulate Vinsobres must be at least 50% Grenache.

‘One of two releases from Vinsobres, which is located in the northern, cooler part of the Southern Rhône Valley. From higher elevation and cooler sites, the 2015 Vinsobres Les Cornuds is a 50/50 split of Grenache and Syrah. It should end up being an outstanding wine and offers lots of black fruits, pepper and garrigue in a full-bodied, seriously textured and layered style.’
89-91/100The Wine Advocate

‘From a vineyard at the northern edge of the southern Rhône, this evokes cooler climates in its lean, peppery red fruit. And yet the wine feels substantial, a firm minerality lending it breadth and length. Pair it with juicy, rare steak.’
90/100Wine & Spirits 01/02/2017

Full-bodied and expressive, with silky-sweet blackcurrant, pepper, liquorice and thyme flavours.

‘Lively crimson. Extremely sweet, candified nose. The Pomerol of the southern Rhône? Clean palate scrub on the end. Real energy.’
Jancis Robinson MW

‘Cairanne tends to produce cool climate, earthy wines with a lot of pepper and spice notes, and, in this case, notions of raspberries and sweet, dusty cherries. There is a nice interaction between sweet and sour cherries in this medium to full-bodied, cool climate styled wine.’
Wine Advocate

Fruity, spicy black fruit aromas introduce a generously flavoured dry red that combines the complementary characters of the the four grape varieties in the blend to give a powerful, rounded wine with attractive length and a delicate, fruity softness in the finish. Elegant, complex, and satisfying.

This delicious dinner wine meets all the requirements of the Sablet division of the Côtes du Rhône, and so is eligible for bottling in the village's special crested bottle.

Limited to one per customer. Further details to follow or on application.

The rich, intense quality of good Châteauneuf du Pape is balanced here with a lively, juicy freshness that may be due to scrupulous organic methods, or maybe it's just great winemaking.

This bold red comes from grapes grown in the east of the appellation in a variety of soils: the typical rounded pebbles, galets, sand, sandstone and red clay. Each parcel brings its own characteristics to the final blend, which is partly aged in concrete tanks and partly in big demi-muids barrels before six months in bottle.

The Cascavel wines are polished, authentic and very fairly priced for their quality.

Cyril Marès' mighty Syrah ‘Excellence’ from the Mediterranean end of the southern Rhône has everything you could ask for in a robust, concentrated dining wine.

Like the other wines from this remarkable estate, it's a regular medal winner and the 2016 vintage scooped not only gold at the 2018 Nîmes concours, but also the judges' special prize: in effect, a double gold.

A deeply coloured, densely powerful glassful that explodes with black fruit and spiciness, this is one to open well in advance, and decant if you can, to give full expression to the layers of flavour wound up inside it. With subtle tannins and wonderful structure, it's an experience that should not be missed when there is a rich red meat or game dish to accompany it.

‘…rich, chocolatey, spicy, with a touch of Agen prune. Fab’
Tom Doorley, Irish Mail on Sunday, May 2020

‘This darkly coloured, pure-Syrah cuvée has a rich, fruitcake-like scent and vivid, luscious ‘pull-out-all-the-stops’ flavour. It wasn’t the subtlest wine in the tasting, but for anyone who enjoys a new world style from an old world location, this luxury mouthful is worth a look. The beefy finish sees off the oak.’
88/100 Andrew Jefford, Decanter.com, April 2018

The Manissy estate was built in the middle of the 18th century and belongs to the Congregation of Missionary Fathers of the Holy Family. They planted the first vines in 1916, working the land and making wine using biodynamic methods.

In 2004 young winemaker Florian Andre was appointed to take charge. He carries on the traditional way of winemaking for the 'Tête de Cuvée' rosé, which was used as Mass wine and greatly appreciated by connoisseurs of rosé wines, but has modernized the cellar and developed new products to broaden the range.

Since 2012, all the wines are certified organic and the range includes two kinds of Tavel, one red Châteauneuf-du-Pape, two types of red Lirac, and Côtes-du-Rhône red white and rosé as well as an all-Syrah IGP Gard.

The estate’s motto is: Auspice clara Manissy stella, meaning: 'Under the protection of the bright star of Manissy.'

Cyril Marès's father first grew Cabernet Sauvignon in the Haut-Médoc with his own father, then decided to try it out in the Costières de Nîmes a generation ago.

The Bordeaux grape makes a powerful, complex blend with the south's native Syrah, resulting in a wine that isn't eligible (because of the Cabernet component) for AOC status, but that demonstrates just how rewarding some of the experimental vins de pays from grower estates can be.

