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Northern Rhône 1994

The Northern Rhône saw a hot, dry summer in 1994 - with recorded temperatures as high as 42°C - promising an excellent vintage, but it's the usual story. During the first week of September bad weather swept across most of France, and rain was the seemingly ever-present during the rest of that month. This ruined the harvest for many in Côte-Rôtie, where producers harvested in fits and starts, dashing out in between showers to pick the grapes. There were similar difficulties in Hermitage, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage, St Joseph and Condrieu.

Despite these difficulties the top growers - those with the confidence to reduce yields, harvest selectively, sort carefully - produced good to very good wines from all of the appellations of the Northern Rhône. They have never fulfilled the summertime hopes of the vignerons, when torrid heat suggested that this might be a great vintage though. Rather it is an attractive, approachable one, for relatively early drinking.

Both 1994 and 1995 have turned out to be challenging vintages for the Northern Rhône, beset by rain during the harvest. I think it is difficult - and perhaps pointless - to weigh one up against the other. Rather I think they are both vintages where purchasing decisions must be made with caution, taking advice, or tasting, first. (12/2/02)

Northern Rhône 1994 - Tasting Notes

Tasted in February 2002. Click to locate stockists:

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1994: This is a dense purple hue, with some tawniness. Sweet fruit on the nose, with a bouquet of violets, rose petals and charcoal. There are some fading toffee notes in the background. The palate has some hard tannins, but appealing fruit, good body and strong acidity. This will make an elegant wine when it has integrated more. 17+/20

Chapoutier Cornas 1994: A purple wine, also with some tawniness to the hue. This has toffee fruit and some floral notes on the nose. A big and full wine on the palate, with plenty of ripe tannins. A great texture is backed up by ripe black fruits, oak, and strong acidity. A lovely wine set to improve. 17+/20

Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 1994: This wine has a dense, solid purple hue. Wow - the nose is packed with intense, primary, youthful blackcurrant fruit. The palate follows on, with lots of powerful fruit, fortunately backed up by lots of structure - ripe tannins and strong acidity. Although lacking in complexity or interest at present, I'm sure this will develop with time. This is one of the most impressive bottles from this appellation I can ever recall - no wonder they command such a high price. 18.5+/20

Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie La Viaillière 1994: This purple-red wine has a bare hint of tawny. Aromas of smoke, burnt fruit and wood on the nose. The palate seems quite hard, especially so when the identity of the wine is revealed. Smoke and charcoal, toffee, new oak and not showing much fruit. Perhaps just a difficult stage for this wine. 16?/20

JL Chave Hermitage 1994: A deep purple wine, with complexity apparent on the nose. Impressive aromas of spices, fruit and oak. Plenty of structure on the palate, with bags of fruit and spice, ripe tannins and correct acidity. This is a powerful wine. Without doubt needs more time in bottle. 17.5+/20

Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal 1994: This has a dense, purple colour. The nose is just delightful, packed with raspberries, smoke and charcoal, with a hard edge perhaps austere edge. The palate is powerful and dense, with very modern, glossy fruit. Lovely texture and ripe tannins, with fine acidity. Definitely a wine still on the way up. 17.5+/20