Counted "among the most vivid, precise and exciting wines being made in the region today" by the Wine Spectator's James Molesworth, Tardieu-Laurent crafts this range of highly rated selections from top quality, low-yielding old vine fruit from select parcels throughout the Northern and Southern Rhone, always outstanding values and now available at special pricing.
As a negociant in the region for over two decades, founder Michel Tardieu has built a network of long-term, "handshake" relationships with the region's best growers, collaborating to encourage sustainable viticultural practices while gaining exclusive access to fruit from some of the region's top vineyards. Encouraging careful harvesting to guarantee optimal ripeness, negociant Tardieu-Laurent transports the wine from each grower after fermentation to their cellars in Provence, where each wine undergoes a unique aging regimen utilizing a mix of new and used French oak barrels and foudres. Employing a restrained use of oak in the cellar, Michel's son, winemaker Bastien Tardieu, ages the selections according to the requirements of each AOC, crafting long-lived wines from old-vine fruit with richly layered complexity.
Tardieu-Laurent's critically acclaimed wines offer incredible value for fans of powerful Rhone reds. Rating these selections over 90+ points, critic Jeb Dunnuck sums it up: "If you like rich, textured, yet pure and impeccably made wines, give these a go."
This throws off a robust and zesty mix of loganberry, açaí and red and black cherry compote flavors, mixed with mouthwatering olive, sweet bay leaf and savory notes. Features nice charcoal streaks that add to the finish. Solidly built. Best from 2024 through 2036. 275 cases made, 50 cases imported.
94 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Feb 2022)
This full-bodied yet fresh, delicately savory Syrah is svelte compared to its more mammoth peers in this ripe vintage of Cornas. Black-currant and plum flavors are roasted and fleshy, accented by hints of leather, fur, iron and blood. Silky on the palate yet gripped by fine, firm tannins, the wine is relatively approachable young but should hold well through 2035.
94 points, Anna Lee C. Iijima, Wine Enthusiast (Mar 2022)
Notes of mulberries, plums, purple flowers, rosemary and minerals. Full-bodied with firm tannins. Perfumed and structured with a plush, flavorful center-palate. Chalky, concentrated and rich, with cocoa and walnut notes on the finish. Try from 2023.
93 points, James Suckling (Aug 2021)
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