A wine critic has claimed that 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape is a mixed bag of quality wines and some less enjoyable offerings.

According to renowned wine expert Jancis Robinson, the area of Chateauneuf experienced an extremely dry summer.

This resulted in low yields for most vineyards, while some winemakers were left with grapes so small that they simply did not produce enough juice, the critic notes.

As a result, Ms Robinson's tasting notes suggest that some wines from Chateauneuf du Pape lack fruit and are dominated by tannins.

However, not every vineyard in the region is lacking balance. She explained that a great number of the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape vintage are "lovely wines".

Wine drinkers looking to try Chateauneuf du Pape may be better off playing it safe and going for a 2006 or a 2007.

The latter vintage was recently described by the Huddersfield Examiner as the "best Rhone vintage in decades".