Germany

92-94 Points! Deep magenta. High-toned cherry and blackberry aromas show very good clarity with black pepper and smoky mineral accents. Shows firm tension and a spicy cut to its gentle sweet red and dark berry, bitter chocolate and succulent herb flavors. Youthfully gripping tannins lend framework to a long, smoky finish that echoes the spice and floral notes. This is textbook Gigondas, raised in a combination of one-third concrete tanks and two-thirds large oak barrels, 20% of those new. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

94 Points! This rich and impeccably balanced Gigondas has everything we look for in the wines of this appellation. What a wide spectrum of aromas with everything from raspberry to candied orange, plus a slew of delicate spicy notes and fresh Mediterranean herbs. I love the interplay of richness, fine tannins and lively acidity on the generous, but not expansive palate. Very long, refined finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - Stuart Pigott, James Suckling

92 Points! A terrific vintage for this wine, which was bottled just a couple of weeks prior to my late June visit, the 2021 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel is a blend of 30% each Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus 10% Cinsault. From a vineyard just outside the boundaries of the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it's a remarkably consistent wine and always a solid value. Scents of sunbaked stones, black cherries and licorice appear on the nose, joined by hints of purple raspberries and dark chocolate, while the medium to full-bodied palate is lush and velvety, finishing long and complex. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

90 Points! Modern, lifted and a bit heady, but attractive and evocative. Black cherry inkiness segues into a dense palate where all the fruit is crammed into a structured body with drying tannins. Herbs and stones hemmed in by a firm grip. A good all rounder. - Decanter Magazine

90 Points! An impressive Cotes-du-Rhone with stacks of blackberry and black raspberry fruit wrapped around a core of moderately dry tannins on the bold palate. Long self-confidently dry finish. A cuvee of 50% syrah, 45% grenache and 5% mourvedre. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

A selection of the best parcels of Syrah near the town of Orange, the 2008 La Bastide Saint-Dominique Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Jules Rochebonne is a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache where the Syrah is aged in oak barrels and the Grenache in vat. A dead ringer for a northern Rhône Syrah-based wine... - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! From a single parcel of 65-year-old vines, the 2017 Cairanne Col du Debat features subtle cinnamon and clove notes on the nose. It's full-bodied, rich and velvety, with plenty of raspberry and cherry fruit, plus attractive resiny notes of rosemary and pine on the long finish. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

The 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Lieu-Dit Clavin is a pretty, elegant, medium-bodied effort that shows the classy style of this estate. More blue fruits, cherries, licorice, and peppery notes define the nose, and it has fine tannins and outstanding balance. It’s capable of evolving for a decade in cold cellars. - Jeb Dunnuck

Roussanne (40%), Grenache blanc (30%), Viognier (30%)

96 Points! Deep, glistening red. Expansive, mineral- and spice-accented red fruit liqueur, incense, cola and garrigue qualities are presented on the powerful, finely detailed nose. Palate-staining cherry pie, raspberry, floral pastille and spicecake flavors show superb energy for their depth. The spice and floral notes drive a seriously long, pentrating finish that's framed by polished, well-knit tannins. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

92 Points! This has good concentration to the black cherry, plum paste and anise flavors that glide through the svelte palate, with wood spice and graphite shavings adding balance and detail. Round and velvety, this has an intensity that builds with bitter cherry, smoke and violet on the finish. Drink now through 2030. - Wine Spectator

94+ Points! A smaller production cuvée, the 2019 Gigondas La Font De Tonin is more modern styled (it sees a touch of new oak) but is still classic Gigondas in its dark, peppery, mineral-laced fruit as well as concentrated, medium to full-bodied, structured style on the palate. A blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre, it was 30% destemmed and was aged in a mix of barrels (40% new) and larger, older oak. I love its purity, and it should integrate its élevage nicely with 3-4 years of bottle age and be very long-lived. It’s a serious, age-worthy Gigondas. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points-"Domaine La Soumade devotes its oldest vines from 50-100 years old to this blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. Vinified entirely in large-format wood vessels, its black plum and cherry flavors are lusciously concentrated but maintain a zestiness and mineral edge that are thrilling. Full bodied and opulent, it's a velveteen, solidly structured red that should drink beautifully now–2030"-Wine Enthusiast