Severe frost in early April wreaked havoc across both the northern and southern appellations of the Rhône Valley in 2021, with many producers losing a large majority of their crop.

The reds that did materialise tend towards lean, green flavours, because grapes struggled to ripen. A few producers struck lucky, with late-budding varieties or pockets of vineyard less affected by frost.

But overall, it is the whites that really shine, showing freshness, precision and longevity.

St-Joseph, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise offer particularly good value this year.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Matt Walls’ best value Rhône 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

The best value Rhône 2021 wines to seek out:

Wines listed northern then southern Rhône, by colour and score.

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Southern Rhône 2021: full report and top-scoring wines

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‘The style of 2021 is light, lean and fresh, with high acidity, low alcohol and strict tannins…but for many producers making red wines, 2021 will be a year best forgotten. For white wines, the opposite is true.’

If the southern Rhône had a tough year in 2021, the northern Rhône had it even worse. When talking to growers, one word that came up time and time again was ‘exhausting’. On paper, this was a disastrous vintage, but it was worth fighting for – some producers pulled excellent wines out of their hats. Not many, but some.

Top-scoring northern Rhône 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 95 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.

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Clément Bärtschi, winemaker and cellarmaster at M Chapoutier, saw little frost in St-Joseph in 2021. Nevertheless, the cool, wet season resulted in oscillating quality.

Some wines are excellent, in a fresh, crisp and fragrant style; but the larger proportion lack fruit and joy, with dry, astringent tannins. ‘We’d have called it a lovely vintage – in the 1980s,’ said Jean Gonon of Domaine Gonon.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring St-Joseph 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring St-Joseph 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 93 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.

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This was the first year that Pierre Clape, of Domaine Clape, had witnessed frost on the slopes of Cornas; from these parcels he lost 40% of his crop.

On the flat, however, it was much worse – here he lost 90%. Like almost everybody else, he had to raise alcohol levels – here by adding concentrated must – to achieve 12% alcohol. The last time they had to do this was in 2008.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring Cornas & St-Péray 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Cornas & St-Péray 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 93 points or above, and are listed in order of St-Péray and Cornas in score order.

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Is frost a bad thing? Yes; but it can have unexpected benefits. It can kill shoots, reducing yields, but it doesn’t necessarily affect quality.

In cooler growing seasons, vines with fewer bunches can find it easier to ripen them. So given the inclement conditions that followed the frost in 2021, optimists might consider it advantageous that the crop load had been lightened.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring Côte-Rôtie & Condrieu 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Côte-Rôtie & Condrieu 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 95 points or above, and are listed Condrieu then Côte-Rôtie in score order.

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When the northern Rhône faces a difficult vintage, it’s often Crozes-Hermitage that bears the brunt, which was the case in 2021.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring Crozes-Hermitage 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Crozes-Hermitage 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 89 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.

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Hermitage was mercifully spared by the frost in 2021, however with elevated rainfall dilution was still a major issue.

‘It was the great terroirs that made good wines in 2021,’ said Jean-Louis Chave of Domaine JL Chave, ‘you needed slopes and old vines.’ This helped to avoid dilution, because rain runs off the slopes.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring Hermitage 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Hermitage 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 93 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.

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The post Hermitage 2021: report and top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.

Vacqueyras

Vacqueyras is low-lying and mostly flat, and it was hit hard by the frost in 2021. Yields were down around 25%.

Vineyards on slopes and near woodland were more likely to be spared, and those that were lucky went on to make precise, fresh, well-balanced reds. Most, however, are light and drinkable, destined to be drunk young.

White varieties largely avoided the frost, and the quality is excellent – concentrated wines with impact, acidity and great balance.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and score for top Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 93 points or above, and are listed in order of Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise, white then red in score order.

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Vinsobres

Though it often sits in the shadow of Cairanne and Rasteau, Vinsobres performed relatively well this year, and many of the wines have a good sense of freshness.

The characteristic angular tannins are quite marked, however, so give them a year or two, which will also help to further integrate any new oak, which has frequently been applied liberally here.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and score for top Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2021 wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 92 points or above, and are listed in order of Rasteau, Cairanne and Vinsobres, white then red in score order.