There are sweet black berries on the nose, and concentrated, generous ripeness. On the mid-palate there are suggestions of cedar and cigar box around a core of complex dark fruit, and there's a long plum & chocolate finish.

This substantial red offers exceptional value in a wine that is very different from the AOC and that makes for interesting comparisons with serious expressions of the same blend from Australia and South Africa.

Aromatic and generous with plush aromas of blackberry, chocolate and fig, with a ripe-tannined, full-bodied palate of liquorice, violets and pink peppercorn.

Drink it if you have the chance with venison, fillet steak, or barbeques, good-quality sausages and root vegetables.

‘Dark crimson. Spicy, leathery nose. Big and bold and full of life.’
Jancis Robinson MW

‘The opulent, voluptuously textured, dense, rich 2010 Vacqueyras Cristins (reveals) lots of Provencal herbs as well as blackberry and black cherry liqueur notes in its full-bodied, intense, luscious personality. This impressive Vacqueyras should drink well for 10-12 years.’
Wine Advocate

Vacqueyras is a Southern Rhône appellation for red, white and rosé wines. Until 1990, it was one of the Côtes du Rhône villages, before the consistent performance of its red wines earned it a promotion.

The reds must contain 50% classic southern Rhône variety Grenache. The remainder of the blend is made up of Syrah and Mourvedre, with an additional 10% of any of the other Côtes du Rhône varieties (except Carignan).

In terms of climate, the area is Mediterranean (the sea is just 80km away) and is therefore blessed with a long, hot, dry growing season, ensuring maximum ripeness for its grapes. This, combined with a generally south-westerly aspect, results in unusually big and powerful wines.

‘The young vines from Beaucastel contribute fruit to this bottling, but the 2017 Châteauneuf du Pape les Sinards deserves to stand on its own. It’s a complex, floral, seductive blend of roses, raspberries, cherries and blueberries. Fullbodied and lush, it should be consumed over the next decade or so.’
92–94/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate 31st October, 2018

The grapes for this wine are partly flash-heated, as with Beaucastel, and partly vinified in the traditional way after destemming. The wine is aged in foudres for a year, and bottled after fining and light filtration.

A fine, fresh expression of pure Syrah. This is an inky-dark wine with delicate bramble and currant aromas and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. It's concentrated but at the same time mouthwatering, with perfect balance and subtlety in keeping with the best of what the vintage had to offer.

Supple and ripe with juicy flavours of plum jam, liquorice, Mediterranean herbs and cocoa. Medium-to-full body, with moderate acidity and light tannins. A delicious, unoaked, dining or party wine that makes a perfect match for steaks, burgers and barbecues, but has so much fruit character that it's very easy to enjoy just on its own.

The Costières de Nîmes is the Rhone’s southernmost appellation, and was previously known as the Costières du Gard before a name change in 1989. Until 2004 it was considered part of the Languedoc, but today it is included in the Rhône region, which makes sense considering the predominance of Grenache and Syrah in its red wines and the galet-strewn Châteauneuf-du-Pape-like soils on which they grow.

Robert Parker has said of the estate’s winemaker, "Young Cyril Marès crafts some well-concentrated bargains both red and white and an ambitious, flamboyant, but modestly-priced Cabernet-Syrah blend."

Costières de Nîmes was settled by veterans of Julius Caesar's campaigns in Egypt, and today's bottles of wines from the appellation bear the unlikely symbol of that time's Roman settlement - a crocodile chained to a palm tree.

“Dark red with purple highlights...steeped red fruits and spicy nose. Good volume, generous matter (full of fruits) and silky tannins in the mouth. Excellent aromatic persistence, really succulent, enjoy now!” In Vino Veritas

‘The 2010 Beaucastel is a tour de force, brilliantly combining espresso and
black olive notes with bright raspberry fruit, while dark earthy notes provide
a solid base. The feel on the palate is ample, with tannins that are a bit dusty
but not tough or chewy. The long, mouthwatering finish bodes well for the future.’
96/100 Wine Enthusiast

‘Nearly black in colour. The nose is very delicate and powerful at the same time, with red fruit, blackcurrants, blackberries, spices, thyme and lavender. Very dense and meaty on the nose. Appetising and no shortage of flesh but no heavy sweetness or alcohol. Really quite racy! Complex. Real lift and line through it.’
18/20 Jancis Robinson, December 2011

