For the first time, Berry Brothers and Rudd recently hosted a Rhône en primeur tasting, with 2008 the showcased vintage. It represented a refreshing interlude, sandwiched between the Burgundy and Bordeaux tastings.

As Berry’s Rhône buyer, Simon Field MW said: “2008 has had a rather mixed press . . . rather wet conditions at various points in the season resulted in extensive sorting, both in the vineyards and in the winery, and a short harvest. A winemaker’s vintage then, without the tannins of 2005, the intensity of 2007 or the already trumpeted potential of 2009.

“And yet each time I have been to the Rhône to taste over the last few months I have been very impressed by the 2008s, by their purity and focus, by their harmonious structures and by the sheer quality of fruit.”

What I will add to that is that the weather has — in some instances — had the effect of dampening the hot alcohol that I can personally find alienating in these wines and, as a consequence, I enjoyed the tasting more than I would have anticipated.

Buying en-primeur means that you buy the wines prior to bottling and so it can sometimes be a while before you get your hands on your purchase. However, buying 2008 Rhône should mean delivery in the middle of the year.

Remember that prices quoted are all exclusive of duty and VAT and are for 12-bottle cases. If you keep the wines ‘in bond’ once they arrive in the UK you will have to pay storage fees but no duty or VAT until such times as you decide you cannot wait a moment longer to drink them.

Here then are some of my favourites from the Berry Bros (www.bbr.com) tasting.

I do not drink a huge amount of Rhône white but if they were all as lovely as Domaine Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc (£348), I would shift my drinking habits. It is enormously elegant, unoaked with a lovely pear and aniseed nose and a wonderfully fresh, linear palate.

Over time I would expect it to become richer and more honeyed whilst retaining its fruit definition.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is much better known for its red wines and I did not find one that topped the wonderfully-structured, vivid, opulent examples from Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe.

Even with duty to pay, I think £324 for 12 is not an outrageous price, really!

I lost my heart to Gigondas — another of the Southern Rhône’s AOC’s — back in the earliest days of my wine career, so enchanted was I by the spicy, savoury richness that the wines appeared to offer. I remain a sucker for a good one and — again from Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe — Les Terrasses du Diable (£156) was a Gigondas masterclass.

The appellations of the northern Rhône had some delicious treats on offer too. I have long been a fan of the stylish, mineral wines from Jean-Louis Chave and his St. Joseph Offerus (£168) will grow into a beautifully-balanced wine that will show all that was great about 2008 in the valley of the Rhône.

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