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It was difficult to find many Liracs to recommend this year; they seemed to be hit particularly hard by the challenges of 2021, producing wines with thin red fruit and coarse tannins.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and score for top Lirac and Tavel 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Lirac and Tavel 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 90 points or above, and are listed in order of appellation, white then red in score order.

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‘In this chaotic, unpredictable and atypical vintage, buying by appellation, or even producer, isn’t a reliable strategy.’

Though Châteauneuf-du-Pape wasn’t the worst hit, many producers, such as Vincent Avril of Clos des Papes, suffered reduced yields due to the frost. Temperatures dropped to -4 ̊ C here, but ‘what was mad is that it was 19 ̊C that afternoon,’ he said, ‘and 25 ̊C less than a week earlier.’ No wonder the vines were shocked.

Top-scoring southern Rhône 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 95 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape wasn’t hit as hard as some appellations, thanks in part to its proximity to the Rhône river, and its openness to the mistral wind. Nevertheless, volumes are down by about 20%.

In some ways this feels like an old-fashioned vintage; measured alcohol, good acidity, strict tannins, and – when sufficiently ripe – this can make for an enjoyably fresh and balanced style.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021 wines

Matt Walls’ top-scoring Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 96 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.

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Rhône 2021 en primeur vintage rating:

‘It’s an exceptional year for white wine in both the southern and northern Rhône. I tasted many red wines that were thin and green this year…But in the darkness, there are glimmers of light’

How do you define a bad vintage? If you’re a grower, you might say it’s a year of poor weather, disease and pests. Low yields too, even if quality is acceptable, means producers will be out of pocket. Wine lovers aren’t quite so concerned about conditions or quantity, however – it’s the quality in the bottle that matters most to us.

From anyone’s point of view therefore, 2021 will not go down as a good vintage. ‘It’s the year you never wish for,’ said Jean Gonon of Domaine Gonon, with a degree of sangfroid, ‘but it happens.’

Top-scoring Rhône 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 96 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.

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In his Rhône 2020 vintage report Matt Walls found fresh, vibrant and deliciously drinkable wines across the Northern and Southern appellations, with many wines being approachable now.

Given that many wines won’t last as long as previous vintages such as 2016, 2017 and 2019, this could make the 2020s great value picks for immediate drinking.

Scroll down to see Matt’s best-value Rhône 2020 tasting notes and scores

Walls noted that this is the freshest vintage for whites since 2014, so lovers of white Rhône should seek out white Vacqueras, which are concentrated and energetic, and white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. White Crozes-Hermitage wines have vibrant and zesty aromatics and are particularly good value for money.

See the Rhône 2020 full vintage report and top-scoring wines

See all 400 Rhône 2020 tasting notes and scores

Best-value Rhône 2020 wines by appellation

Below is Matt Walls’ list of some of the best-value Rhône 2020 wines.

Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu

Domaine Christophe Billon, Les Matisses, Condrieu 2020

Domaine Niero, Les Ravines, Condrieu 2020

Domaine Xavier Gérard, Arbuel, Condrieu 2020

Domaine du Monteillet, Fortis, Côte-Rôtie 2020

Domaine Faury, Revinescence, Côte-Rôtie 2020

Domaine Xavier Gérard, Côte-Rôtie 2020

Cornas and St-Péray

Cave de Tain, Fleur de Roc, St-Péray 2020

Cave Julien Cécillon, Gemini, St-Péray 2020

Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Montis, St-Péray 2020

Domaine Mucyn, Hypsos, Cornas 2020

Domaine Vincent Paris, Granit 30, Cornas 2020

Dumien-Serrette, Patou, Cornas 2020

St-Joseph

Domaine Bernard Gripa, Blanc, St-Joseph, 2020

Domaine Faury, Blanc, St-Joseph, 2020

Vignobles Chirat, Chays d’Oeuvre Blanc, St-Joseph, 2020

Domaine Faury, Hedonism Rouge, St-Joseph, 2020

Domaine Jolivet, L’Instinct Rouge, St-Joseph, 2020

Domaine Martine & Christian Rouchier, La Chave Rouge, St-Joseph, 2020

Hermitage

Domaine Belle, Blanc, Hermitage, 2020

Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Les Diognières Blanc, Hermitage, 2020

