Grenache

World Wine – It blends lots of Clarendon, Hickinbotham and Kangarilla into a lovely mix of spice and fruit. Notes of cinnamon and cherries mingle easily on the nose and palate of this wine, which comes across as medium to full-bodied and gentle in style, not overly extracted or tannic. Drink 2019-2026.

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – The Guigals predict volumes of only 3.5 million bottles for the 2017 Cotes du Rhone, as good wine was harder to source than in 2016. It's still bright and primary, with cherry fruit seeming a bit one-dimensional at this stage, although there's a welcome hint of almond paste on the crisp finish. Range: 89-91

World Wine – "...the 2017 Côtes Du Rhône Lieu-Dit Clavin reveals a deep purple color as well as classic notes of black licorice, blackcurrants, ground pepper, and earth. Medium to full-bodied, with plenty of tannins yet beautiful fruit, it needs 2-4 years of bottle age, but it’s beautiful stuff and I’d wager one of the best Côtes Du Rhône out there" Jeb Dunnuck

World Wine – "Leading off the three Châteauneuf Du Papes, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Trois Sources comes from more sandy soils just across the road from the estate. It always shares more stylistic similarities with the Réserve and is more opulent, sexy, and fruit loaded compared to the Hauts-Lieux cuvée. This 2017 is spectacular, offering loads of black fruits, black licorice, ground herbs, violets, and some obvious loamy soil and mineral-like aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, expansive, and multi-dimensional, this is another singular wine from Jean-Paul Daumen that tastes like the essence of this stunning terroir." 95 points Jeb Dunnuck

World Wine – Vivino

Decanter – A 70% Syrah-Grenache blend that offers a lot of wine for the price. Peppery bramble fruits, wild herbs and liquorice adorn the supple palate which has grippy fruit tannins and a lifted violet perfume. Vibrant, with balanced alcohol.

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – The 2017 Minervois la Liviniere La Touge is an approachable, medium-bodied blend. It's more red-fruited and friendly than the other Maris wines in 2017, showcasing silky tannins and mixed cherries and blueberries, without any obvious oak influence.

James Halliday – It took me a while to reach a conclusion on this wine. It's big and ripe and concentrated with a mass of cedar, spice, dried red fruit, tobacco and black plum. And there's big grainy tannins that coat the mouth from the middle back, but under it all is a core of succulent fruit, waiting. Patience the key here.

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – Rose petal and tea leaves add nuance to the oodles of blueberries and cherries that form this wine's core, while the dense, rich palate carries those flavors on a velvety blanket of ripe tannins.

Wine Spectator – A ripe, lush style, with warm and inviting plum, fig and boysenberry confiture notes gliding through. Offers a beautiful polished feel, with suave anise and black tea flavors filling in on the finish while the fruit just sails through. Relies primarily on fruit, and you can't blame it for that. Drink now through 2030.

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – La Nerthe's 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Cadettes is a blend of approximately one-third each Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Eighty percent of the wine spent a year in new oak barrels, but much of that has been absorbed into the wine, and I see that my notes don't make reference to overt oak descriptors. Scents of raspberry and spice lead the way, followed by a firm, full-bodied palate. The tannins are present from front to back, but they're ripe and silky, lingering elegantly on the finish.

Wine Spectator – This pumps ripe raspberry, plum and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors through, with anise, fruitcake and Christmas pudding notes adding range and detail along the way. Flash of bay on the finish. A not-shy wine. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Best from 2022 through 2032.

Wine Enthusiast – Ripe, luminous wild strawberries and black cherry flavors explode from nose to finish in this hedonistic, intensely fruity blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. It's gorgeously primary in youth with a zesty mineral undertone, but is concentrated enough to improve, gaining earthier complexities through 2030 and likely further.

James Suckling – A very vibrant array of ripe raspberry, red-plum and berry-pastry aromas with mulberries, too. Very fresh. There’s a very rich and ripe, dark-fruit core here with a wealth of super plush and languid tannins that are dense yet soft. This is a hallmark of the vintage. A blend of 45% grenache, 30% syrah, 15% mourvedre and ten additional varieties. Drink over the next decade and more.

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape features gentle herb shadings, ripe stone fruit and berry flavors, and a long, clean finish. It's full-bodied but somewhat delicate and silky in feel. I'd opt for drinking this blend of 35% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault over the next 7-8 years.

Wine Spectator – This citrusy red shows garrigue-lined notes of wild raspberry, orange peel, anise and mineral that are engaging and backed by lots of energy, with moderate tannins. Syrah and Grenache. Drink now through 2024

James Suckling – Sour cherries, blueberry, dark cherries, herbs and dried flowers on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Supple and smooth on the palate with a round and creamy character. Layered and balanced. A blend of syrah and grenache. From bio dynamically grown grapes. Demeter. Drink or hold.

James Halliday – Matured in French puncheons and hogsheads for 12 months. I’d say pretty good bunch, neatly counterbalancing the red and purple fruits with a gently savoury finish. Snappy colour, too.

James Suckling – Aromas of blueberry and some cooler, spicy, peppery tones, as well as blueberry, smoked meat and gun smoke. The palate has red plums and some earthy tones, too. There’s a core of deep blueberries and purple cherries and a succulently long and fleshy finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

James Halliday – Light, brilliantly clear crimson; there is a profusion of red flowers/fruits/berries on the vibrantly crisp, fresh palate. Serve slightly chilled on a warm day, and your worries will float away a la Leunig.

James Suckling – A bold, red-plum and raspberry-fruited nose with some herbal accents, earthy terra cotta and some more savory coal-dust notes, too. The palate has a core of spiced red plums and some tangier raspberry notes. Long, supple and smooth tannins. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

James Halliday – Pale red in comparison to the other Clarendon Grenaches. Very much in the secondary realm, fresh leather, cedar and brown spices and star anise. Oak certainly a feature, but surprisingly sleek across the palate, a line of red fruit meshed with bright acidity and chalky drying tannins. David Bicknell Published 01 August 2019