2013 Rhône Valley Vintage

The 2013 vintage in the Rhône Valley opened with one of the coldest and most humid springs in recent memory. Winter had been relatively dry, but heavy rains arrived in late winter and early spring, and temperatures in April through June ran significantly below average. Châteauneuf-du-Pape recorded 217 mm of rainfall in the March to May period alone, compared to 165 mm in the same period in 2012. The combined cold and wet conditions delayed the vegetative cycle by as much as a month and caused heavy coulure, particularly in Grenache. By late August, producers across the northern Rhône feared a disaster: potential alcohol in some Guigal vineyards measured only 8%. A sustained Indian summer through September transformed the vintage, with warm days and cool nights driving rapid ripening while preserving freshness. Northern producers who timed their harvest correctly, finishing before significant October rains, secured outstanding fruit.

• Spring rainfall of 217 mm in March to May at Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the highest in years, causing severe coulure in Grenache
• Potential alcohol in northern Rhône vineyards as low as 8% by late August, rising above 13% for reds and 14%+ for whites by the end of September thanks to an Indian summer
• Northern Rhône reds harvested in late September and into mid-October; Guigal completed harvest October 15, just ahead of heavy rains
• Cornas was notably spared the most extreme weather swings, producing a consistently dark, traditional style that Thierry Allemand himself called a true Cornas vintage

The northern Rhône emerged as the star of 2013. Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Cornas produced what Vinous described as more outstanding wines than ever before, albeit from significantly reduced yields. The cool season, followed by an ideal September ripening window, produced wines of notable structure and concentration in the classic old-school style. K&L Wines described 2013 northern Rhône as a dense, concentrated, classically old-school vintage, with Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Cornas as the show-stoppers. White wines from Condrieu and Hermitage Blanc were especially brilliant, with higher acidity than usual from cool September nights lending remarkable tension and longevity. St-Joseph also produced serious wines from top producers, while Crozes-Hermitage was more variable.

• Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie: dense, concentrated, structured wines with significant aging potential; Guigal's Ermitage Ex-Voto rouge was produced and earned 97 points from both Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator
• Cornas: Thierry Allemand and Auguste Clape produced wines described as candidates for wine of the vintage in Cornas, with yields reduced by approximately 50%; Allemand's Reynard earned 95 points from Vinous
• Condrieu and Hermitage Blanc: described as undoubted stars of 2013 in the northern Rhône, showing exceptional freshness, precision, and longevity thanks to cool September nights
• Côte-Rôtie: fine wines but with notable variation across the appellation, from pale and fragrant to deeply colored and concentrated

The southern Rhône told a different story. Severe coulure during the cold, windy, wet flowering period devastated Grenache crops across Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and surrounding appellations. On average, the Grenache crop was down around 30% in the southern Rhône, though individual vineyards lost up to 90% of their potential production. In Gigondas, Louis Barruol of Château Sainte-Cosme described the losses as apocalyptic. The upside was that Syrah and Mourvèdre, which fared far better, took a larger-than-usual role in blends, producing wines of fresher, darker character with more vivacity than the typical Grenache-dominated style. Jancis Robinson found many 2013 Châteauneuf-du-Papes charming, with producers revelling in fruitier, juicier, more medium-weight wines. The overall average alcohol in Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds sat closer to 14%, with some wines as low as 13.5%.

• Average Grenache crop in the southern Rhône down approximately 30%, with some vineyards losing up to 90% of their production to coulure
• Grenache's share of Châteauneuf-du-Pape blends fell well below the typical 80%, often dropping to less than half the assemblage
• Châteauneuf-du-Pape average alcohol approximately 14%, versus recent norms of 14.5% or higher, giving a lighter, fresher character than recent vintages
• Gigondas was considered one of the more successful southern appellations; Vacqueyras was more inconsistent; white wines across the south benefited from higher acidity and reduced Grenache Blanc influence

In the northern Rhône, the names that distinguished themselves were predictable but no less impressive for that. Guigal produced both its Ermitage Ex-Voto rouge and blanc in 2013. The rouge earned 97 points from Wine Advocate and 97 from Wine Spectator, with the latter recommending drinking from 2020 through 2040. The blanc was described as a head-turner with notes of buttered stone fruit, charcoal, toasted nuts, and mineral precision. In Cornas, Thierry Allemand made his two cuvées, Reynard and Chaillot, both of which were considered among the finest Cornas of the vintage. Pierre-Marie Clape rated 2013 as a classic Cornas vintage. Allemand's Reynard earned 95 points from Vinous. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel, Clos des Papes, and Clos du Caillou were among the top scorers in Jancis Robinson's comprehensive blind tastings of the vintage.

• Guigal Ermitage Ex-Voto rouge 2013: 97 points Wine Advocate, 97 points Wine Spectator; medium to full-bodied, elegant, drinking best from 2020 through 2040
• Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 2013: 95 points Vinous; dense, floral, mineral-driven, described as destined for a very long, slow and positive evolution
• Cornas also starred for Auguste Clape, whose Pierre-Marie Clape called 2013 a classic Cornas vintage comparable to the best 1998s
• Châteauneuf-du-Pape highlights included Château de Beaucastel, Clos des Papes, and Clos du Caillou according to Jancis Robinson's blind tasting results

Top northern Rhône reds from 2013 remain on an upward trajectory. Guigal's Ermitage Ex-Voto rouge is recommended drinking from 2020 through 2040. Thierry Allemand's Reynard was described at release as destined for a very long, slow and positive evolution, and remains worth cellaring. Cornas and Hermitage are the longest-lived appellations in the northern Rhône and top 2013s from these zones should continue developing. Southern Rhône reds from quality producers are drinking well now, with the lighter, fresher style suiting medium-term consumption rather than extended aging. Jancis Robinson noted that southern Rhône 2013s are not improving with maturity for many examples, suggesting these are best approached without excessive delay. Northern Rhône whites from Condrieu, with their vibrant acidity and stone fruit concentration, should be consumed while their freshness remains vivid.

• Top northern Rhône reds (Hermitage, Cornas): still developing; top cuvées recommended through 2030 to 2040 and beyond
• Côte-Rôtie 2013: fine but varied; the best examples have aging potential, while others are drinking well now
• Southern Rhône reds: drink over the near to medium term; quality producers' wines are at or near peak; Jancis Robinson noted maturity is not improving lesser examples
• Northern Rhône whites (Condrieu, Hermitage Blanc): drink now through the late 2020s at most, while freshness and stone fruit precision remain

The 2013 vintage occupied an unusual position in the Rhône's recent history, sandwiched between the reliably excellent 2012 and the widely acclaimed 2015. For the northern Rhône, 2013 yielded more outstanding wines than ever before according to Vinous, though quantities were painfully low. The vintage drew comparisons to classic old-school years, with structure and concentration built from low yields rather than heat-driven ripeness. For the southern Rhône, the forced hand of coulure produced an atypical vintage that some found charming precisely because of its departure from the rich, high-alcohol norm. Selective purchasing remains essential across both zones: the vintage rewarded quality-focused producers and penalised those who could not manage their harvest timing carefully around the October rains.

• Northern Rhône 2013 described by multiple sources as dense, concentrated, and classically structured, with low yields a key driver of quality
• Southern Rhône 2013 compared by some commentators to classic 1980s vintages for its moderate alcohol, freshness, and reliance on Syrah and Mourvèdre
• Quantity was a defining issue across both zones: international demand met reduced supply, putting upward pressure on prices at release
• Producer selection is critical: the vintage's challenges rewarded experience and careful cellar work, while less attentive producers made dilute or green wines