B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
From a favorite producer of B-21 Southern Rhone fans, this selection of expertly crafted Xavier Vignon cuvees represents some of the region’s top values, a range of terroir expressive blends from a stellar, instinct-driven winemaker unbeatably priced for stocking up by the case.
Described by Jeb Dunnuck as “easily one of the best winemakers in the Southern Rhone,” Xavier Vignon has been well known for decades as a top consulting enologist among the top producers of Chateauneuf du Pape including Marcoux, Raymond Usseglio and La Nerthe, utilizing his insider access to some of the region’s most exceptional parcels to craft his own consistently top-rated CDP’s and Southern Rhone blends since 2007. From a Southern Rhone vintage declared “superb” by the Wine Enthusiast, the bright and creamy 2023 Xavier Vignon Cotes du Rhone Blanc is a lush and balanced white CDR with vibrant acidity and a lingering, mineral-tinged finish, a fresh and aromatic blend of 40% Viognier, 30% Grenache Noir Blanc, 20% Roussanne and 10% Picpoul sourced from high altitude hillsides in the northern Vaucluse and aged mostly in stainless steel for 3 months. Described as a “lively and very well-balanced Cotes du Rhone” by James Suckling, the rich and inviting 91 pt. 2020 Xavier Vignon Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes is an exceptional introduction to Xavier’s Rhone reds offering spiced red, jammy fruits with hints of garrigue on a smooth, satisfying finish. Sourced from a lesser known appellation just across the river from Chateauneuf du Pape, the appealing 92 pt. 2019 Xavier Vignon Lirac boasts fresh vibrant dark fruit with hints of peppered spice and flinty graphite on a long-lived finish, a co-fermented blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah aged 70% in concrete and 30% in barrels and boasting a “lip-smacking drinkability factor” according to the Wine Advocate’s Joe Czerwinski. A blend of 95% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre from vines between 80 and 100 years of age, the elegant 93 pt. 2019 Xavier Vignon Gigondas showcases its pure old vine fruit with bright flavors and peppery minerality, described as “finesse-driven and lengthy on the palate” by Jeb Dunnuck who sums it up as “a beautiful wine” promising a decade of longevity.
Describing his winemaking skills as “impeccable,” Jeb Dunnuck notes these pure and terroir-expressive Xavier Vignon selections offer “superb balance and classic Southern Rhone characters,” calling them “a treasure trove for the savvy buyer” and a sure thing for lovers of Southern Rhone wines. |