Vintages
Drink, hold, or be careful.
Last fifteen years. Floor-staff calls, not scores. A modest year from a good grower beats a legend year from a lazy one.
- Drink
Open it. Waiting rarely helps.
- Hold
Too young for the typical bottle. Cellar it.
- Careful
Uneven or weak. Buy a grower, not the year — or drink up what you have.
North Syrah, south Grenache
Rhône
Two climates on one river. The north is pepper and granite; the south is garrigue and sun.
Default is Northern Rhône Syrah. The south was easier in 2016, 2019, 2020; mildew stung 2018 down there.
| Year | Call | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hold | Small crop, balanced reports. In barrel. |
| 2024 | Careful | Wet work, small. Buy growers. |
| 2023 | Hold | The south had the easier year. Still young. |
| 2022 | Hold | Drought and heat. Concentrated; wait on Hermitage. |
| 2021 | Drink | Cooler, fresher, earlier. A drinker’s vintage. |
| 2020 | Hold | Generous. North still has more to say. |
| 2019 | Hold | Excellent on both banks. Keep the serious bottles. |
| 2018 | Careful | Mildew in the south. North fared better — pick names. |
| 2017 | Drink | Hot. Most Crozes and Côtes are open. |
| 2016 | Hold | The south’s landmark. Châteauneuf still climbing. |
| 2015 | Drink | Great north and south. Much of it singing. |
| 2014 | Careful | Rain. Drink remaining village. |
| 2013 | Drink | Cooler north, savory, ready. |
| 2012 | Drink | Solid and open. |
| 2011 | Drink | Ready. Don’t cellar further. |