This tasting of 40-odd Northern Rhône wines was organised by the Institute of Masters of Wine as a follow-up to last year’s tasting of 1999 Northern Rhônes. The wines were not as obviously ripe and intense than the 1999s overall but they seemed much brighter and cleaner, if less dramatic. The 2000 vintage is certainly very pleasing overall with lots of ripe fruit and a bit of acidity notable in some cases and even, in others, the suggestion of overripeness! Evidence perhaps of Syrah’s relatively narrow window of perfect picking time. There are very marked contrasts between the traditionalists and...