Page 87 - Wine Spectator (January 2020)
P. 87
FORGING AHEAD
The higher elevation and
cooler climate of Gigondas
moderated the summer heat
in 2017 to yield some of the
Southern Rhône’s best wines
from the vintage.
The Southern Rhône overcomes a challenging spring in 2017 to produce outstanding
wines, while the Northern Rhône delivers another classic vintage
BY JAMES MOLESWORTH Photographs by Jon Wyand
fter the successes of 2016 and 2015, France’s Rhône Rhône and one-third from the Northern Rhône. In total, 92 wines
Valley hits its marks again in 2017, with high quality earn classic ratings of 95 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s
in both the north and south. The north is more con- 100-point scale, while an additional 450 wines receive outstand-
sistent across the board, with ripe, dense wines and a ing ratings of 90 to 94 points. More than 325 wines are from the
healthy crop level, while the south, though strong over- 2017 vintage, with a number of late releases to be reviewed in the
Aall, is marked by low yields, having faced difficulties coming months.
during the growing season. Along with these official reviews, I also visited the Rhône this
Since my previous report (“Next Level,” Nov. 30, 2018), I have past year, where I sampled scores of wines in non-blind tastings
reviewed nearly 775 wines in blind tastings at our New York of- during my visits to producers’ cellars, filling out my understanding
fice, about two-thirds of them from the much larger Southern of the vintage. Overall, I rate the Southern Rhône at 92 points for
JAN. 31 - FEB. 29, 2020 • WINE SPECTATOR 81
