I have not! I am new to the world of Syrah, and especially French Syrah. How does it compare to the Rhodaniennes?
So far these are the 2020s I have bought. I have only tasted the Cecillon and won’t touch the others for some time! (Maybe the Texier sooner)
2020 Domaine Barge Côte-Rôtie Les Cotes
2020 Domaine Champet Côte-Rôtie Les Fils à Jo
2020 Domaine Gallet Côte-Rôtie
2020 Mickaël Bourg Cornas Les P’tits Bouts
2020 Julien Cecillon Crozes-Hermitage Les Marguerites
2020 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban Le Clau
It is a slightly bigger wine. A bit more fruity and maybe a little more modern, but it is deeper, more complex and still hit all those NR Syrah markers that most of us are looking for. And it has the acidity to carry the wine.
I will have to seek that one out, then. One thing I have found with the Syrah’s that I have tried, such as the Rhodaniennes, Mark Ryan’s Lost Soul Red Willow Vineyard, and Herman Story’s White Hawk Vineyard, have been delicious but I have wished that the were a bit higher in acid.
I am running into storage issues. So I need to solve that before i can really dive into the vintage. Maybe i will just sit this one out and wait for 2021 mostly…
With that said then i already got the wines that was a “must have” for me. Balthazar and Dumas:
2020 Francois Dumas Saint-Joseph
2020 Franck Balthazar Chaillot
2020 Franck Balthazar Casamir
And then some everyday drinkers (down the line):
2020 Franck Balthazar Crozes-Hermitage
2020 Jamet CDR
Will probably get one or two bottles of Levet and Barge. But after that i need to solve my storage issue to buy more.
I would suggest finding something from a more classic/colder vintage in Northern Rhone then. But those vintages are rare now. 2014 springs to mind. Maybe 2021 will be one.
I have a couple of bottle’s of Jamet’s Cote Rotie from 2016, which I have read is a fresher and acidic vintage. Excited to find out in a decade when I finally open a bottle!
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The 2016 Jamet Côte-Rôtie is amazing!
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Says the California landed gentry!
Let’s be clear, I do not open the “big boys” like that. The 2020 Gonon Iles Feray is a baby Rhone!
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2020 Prices! In Europe it is clear that inflation has hit the market. Most wines are up 10-15% it seems compared to 2019. Is it the same in the US?
Was also going to buy a Clusel-Roch Les Grandes Places. But at 110€+ i am not so sure (can still buy older vintages cheaper).
I have seen Jamet’s 2020 Cote Rotie in town for $200, and just bought some of their 2016 for $160. They were at different stores, though, so it may not be a vintage thing.
Tell me more about Dumas. The wines are not available in the U.S., from what I can tell.
Young winemaker making very few bottles of wines. First wines made in 2013. The internet tells me he trained at Chave and Trapet (Burgundy). Works with full respect for nature, very manual and works with lower amounts of sulfites. Besides the Saint-Joseph and a Condrieu, he also makes some more light fun wines on Syrah and Gamay that are just decent to me.
For me the Saint-Joseph is the real star. Pure classic and very aromatic Northern Rhone Syrah that is inspired by the older classic versions of Syrah, but made in a slightly more approachable style. Spends almost two years in barrels because he feels it needs it. Even though it is a low sulfites wine (some is added) it is super clean and holds up over three days without really degrading (2019).
Saint-Joseph 2020 Vinification:
100% whole bunches. Fermentation with the skins for 3,5 weeks in open vats, then gently pressed by hand with Francois’ old vertical press from another century. Aged for 22 months in old barriques before bottling.
I’ve been obsessed with it since tasting the 2019 twice last year.
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It was IlkkaL and Otto that made me aware of Dumas 
Cheated a bit and had two glasses of the Dumas last night before tonights dinner.
The 2020 is very different from the 2019. But still a great wine.
Black currants and dark cherries along with sour red raspberries that really lifts the wine. It has a slightly candided note that reminds me of a carbonic Beaujolais. The 2019 had one of the most insane notes of freshly grounded pepper. Here the pepper notes is rather vague. But it got an intense olive note along with some raw meat that really takes you to the Northern Rhone. A little green and barnyard funk that just adds to the complexity. Down to 13% abv from 13.8% in 2019. High acidity. Such a lifted version of Northern Rhone Syrah. Too bad that Fedex dropped the package and smashed three out of six bottles. They sold out in hours so unlikely the shop can replace them.
Very different and not as good as the 2019. But still an amazing Saint-Joseph.
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Life is good if Balthazar and Jamet are the kitchen rack quaffers !!!
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He drinks like a pro!!! 
Well they are very affordable here in Europe 
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