#jeanmichelstephan

Domaine Jean Michel Stéphan

Coteau de Bassenon Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2013

Mason Balistreri
9.6

Cool label, but can you explain what the hell "sérine" is? Apparently it's some tight clustered Syrah clone that's both "highly precise" and "vulnerable to disease". Sounds risky... Especially considering this comes from the frighteningly steep terraces of Cote Rotie. Not only that, but the wines were made without new oak or sulfur. He also picks early and uses some amount of carbonic maceration. Jean Michel Stephan uses to work for Guigal, but I guess he must of learned "what not to do" instead of mimicking the style.

The intensity is beyond belief! Cote Rotie is already aromatic, but this is amplified by the carbonic quality. Further, there's a large amount of Viognier here too, which lends a bright tropical punch in the midst of classic Syrah notes (tapenade? meatiness?). There's some similarity to the Matthieu Barret Cornas I just drank, but this has far more clarity in the aromatics - a quality both important and underrated. So striking here are the aromatics, it's hard to even move on to actually tasting the wine - but once you do, it surprises again.

This wine's balance is very strange... No oak, but the high acidity is tapered by carbonic maceration. It's soft, but lean at the same time. There's a slight oily texture which might be from the Viognier, but it's counter balanced by an amazing display of fresh fruit. Raspberry, pear, black cherry, and even pineapple. From the nose to the mid palate it's an exhilarating wine., but the finish is noticeably abrupt. The tannins are tart and bitter like the skin of an under ripe plum. Aesthetically it works. From the nose all the way into the mid palate, this wine is so "over-the-top" that a sudden, unexpected bitterness comes across as a moment of clarity instead of disappointment.

I highly recommend the wine. I hope to taste other vintages and bottlings.

#syrah #naturalwine #coterotie #northernrhone #jeanmichelstephan #syrah #biodynamic #rhone #northernrhone #rhonevalley
— 6 years ago

Keith, Dick and 10 others liked this
Mason Balistreri

Mason Balistreri Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@jordanwardlaw Thanks for the idea! It's been awhile since I've had texier's wines. I usually really liked them and I know he is a big natural wine guy too.
Jennifer

Jennifer

Beautiful
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Nice write-up

Domaine Jean Michel Stéphan

Côte-Rôtie Vieille Vigne en Coteaux Syrah 2003

Charles (Chad) Bucklin
8.8

To be expected, super ripe but super delicious. Still time to go. #jeanmichelstephan #coterotie #syrah #northernrhone #rhonevalley #2003 #ctbucklinwine — 8 years ago

Jacob liked this