2018 M. Sorrel Crozes-Hermitage Rouge, Northern Rhone

I don't know if it's just the effect of the vintage or a renewed commitment to his Crozes, but Sorrel's 2018 Crozes Hermitage is the best I've ever tasted at this address. Like all the reds this year, it was fermented as whole clusters, and so while there's a slight stemmy component, there's plenty of ripe black cherries and raspberries for balance. Full-bodied and silky, it shows lovely texture, complexity and length.

91-93 points Joe Czerwinski robertparker.com

Marc Sorrel officially retired at the end of 2018. His son, Guillaume, has taken over. He led me through an extensive barrel tasting in the domaine's small cellars located near the Mairie and bridge to Tournon. Parking is never easy here, but it's worth the walk if you can't find a spot, as the wines from 2017 and 2018 are stunning, fitting testaments to Marc's final vintages. According to Guillaume, they're two years that resemble each other, although he finds more freshness in 2018 and more tannin in 2017. Much of his time will be spent in the vineyards, where he said a big number of vines needed to be replaced. In the cellar, he's using a bit more sulfur to keep the wines fresher during their two years of elevage, and he's no longer going to bottle barrel by barrel, which should help improve the consistency of the wines in the market. At the risk of repeating myself, don't miss the 2017s and 2018s here—especially the Les Rocoules and Le Greal.