Ferraton Père & Fils, Les Miaux Blanc, Hermitage, 2020

Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Les Diognières, Hermitage, 2020

Ferraton Père & Fils, Les Miaux, Hermitage, 2020

Tardieu-Laurent, Hermitage, 2020

Crozes-Hermitage

Domaine Betton, Circé Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020

Domaine Gaylord Machon, La Fille Dont J’ai Rêvé Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020

Domaine Vendome, Les Pinets Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020

Domaine de la Ville Rouge, Inspiration, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020

Domaine Laurent Fayolle, Sens, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020

Domaine Melody, Friandise, Crozes-Hermitage, 2020

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Château de la Gardine, Tradition Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020

Clos du Mont-Olivet, Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020

La Bastide St-Dominique, Chapelle, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020

Château Sixtine, Cuvée du Vatican, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020

Domaine Font de Courtedune, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020

Domaine Porte Rouge, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020

Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise

Château des Roques, Cuvée Blanche, Vacqueyras, 2020

Domaine La Fourmone, Le Fleurantine Blanc, Vacqueyras, 2020

Domaine du Terme, Vacqueyras, 2020

Château la Croix des Pins, Les Dessous des Dentelles, Gigondas, 2020

Domaine du Gour de Chaulé, Tradition, Gigondas, 2020

Domaine de la Ferme St Martin, Les Terres Jaunes, Beaumes de Venise, 2020

Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres

Domaine Alary, L’Estevenas Blanc, Cairanne, 2020

Domaine A. Berthet-Rayne, Castel Mireio Blanc, Cairanne, 2020

Domaine des Amadieu, Garrigues, Cairanne, 2020

Domaine Pique-Basse, Rasteau, 2020

Domaine Constant-Duquesnoy, Vinsobres, 2020

Domaine Chaume Arnaud, Vinsobres, 2020

Lirac & Tavel

Domaine Castel Oualou, Blanc, Lirac, 2020

Domaine Lafond, Blanc, Lirac, 2020

Domaine les Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé Beige, Tavel, 2020

Domaine Maby, Prima Donna, Tavel, 2020

Château de Montfaucon, Lirac, 2020

Domaine Coudoulis, Dédicace, Lirac, 2020

See tasting notes and scores for Matt Walls’ best-value Rhône 2020 wines:

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Nowhere is the disparity in quality more evident this year than in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

A lot of Tradition bottlings were disappointingly lean and scrawny, but the best terroirs really shined, producing athletic, elegant wines of intensity and panache.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for the top scoring Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020 wines

See Matt’s top Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020 tasting notes and scores:

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On the 25th March there was a frost in the Southern Rhône. ‘It’s normal to have frosts then – it’s practically still winter,’ says Rodolphe des Pins of Château de Montfaucon.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Lirac & Tavel 2020 wines

See Matt’s top Lirac & Tavel 2020 tasting notes and scores:

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Some Rasteau 2020s lack substance this year, but it’s a vintage that has played into the hands of those estates who favour elegance over power.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2020 wines

See Matt’s top Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2020 tasting notes and scores:

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‘All good quality years have hydric stress,’ says Jacky Bernard, President of AOC Vacqueyras, ‘otherwise you don’t get the necessary concentration… But extreme stress is counterproductive.’

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise 2020 wines

See Matt’s top Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise 2020 tasting notes and scores:

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The post Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise 2020: report and top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.

This is a very fine vintage for St-Joseph, with excellent red and white wines to be found along the length of the appellation.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for the top scoring St-Joseph 2020 wines

See Matt’s top St-Joseph 2020 tasting notes and scores:

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The post St-Joseph 2020: report and top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.

Despite the very dry conditions, this feels like a more naturally balanced vintage than 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Crozes-Hermitage 2020 wines

See Matt’s top Crozes-Hermitage 2020 tasting notes and scores:

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The post Crozes-Hermitage 2020: report and top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.