B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
From an excellent Rhone vintage boasting “a wealth of beautiful wines” according to Jeb Dunnuck, these top scoring 2020 Tardieu Laurent selections offer Rhone fans and collectors a bounty of outstanding values, meticulously crafted by legendary negociant winemaker Michel Tardieu and his son from low yielding, old vines throughout t Southern Rhone and well-priced for mixing a case.
Collaborating with a network of long-time growers from bud break to harvest, Michel Tardieu and his son Bastien transport the fermented wines from each grower to their cellars in Provence, employing a unique aging regimen for each cuvee utilizing a mix of new and used French oak barrels and foudres and bottling without filtration or fining. Two exceptional Southern Rhone values, the elegant 92 pt. 2020 Tardieu Laurent Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes is “full-bodied, smooth, well balanced and harmonious” according to Decanter’s Matt Walls while Jeb Dunnuck calls the rich 92 pt. 2020 Tardieu Laurent Rasteau Vieilles Vignes a “ripe, textured, textbook Rasteau to enjoy over the coming decade,” both blended from mostly Grenache from 60 year old vines with 20% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah from 40 year vines. Described as “a showstopper” by Jeb Dunnuck and a Southern Rhone beauty not to be missed, the powerful 95 pt. 2020 Tardieu Laurent Gigondas Vieilles Vignes offers rich, concentrated fruit scented with classic garrigue, a blend of mostly Grenache with 5% Mourvèdre from vines ranging up to 100 years and 5% Syrah over 40 years of age, while from the North, the “full-bodied, richly textured” 100% Syrah 93 pt. 2020 Tardieu Laurent Cornas comes from vines ranging from 60 to 100 years old, both promising to age gracefully over the next decade and beyond. Two outstanding CPD’s, the muscular 95 pt. 2020 Tardieu Laurent Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes comes from Grenache vines ranging from 80 to 100 years of age and Mourvedre and Syrah from 60 to 80 years and is “incredibly impressive” according to Dunnuck, while calling the “absolutely brilliant” 98 pt. 2020 Tardieu Laurent Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Speciale “a true wow wine if there ever was one," a blend of 99% Grenache from old vines over 100 years of age.
With a challenging 2021 vintage following on its heels, Rhone fans and collectors can rely on these top rated, impeccably sourced 2020 Tardieu Laurent old vine selections to over deliver value, this offer for a full range of 90 plus pt. gems representing a terrific opportunity to stock up on a sure thing from a master of Rhone terroir at unbeatable bargain pricing. |