TARDIEU-LAURENT RHÔNE VALLEY

Nobles Origines is a blend of the northern and southern Rhône. 30% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc (70+ years old), 20% Clairette, 15% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne (60+ years old). These declassified crus grapes include a third from Crozes-Hermitage. 100% barrel fermentation makes this a fuller bodied wine than Les Becs Fins. Pithy and precise, it wears the warm 2022 season lightly, the palate’s fine orchard fruit coming to a nice salty, focused finish. Aged for six months in new, one- and two-year old barrels. 13.5% abv.

20% Grenache Blanc, 20% Roussanne, 20% Clairette, 15% Marsanne, 15% Viognier and 10% Bourboulenc. A markedly Mediterranean nose of dried herbs and liquorice. On the palate, white peppery spices delineate the fleshy peach fruit, with a touch of zesty grapefruit, zippy acidity and a nice granular, salty finish. This is now certified organic. Fermented and aged for six months in two- and three-year old barrels. 13.5% abv.

This comes from three sites around Châteauneuf. 40% Grenache Blanc (60+ years old), 25% Roussanne, 20% Clairette, 10% Bourboulenc and 5% Piquepoul. Châteauneuf was hit by hail in 2022, making for a tricky season – 2,500 bottles, around half the usual volume, was produced here. The strict sorting has paid off: this has a fabulous vinous richness and salty/chalky minerality – a real terroir wine. Michel Tardieu says that, in Burgundian terms, it would be a Pouilly-Fuissé... Fermented and aged for nine months in new, one- and two-year old barrels. 13.5% abv.

Nobles Origines comes from declassified cru holdings, across various southern Rhône villages, including Rasteau, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise, with the majority from Lirac, on the western side of the Rhône. 70% Grenache (50+ years old), 20% Syrah (40+ years old, from Rasteau) and 10% Mourvèdre (30-40 years old). One third whole bunches were used, as usual. Supple and energetic, with pure blackberry and blueberry fruit. The Rasteau component, old vine Grenache, is dark and chocolatey, adding a muscular core to the ripe raspberry fruit. Aged for 10 months in one- and two-year-old barrels, then for eight months in old oak foudres. 14.5% abv.

This is a 100% whole bunch vinification of Grenache, from 70-year-old vines on the border of the Châteauneuf appellation. Violets and dried herbs on the nose, leading into an elegant palate of deft red berry fruit. This is so light on its feet, lovely. The sandy soils here make for a delicate, fine wine. It spends eight months in two- and three-year-old barrels, then ten months in foudres. 14.5% abv.

70% Grenache (the vines of which are a magnificent 80 years old), 10% Syrah and 20% Mourvèdre (both ‘only’ 40 years old). The warmest place in the southern Rhône, Rasteau can also be wonderfully ephemeral, flirtatious even. The oldest vines here were planted in 1921, so are over a century old. Part comes from a site called La Montagne, at 300 metres of elevation. Dried herbs and bitter chocolate, this is a real charmer in 2022. One third is vinified with whole bunches. Aged for 10 months in one- and two-year-old barrels, then for a further 10 months in foudres. 14.5% abv.

If Rasteau is flirtatious, Vacqueyras is usually earthier and more leathered – it is the driest part of the southern Rhône. Half of this wine comes from sandy soils which, in combination with cool aspects, lend a silkiness to the tannins. 70% Grenache (over 60 years old), 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre (40 years old). Rather fruity this year, with detailed tannins – a tender structure for a wine which, after all, is known as the ‘Cornas of the south’. Two thirds whole-bunch fermentation. Aged for 10 months in one- and two-year-old barrels before a further 10 months in foudres. 14.5% abv.

The ‘basic’ Gigondas is a blend of four plots. 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah from vines over 40 years old. 50% whole-bunch fermented. Darkly berried on the nose, with pretty aromas of violet and bitter chocolate. The palate is succulent and shot through with that primary violet character of nascent Grenache. Firm tannins and weighty blueberries lend age worthiness Aged for 10 months in one- and two-year-old barrels and then 10 months in old oak foudres. 14.5% abv.

