Rhône 2016 – an overview of the north

While the south basked in sunshine, things were not so straightforward for the 2016 season in the northern Rhône. Plenty of rain in the spring meant retarded development as well as some rot, and prospects for quality were very much in the balance. Fortunately an extended period of dry warmth in the second half of the year allowed for full ripeness across the region and the resultant wines are every bit the equal of their southern neighbours.

That means the reds are better than the whites, generally speaking. For the latter style, where acidic...