Les Aspres 2017 **
Tenacious, Pierre Cros pins two stars and one more “coup de cœur” to his list of achievements, thanks to this high-end, pure Syrah aged for long time in barrels. Smoke, spices, black olives, black fruit, truffle and cocoa, the nose fascinates. Fleshy, concentrated, with finely carved tannins and nice grip, its taste impresses by volume, structure and the body of its spicy and vanilla fruit that still bears the imprint of oak wood. To age for years, certainly, but devilishly attractive now.

Le Clos 2017 *
An almost opaque dark colour dresses this syrah with a heavily oaky nose. Cinnamon, spices and vanilla bloom in a powerful, concentrated mouth, with a precise structure, but still strongly marked by barrel ageing at this stage. To leave imperatively in cellar to ripen.

Guide Hachette 2020

It’s fairly rare for nature to exceed winemakers’ expectations two years in a row, but this was the case in the Rhone Valley with the 2015 and 2016 vintages.

Almost as if 2016 had taken the previous vintage as a yardstick and then attempt to surpass it and reach out for perfection. With a mild winter, a wet spring and a hot summer, 2016 was moderate from a meteorological point of view.But this moderation proved to be the perfect catalyst for a slow and steady ripening of the grapes which were rich, juicy and highly aromatic when they were harvested. The origin of their immense quality lay in the maturity of the skins and pips, source of tannins, but above all in their extraordinary levels of acidity which gave elegance and delicacy to the wines. Bottled at the beginning of Autumn, the wines of this vintage are distinctive for their richness and remarkable longevity.

Habemus Papam 2016
Exuberantly fragrant as is its wont, Habemus Papam seduces, evidently, with its rich, spicy fruit, but above all with its slightly herbaceous, fresh character, all in notes of camphor and blackcurrant. Juicy, with an opulent softness in the mouth, its tannins are as yet still young and powerful, although showing rectitude and balance.

Les Saintes Vierges 2016
Lightness and fluidity are the watchwords of this plot. Deliciously delicate, its aromas oscillate between sweet cherry, cocoa, and lightly caramelized hazelnuts, as well as a lovely floral touch. It shows an amazing persistence carried by the finesse of its tannins….

Le Pied de Baud 2016
Serious and imperturbable, this wine draws its self-assurance from the power and finesse of its tannins, associated with a finely balanced mineral acidity. Delightfully spicy, as if infused with the fragrance of the undergrowth of the woods around the vineyard, with fruit as bright and pure as the climate, and a structure swathed in soft contours like the gentle outline of the hills of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Truly a child of the terroir.

La Crau Ouest 2016
Complex aromas take their time to open to reveal ripe black fruit, warm spices, and freshly cut wood. In the mouth, it is suave and full, with tight but extremely well-integrated tannins. This perfectly balanced wine offers up powerful flavors and a promising array of aromas. Good ageing potential.

It’s fairly rare for nature to exceed winemakers’ expectations two years in a row, but this was the case in the Rhone Valley with the 2015 and 2016 vintages. Almost as if 2016 had taken the previous vintage as a yardstick and then attempt to surpass it and reach out for perfection. With a mild winter, a wet spring and a hot summer, 2016 was moderate from a meteorological point of view.

But this moderation proved to be the perfect catalyst for slow and steady ripening of the grapes which were rich, juicy and highly aromatic when they were harvested. The origin of their immense quality lay in the maturity of the skins and pips, source of tannins, but above all in their extraordinary levels of acidity which gave elegance and delicacy to the wines. Bottled at the beginning of Autumn, the wines of this vintage are distinctive for their richness and remarkable longevity.

Aux Lieux-Dits 2016
A feisty wine, with full, intense aromas overflowing with delectable fruit and exotic spices, and a soaring, crunchy acidity in the mouth that carries this rich, juicy wine to its absolutely magnificent finish. Exuberant and intense, it respires the minerality of the terroir, enveloped in the generosity of the Mediterranean vineyards.

Clos Derrière Vieille 2016
The mineral, lightly smoky nose is especially captivating for its bewitching bouquet of ripe fruit and cherry blossom. Mineral, vibrant and energetic in the mouth, this wine sets its course resolutely towards an almost infinite finish. Its saline, suave character and its floral aromatic register nuanced with green tea and fresh fruit, offer an exquisite surprise for the taste-buds.

Les Hautes Garrigues 2016
Filled with the same energy that seems to inhabit the other wines of Gigondas in this vintage, this wine emphasizes its Mediterranean origins with great poise. Offering a sumptuous expression of aromas from scrubland herbs, through orchard fruit to a market stall of exotic spices, the palate is nevertheless focussed on elegance and purity of architecture, structured by tight tannins.