This old vine Gigondas cuvée comes from five plots in Gigondas, at around 400 metres of altitude, from the Dentelles foothills. 90% Grenache, 5% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre, ranging from 40 to over 100 years old. 75% whole-bunch fermented. Dark cherry and wild strawberry, really beautifully structured, with real finesse. Lifted, with airy perfume. We tasted the 100% Grenache, whole bunch cuvee of 100-year-old vines, which really brings out the dense strawberry foundation of this wine. Aged for 10 months in one- and two-year-old barrels and then 12 months in old oak foudres. 14.5% abv.

This comes from five plots in Châteauneuf and is 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault. The Grenache and Cinsault are 60 to 80 years old, the Syrah 40 years old. We tasted the Grenache and Mourvèdre component from barrel in June 2023, which showed Asian spices and sweet red berries. The palate is succulent and giving, almost ready to drink! A pure-Grenache component was more seductive and dark-fruited, whilst the Mourvèdre is powerful and concentrated, with tannic finesse. A lovely wine, half whole-bunch vinified. Aged for 10 months in one- and two-year-old barrels, followed by 10 months in old oak foudres. 14.5% abv.

Made from century-old vines at the base of La Crau on sandy soils, this is effectively a Grenache-only Châteauneuf (with 1% “other varieties”). 100% whole-bunch fermented. Saturated, deep red berries, with a floral-herbal delicacy – far from a bruiser, this is an impressively elegant interpretation of Châteauneuf, whose tender red berry fruit, leather and wonderfully supple tannins are like Wagyu beef. ‘Buy this!!’ (I wrote in the margin…) Aged for one year in old oak barrels and then a further year in foudre. 14.5% abv.

80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne, from three different sites, with an average age of over 50 years. Inviting aromas of warm pastry and white peach. The palate is pure, fleshy and giving, the initial pear fruit giving way to a fine salty-mineral back-palate, which is long and deft. Lovely momentum and purity – this is a pick. It spends eight months in a combination of new and used barrels, then is very lightly filtered, with no fining. 13.5% abv.

85% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne, from three different sites, aged 30-40 years. Now in its fourth vintage, the white St-Joseph is brightly perfumed in 2022, ripe stone-fruit and white flower aromas rising from the glass. The palate is rather hedonistically plump – a “gastronomic” wine, Bastien agreed, juicy and delectable, with a measured finesse to the finish. Delicious. Fermented and aged for 12 months in a mixture of new and used barrels. Bottled after a very light filtration, without fining. 13.5% abv.

Bastien Tardieu calls this “the little Hermitage Blanc”. 50% Marsanne (50-100 years old) and 50% Roussanne (40+ years old). Bacon fat (or Frazzles, if that means anything to you!) on the nose, this is perhaps the most demonstrative white in the Tardieu line-up. The palate is full-bodied, almost chewable, with salty extract counterbalancing its natural heft. An impressive, no-holds-barred wine, which has a deservedly enthusiastic fan base among C&B customers. Fermented and aged for 12 months in a mixture of new and one-year-old barrels. 13.5% abv.

100% Viognier, from six plots in Condrieu, the vines for which are over 45 years old. This is from mostly north-facing plots, making for a cooler vision of Condrieu – a good thing in 2022, and indeed in the modern era of winemaking. The nose is grapey and vinous, apricots and orange blossom mingled with violets. On the palate, the citric, limey attack fleshes out onto a peachy mid-palate, sustained by fresh, lemony acidity. A gourmand Condrieu, with admirable precision. Bastien said he imagined this would peak at 6-7 years of age, although I think you could easily try it from earlier. Fermented and aged for 10 months in new and one-year old barrels. 14% abv.

80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. The Marsanne is over 50 years old, whilst the Roussanne is over 40 years old. As always, the aromas here are reticent – a hint of peach skin, apricot and lemon zest. The palate reveals a finely chiselled, textural wine of apple skin, pastry, lime and macadamia nuts – all still compressed and taut, pointing to a long life ahead. According to a proverb about white Hermitage, “The older it gets, the younger it looks.” This will age wonderfully, reaching its peak at 8-10 years of age, but staying there for a good decade thereafter. Fermented and aged for 12 months in new and one-year old barrels, then transferred for another year to Stockinger Austrian foudres. A third new oak. A dozen barrels were made. 14% abv.

