Well, this is awkward. Top of the list of my wines of the year isn’t a Hermitage or Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but an IGP Côtes Catalanes. Given the amount of memorable Rhône wines I taste each year, it might come as a surprise that the number one spot goes to a wine from the Roussillon. But there’s no denying it. No wine made more of an impression on me in the last 12 months.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Matt Walls’ top 10 wines of 2023
{“content”:”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”}
See tasting notes and scores for Matt Walls’ top 10 wines of 2023
Wines are listed in order of which made the biggest impression on Matt Walls in 2023
{}
{“wineId”:”71115″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”77925″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”77924″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”34767″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”15552″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”12878″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”77926″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”77923″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”73401″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”77922″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{}
Related articles
Rhône Valley wine tour 2024: Book now
Rhône 2022 en primeur: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines
Walls: The next step for Jaboulet’s Hermitage La Chapelle
The post Matt Walls: My top wines of 2023 appeared first on Decanter.
