Xavier Vignon Cotes-Du-Rhone SM Second Edition NV
Robert Parker 93:
A blend of 50% Syrah from the Northern Rhône with 50% Grenache from the Southern Rhône, the NV Vin de France SM Second Edition is a fascinating wine, combining smoky, peppery, herbal notes with ripe black cherries. Full-bodied, plush and velvety, Vignon allows that it’s “more 2016 than 2015” in style, but no matter how you characterize it, it’s a lovely, complex wine for drinking over the next 6-7 years.
Jeb Dunnuck 94:
A blend of the 2015 and 2016 vintages, the NV Côtes du Rhône S M checks in as the same equal parts Grenache and Syrah raised in tank
and barrel. A huge nose of cassis, ground black pepper, garrigue, and olive tapenade gives way to a ripe, rounded, medium to full-bodied effort that has good acidity, building tannin, a seamless, light texture, and a great finish. It’s a singular wine that has a big kiss of Northern Rhône Syrah with a touch of the rounded, sexy, opulent style of the south. It’s going to drink nicely for a decade.