100% Syrah and Serine, Serine being an ancient clone of Syrah, the berries of which are more oval-shaped and less deeply pigmented than Syrah. The former vines are over 60 years old, the latter 100-120+ years old! 50% is destemmed. A violet-laden wine, which comes from a sloping site, perhaps contributing to this light and airy style of white peppery Syrah. There is a certain sweetness of fruit, and a chalky minerality, with hints of Cornas-esque dark fruit, brawniness and sauvage. A complex wine and, at this price, a bargain. Aged for 12 months in new and one year old barrles, then 8 months in foudre. 13% abv.

100% Syrah/Serine, from 60-year-old vines. There is one third whole bunch fermentation here. This comes from two sites: Gervans and Les Méjeans. A wine of texture and bite, this is a serious Crozes whose pretty red fruit belies a firm, ageworthy bedrock. We tasted a cuvée of 80-year-old Serine from barrel (just behind hill of Hermitage, which represents two thirds of the blend), whose dark fruits and white pepper spices were refreshed by juicy acidity and framed by fine tannins, all very elegant. Re-tasted in situ in June 2023, this was a spicy, peppery wine, fine, airy and focused. Following fermentation, it is aged for 12 months in new and one-year-old barrels, then spends six months in foudres. 13.5% abv.

Cornas is known as the vin noir, and you can see why as soon as you pour it – inky and glass-staining, with a bright purple rim. 100% Syrah/Serine, 60 to 100 years old. It comes from three prime plots, including Les Chaillots, Les Reynards and Les Savaux, on typical granite soils. 50% is vinified with whole bunches. If St-Joseph is Chambolle-Musigny, this is Chambolle’s wild cousin. Aromas of raisins and kirsch give way to a palate of saturated black fruits and powerful, grippy tannins. Incredibly pure but a wine that will reward patience. Aged for 12 months in new and one year-old barrels, then spends another 12 months in foudres. 13.5% abv.

The vieilles vignes version of the vin noir is similarlyinky-dark in the glass, with bright purple tints. 100% Syrah/Serine. I tasted the final northern Rhône reds from barrel with Bastien pre-blending, in June 2023 (including parcels from Les Chaillots and Patou), and then again in September in London, this time the final blends. This has a very pure nose of raspberry and blackberry, sweet and peppery spices and dark chocolate – so intense, but also so refined. The palate is darkly fruited, stony-mineral and graphite-laden, an inky, dense, old-school Cornas of extract and immediacy of fruit. Three quarters whole-bunch vinified. Aged for two years in new and one-year old barrels. Only two barrels were produced. 13.5% abv.

At the core of the Côte-Rôtie VV are very old vines in La Landonne, in the Côte Brune, which provide a dense, ferrous mineral bedrock. The Côte Blonde sites Lancement and La Chavaroche add the top-notes, the violets and light peppery spices. The average vine age is 60-70 years old. A wine of violet and dark pepper aromas, with a hint of sauvage. The palate is impressively concentrated, with pure blackberries, blueberries and bitter chocolate, framed by particularly fine, currently-grippy tannins. Wonderful ageing potential here. Two-thirds whole-bunch vinified in 2022. Aged for 12 months in new and one year-old barrels, then for 12 months in foudres. 13% abv.  

The aristocrat of the line-up, Tardieu-Laurent’s Hermitage comes from four plots, including the prestigious Le Méal, at the beginning of the slope. 100% Serine/Syrah, from 60-year-old vines. Sweet dark fruits, Asian spices and savoury pepper on the nose, which is spicy and exotic. The palate is refined, cedary and sweet-fruited, with a leathered flamboyance and grilled meat swagger, kept in check by fine tannins (with a total absence of grip) and poised acidity. Very complete and polished, without sacrificing any personality. So complete already. Aged for a year in new and one year-old barrels, then for another year in foudres. Two thirds whole-bunch fermented. 14% abv.