2013 Cotes du Rhone Guy Louis

The 2013 Cotes du Rhone Guy Louis is a blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre aged 18 months in French oak (30% one-year-old, 50% two-year-old, 20% three-year-old). Dark fruits, damp earth, pepper and hints of meat all emerge from this surprisingly textured, ripe, fleshy, and forward Cotes du Rhone that has more depth and density than most in the vintage. Drink it over the coming 6-7 years.

The first vintage to be totally certified organic. From declassified village wine. 60% Grenache (between 50 and 60 years old), 40% Syrah (40 years old). From parcels in Cairanne, Lirac, Rasteau and Beaumes-de-Venise. Rich, sumptuous, purple-fruited nose. But with some dry tarry quality on the finish and something just very slightly meagre compared with other vintages. Not the gorgeous full-throttle ripe fruit on the mid palate. Finishes a little dry. But it's persistent… (JR)

A fabulous white, the 2013 Côtes du Rhône Guy Louis Blanc (50% Marsanne, 20% Grenache Blanc and the rest Roussanne and Viognier) offers smoking purity and freshness in its stone fruits, caramleized pineapple and brioche-scented bouquet. Starting out juicy and fresh, it gets more and more rich with time in the glass, yet always stays clean, classy and balanced. Drink this beauty over the coming 3-4 years, although I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve for longer.