Mainly grown in the Mediterranean wine regions of France and Spain, this old grape variety already belongs for a long time to the top 10 of the most planted grape varieties in the world. Like other famous grape varieties, such as Pinot or Grenache, it comes in different varieties: red, grey and white. Carignan wines therefore also carry different colors: white, rosé and red, with the latter dominating. Made from very old, middle-aged or young vineyards (as people are replanting Carignan for some years now!), the wines offer a wide range of styles. Carignan is actually a real “terroir grape” that reacts with great sensitivity to the soil and the environment.

And here we have a real terroir Carignan, the “Vieilles Vignes 2016” from my friend Pierre Cros. The faithful readers of this blog already know him ... At the same time pioneer and conservator, he has a true love for the old Carignan vines (some well over 100 years old) he inherited from his grandparents. Oh, he also loves other grape varieties, as proves the great diversity of variatals he cultivates in his vineyards of the Minervois: Nebbiolo, Syrah and Cinsault, Aramon, Picpoul noir and Touriga nacional, Vermentino, Grenache blanc, gris and noir ... Just to name a few.

But back to his 100% Carignan wine: Produced by the method of carbonic maceration, it shows an explosive and intense blend of red fruit, spices and the scent of fresh plants and herbs. Very seductive. Soft and fresh on the palate, with fine but well-structured tannins that give the wine a lot of juiciness and length. Great grape, great vintage, great wine! An excellent example of the fact that good wine is created in teamwork: A successful collaboration between the grape varieties and locations, the vintage and the winemaker.

Open it now and enjoy it with grilled duck breast or leave it in the cellar for a few more years.

Quite simply: Drink wine from Pierre Cros! The talented and visionary winegrower from the Minervois prevented our tormenting choice when he created his cuvée “Entre la Vigne et la Mer” (between the vineyards and the sea) years ago, inspired by the rhymes of a local young rapper named TOAN. A sleek yet efficient blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre, terroir and hip hop, a truly modern and universal wine.

After first offering an intense, down-to-earth bouquet of black currants, sour cherries and a hint of forest scent, he plunges unexpectedly into the freshness of the sea, coming up with salty, smoky and mint-like aromas on the palate. Tannins are still young and grippy, but they are well accompanied by an energyzing acidity and smoothness. A wine that opens your appetite and quenches your thirst!

Several years of cellaring will make this somewhat boisterous Languedoc surfer a wise, Jack London-worthy sea-wolf. So whether you enjoy it young or after a few years of ageing is ultimately more a matter of taste and style. However, you should definitely enjoy it, because this wine is really good!

FOOD MATCHES FOR HERBIVORES: definitely root vegetables for this “Roots wine”: roasted in a pan, grilled or baked in the oven ... with Parmesan cheese, goat cheese and roasted onions. And you really need a sauce that you can dunk with a toasted slice of fresh bread!

FOOD MATCHES FOR CARNIVORES: A lamb shoulder in the oven, with herbs, garlic, black olives and fried potatoes.

This sulphur-free, natural wine celebrates its third birthday with the 2016 vintage and shows quite a character for its young years. Fresh berries like raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants prevail in the nose, while a hint of lemon peel and black pepper give heaps of energy to the bouquet. It furthermore expresses the entire exuberance that characterizes the 2016 vintage in Cahors and elsewhere in France through its juicy taste and crisp tannins. Some spices and dried fruit complete the wine on the finish and shout loudly: “À TABLE”!

Prepare a delicious dish of juicy meat: lamb shoulder with Moroccan spices, coq au-vin, roast pork... A vegetarian couscous is also an excellent choice, as well as grilled wholemeal bread with aubergine paste, black olives and goat’s cheese.

My top pick from the outstanding lineup of Santa Duc’s 2015 Châteauneufs was the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau Ouest, of which only 200 cases were produced. This pure Grenache o ers sumptuous aromas of violets and roses to go along with cherries and licorice. It’s full-bodied, intense, deep and long, with tannins that properly support the wine’s complexities rather than overwhelming them.

Tasted by Joe Czerwinski for The Wine Advocate, Octobre 2017

Listed in our wine guide and awarded several times with our highest honours for more than 30 years. And what’s new in 2017?

The old Carignan vines come over with a rather young expression and mild and fresh scent of cherries and plums. No high tannin extraction or severe wood characters (maximum 6 months of oak maturation) in this wine, convincing with finesse and soft structure. Just a touch of butter and caramel remind of the oak barrels. A perfect symbiosis between wood and wine, giving furthermore elegance and complexity to the overall picture.

Drinking from 2019 to 2025, to wild boar.