‘This is a gorgeous wine, a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the balance the other permitted varietals in the appellation. Deep purple, with loads of bouquet garni, beef blood, blackberry, kirsch, smoke and truffle, this wine is full-bodied, rich and showing even better than it did last year. I still think it needs 3-5 years of cellaring, and it should last for 25-30 years, as most of the top vintages of Beaucastel do.’
95/100, The Wine Advocate, October 2012

‘The most famous Châteauneuf, Beaucastel comes at a scary price, but it tends to age beautifully, developing glorious complexity with 15 to 20 years, a big reason for the premium. The ripeness here is perfect, and there’s no trace of the love-it-or-hate-it funky barnyard quality that has come to typify the organically farmed brand. It is handsomely structured, with cherry and licorice up front and nuances of herb and beef jus’
93/100, The Globe and Mail, November 2012

‘It is another wine collectors love to own, but give this to those who have the patience and perspicacity to appreciate a work of art in progress. It is so finely tuned and effortless and reserved that it would be easy to overlook its flirtation with perfection, especially in terms of its ripeness.’
David Lawrason, October 2012

‘The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape is another sunny, beautifully Provençal effort that has a huge nose of garrigue, raw steak, leather, truffle, and peppery spice. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and balanced, it’s not a massive Beaucastel yet it has a classic, Provençal, incredibly satisfying style that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.’
95/100, Jeb Dunnuck, August 2019

‘The Grenache and Cinsault are fermented in cement, while the Syrah and Mourvèdre are in foudre. Finely pixellated fruits of the forest aromas with a full bodied but fresh and lively palate. The Mourvèdre element is strong, bringing vibrancy and power. It’s firmly savoury, very dry and dramatic. A seriously structured Beaucastel for the long term.’
95/100, Decanter, March 2019

‘A tremendous effort, might Beaucastel's 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape outshine even the 2016? I tasted a preliminary blend that Marc Perrin said represented 80% of the wine, and it showed ridiculous floral and fresh aromas of licorice, lavender and spice, all backed by tremendous fruit that went beyond black and red and into hints of exotic stone fruit. The final blend will likely contain more than 10% Counoise, the highest proportion ever utilized at the estate. It's rich and concentrated yet silky and lithe, with a fantastically long, elegant finish.’
93–95/100, The Wine Advocate, August 2019

‘A dark and winey style, offering a mix of plum, black currant and black cherry notes, infused with black tea, fruitcake and anise accents. Solidly built, vibrant and energetic from start to finish, this carries copious fruit easily through the lengthy finish. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Counoise. Best from 2020 through 2040.’
95/100, Wine Spectator, November 2019

‘Dark bright-rimmed ruby. Ripe black and blue fruit liqueur, incense, smoked meat and candied lavender qualities on the deeply perfumed, spice-accented nose. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering intense black raspberry, bitter cherry and fruitcake flavors that tighten up and turn livelier with air. Shows plenty of energy for a hot-vintage wine and finishes impressively long and chewy, with mounting tannins and repeating smoke and floral notes.’
93–94/100, Vinous, December 2019

The 2013 vintage was decidedly challenging, with destructively cool, wet and windy weather just as the Grenache vines began to set fruit causing widespread problems for winemakers.

Because the Beaucastel recipe typically includes most of the region's permitted varieties and because the other principals, Syrah and Mourvèdre, performed well, the winery succeeded where many others struggled.

The critical consensus is that the dark, structured wine of this complicated year is one of the best in Châteauneuf du Pape, with ninety-plus points awarded by all the usual arbiters.

‘The Mourvedre is the star of the show and had blockbuster levels of concentration and depth, with perfectly ripe tannin. While certainly not a Grenache year, even this variety showed well here, and it’s obvious that the multiple passes through the vineyard during harvest and then multiple sorts in the winery paid off. This should come together beautifully in bottle and be one of the vintage's strongest efforts.’
92/100 Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate, November 2016

‘Expressive aromas of cherry, black raspberry, licorice and smoky minerals, with a dark chocolate element building slowly. Then tightly wound and focused on the palate, offering intense flavors of dark berries, bitter cherry and candied flowers. Powerful but at the same time quite elegant, finishing with wonderful clarity and length and smooth tannins.’
92–94/100 Josh Raynolds, Vinous, May 2015

brand new—details to follow.

There's a return to freshness in this 2016 vintage after the overwhelming heat of the previous year. The wine has a rich purple-red colour and concentrated aromas of black fruit, cocoa, black pepper and cinnamon. There's a lift and suppleness on the palate, with fine tannins that structure the wine and give it volume and roundness before a long, elegant finish.