I’ve opened a few 2016 Northern Rhone wines now and am just beginning to get a handle on the vintage. What wines have you tried?
I posted a note earlier on the 2016 Barou Saint-Joseph ‘Un Autre Monde’, which is excellent and a superb QPR - crystalline purity, crunchy acidity with a strong citric note. I’ve also had the 2016 Faury Saint-Joseph, which is classic Faury - clean, full-flavored, very fruit-driven, open-knit and delicious, with hallmark gamy funk.
Recently I pulled the trigger on a 2016 Gonon Les Iles Feray, which is really great: wide open, super elegant, hugely floral with brine and cured meat. The texture here was outstanding and there is little sense of tannic grip. Makes me want to pop one of the Gonon Saint-Josephs to see what is going on.
And the other night I drank the coveted 2016 Franck Balthazar Cornas Chaillot Sans Soufre Ajouté, which is smokin’ good. This is instantly recognizable as Cornas. Super deep and wild/feral with unreal freshness and depth. A strong, tingly citric acidity pulses through this wine, supercharging the deep berry and animale notes. It’s a winner.
Based on the limited view that these four wines have given me, it seems to me the vintage is primed for great drinking right from the get-go. All four show as classic wines and there is beautiful delineation of the flavors and finely detailed acidity with slight tannic structure. These wines are ripe, but just so and in beautiful balance. They are nothing like the wines I have had from the very impressive 2015 vintage, which is all power to 2016’s apparent grace; both seem to be super great vintages, each with their own winning traits. I am very excited to check out more 2016s!
Thanks, looking forward to seeing how this thread evolves. I’ve bought some 2016s, but cannot take delivery yet. I like what I have read about the vintage.
I’ve bought a lot of 2015 compared to 2016 (at least so far), based on reviews and comments by friends. I thought 2016 was for early/earlier drinking, but after a few bottles I’m not so sure… All the wines I’ve had have shown very mature fruit, sometimes even more so than the 2015 versions, with lot of tannins.
Some of what I’ve tried: Jamet CdR, Jamet VdP Syrah, Yann Chave Crozes. Will update after checking my notes.
2016 NRhs are definitely NOT an early maturing vintage … I´m talking about RED and the “better” Appellations.
I´ve only tasted one (easy) wine from bottle so far, all others only from barrels last year … and I´m going to collect them in 6 weeks, so no recent experience.
I guess many are still in their fruity phase after bottling, quite accessable and even enjoyable - but I´d rather not underestimate their aging potential, they have a lot of structure … but granted the fruit is “cooler” than in 2015, acidity is definitely higher, but some tannins have a tendency to dryness, they are not as sweet as in 2015. Also a good number will shut down in a year or two …
Fine producers have made fine wines (as usual) …
On the other hand there is practically no danger of “hot, jammy” wines … so a vintage rather for 2005/2010 lovers, not for 2003/2009-fans …
2016 Domaine des Pierres Seches St. Joseph Sainte-Epine
Another vintage for Sylvain Gauthier, another seriously dark and dense Saint-Joseph. I was impressed with the 2015, which is a major powerhouse and one of the more extreme examples of a Saint-Joseph I have encountered. This isn’t quite that beefed up but it’s totally different than the handful of other 2016 Northern Rhone reds I have tried, which have been bright and graceful. Here is serious ripeness, a dark grapey abyss with a marked stony mineral quality amidst all that fruit. This isn’t showing the cured meat complexity of the 2015, which is too bad, and this also is just a little wanting for acidity. It reminds me of the wines of Jean-Louis Tribouley from the Roussillon - almost freakishly extracted and rich. In the end, I’m not sure these wines are for me.
I was also let down by the 2016 des Pierres after thinking the 15 was quite good. The 16 seemed much more modern, could have been from anywhere Syrah unfortunately.
Update on the Tunnels: The cuvee prestige and rousseanne both showing a lot of “baby fat” fruit, but excellent structure. Not flabby at all. Both improved over 2 days (stored in fridge) for my tastes - more energy and subtleties coming through.
Tried the “regular” Faury St. Joseph over the weekend: nicely medium rich, medium full body, tasty deep black and boysenberry fruit with excellent mouthwatering acidity, fine softer tannins. Seemed a bit leaner and sinewy relative to the Faury style I’m used to. I liked it.
2016 Domaine Gilles Barge St. Joseph Clos des Martinets- France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (10/07/2018)
What a good st Joseph: deep aromas of violets, dusty oak and a pure dark berry fruit, overlaying a touch of cured meat. Palate manages to be both concentrated and yet lithe and fresh, with subtle tannin and ripe fruit. Great stuff, so enjoyable (91 pts.)
First full bottle of 2016 Northern Rhone i’ve had an absolute delight it was too, really drinkable and managing to find this great balance between richness, depth and lightness of touch. Really good…
Nice, I haven’t opened any of my 2016 Barge Saint-Joseph Clos des Martinets. The 2015 is a very large-scaled wine but beautiful, very deep and meaty with dark berries and baked earth notes. I love Barge wines all around.
Hey hey, JLL is calling us a bunch of Fashionistas!
CORNAS continues its dashing progress in 2016. It is just about the hottest appellation in the northern RHÔNE, if not the whole RHÔNE now, with prices escalating at a cosmic rate. Having previously held a hard core following, an underground movement conducted by whispers and nudges, it is now under the beaming gaze of the international fashionistas.