2007 Rhône Valley Vintage

The two halves of the valley had very different years in 2007, and the sources treat them separately. In the north, Decanter's vintage guide reports an unusually dry, warm spring that brought early budding and thick canopies, followed by a long, cool, damp growing season with the constant threat of mildew. Grapes became heavy and plump but gained little natural concentration. Fresh, sunny weather in September saved the day: sugars rose steadily while cool, drying northerly winds restored health, and harvesting began in late September. A severe June hailstorm in Cote-Rotie destroyed a quarter of the crop. In the south, Decanter describes a wet spring followed by a dry, hot summer with less than 1.5 inches of rain between mid-June and mid-September, a strong Mistral that warded off disease, and growers who delayed harvesting as long as possible to get ripe tannins. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape growers' federation, writing during the harvest and speaking for its own appellation only, recorded just 35 mm of rain there between 16 June and 15 September against a normal of 161 mm at the Orange weather station; citing the agro-meteorologists of Cirame in Carpentras, it called this the driest summer in twenty years. It also counted 20 days of strong Mistral between 1 July and 15 September. Temperatures swung widely, with 30 days of minimums between 10 and 15 C and only 7 days of maximums above 35 C, yet seasonal averages at Chateauneuf-du-Pape stayed in line with normal. The ban des vendanges was proclaimed on 4 September in what the federation called an early vintage, and about 20 mm of rain on 16 to 18 September was light enough not to disrupt picking. The federation reported very healthy grapes that needed minimal sorting, and expected Chateauneuf-du-Pape yields of 32 to 34 hl/ha against a permitted maximum of 35 hl/ha, slightly above the ten-year average.

• North (Decanter): dry, warm spring and early budding, then a long, cool, damp season with the constant threat of mildew
• North: sunny September weather and drying northerly winds rescued the crop; harvest began late September; June hail cost Cote-Rotie a quarter of its crop
• South (Decanter): wet spring, dry and hot summer, strong Mistral, harvest delayed for ripe tannins
• Chateauneuf-du-Pape (federation): 35 mm of rain from 16 June to 15 September against a 161 mm normal, ban des vendanges on 4 September, yields expected at 32 to 34 hl/ha

Decanter's guide judged 2007 slightly less successful in the north than in the south, though it found the structure, colour and freshness impressive. It says the Northern Rhone shared the viticultural difficulties of Burgundy and Bordeaux that year, with plump grapes that developed little natural concentration until September's fresh, sunny weather lifted sugars. Hermitage and Cote-Rotie were the highlights, giving fresh, forward Syrah with good colour and well-structured, even silky, tannins. Decanter's best producers for Hermitage were Ferraton Pere & Fils, Chapoutier and Chave, and for Cote-Rotie, Guigal and Michel Ogier.

• Slightly less successful than the south, though structure, colour and freshness impress (Decanter)
• Hermitage and Cote-Rotie were the highlights: fresh, forward Syrah with good colour
• Tannins well-structured, even silky, in Hermitage and Cote-Rotie
• Decanter's picks: Ferraton Pere & Fils, Chapoutier and Chave (Hermitage); Guigal and Michel Ogier (Cote-Rotie)

Decanter called the southern reds superb: rich, round and big-fruited, with bountiful fruit and fine tannins, and an attractive finesse despite high alcohol, the result of waiting for tannins to ripen fully. Blends with late-ripening Mourvedre, Syrah or Cinsault came out fresher and firmer than rich, heady 100 percent Grenache, with higher acidity that the guide said promises better ageing potential. It singled out Chateauneuf-du-Pape prestige wines as particularly exciting, hedonistically dense and long-lived, found good tannic structure and balance in later-ripening Gigondas, supple wines for earlier drinking in Beaumes de Venise, and plenty of body in Vinsobres where growers waited for full tannic ripeness. Many well-fruited Cotes du Rhone-Villages and Cotes du Rhone also promised enjoyable drinking. For its own appellation, the Chateauneuf-du-Pape federation described a healthy harvest with good aromatic balance and good colour, and placed 2007 in line with 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

• Rich, round, big-fruited reds with fine tannins and finesse despite high alcohol (Decanter)
• Blends with Mourvedre, Syrah or Cinsault fresher and firmer than 100 percent Grenache, with higher acidity
• Chateauneuf-du-Pape prestige wines dense and long-lived; Gigondas structured and balanced (Decanter)
• Chateauneuf-du-Pape federation: healthy grapes, good aromatic balance and colour, in line with 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006

Decanter's 2007 guide lists its best producers by appellation. In Chateauneuf-du-Pape it named Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateau Rayas, Bosquet des Papes, Domaine Bois de Boursan, Paul Autard, Domaine de la Janasse, Domaine du Pegau, Pierre Usseglio, Clos Saint-Jean, Clos des Papes, Domaine Roger Sabon, Clos du Mont-Olivet, Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe and Domaine Mathieu. In Gigondas it picked Chateau de Saint Cosme, Domaine La Roubine, Gigondas La Cave, Domaine du Terme and Domaine de la Tourade, and in Vacqueyras, Clos du Joncuas and Perrin & Fils. Its Cotes du Rhone-Villages choices were Cave le Gravilla (Sablet), Domaine de l'Amauve (Seguret), Domaine Marie Blanche (Signargues) and Domaine La Fourmente (Visan).

• Chateauneuf-du-Pape: Beaucastel, Rayas, Clos des Papes, Vieux Telegraphe, Janasse, Pegau and others
• Gigondas: Chateau de Saint Cosme, Domaine La Roubine, Domaine du Terme and others
• Vacqueyras: Clos du Joncuas, Perrin & Fils
• Cotes du Rhone-Villages: Cave le Gravilla, Domaine de l'Amauve, Domaine Marie Blanche, Domaine La Fourmente