#northernrhone
Patrick Jasmin
Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2012
Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits
Domaine Jasmin Cote Rotie 2012 Vintage
A wine that seems to make the rounds as you can currently find it from @rarewineco , @kermitlynchwine and - here in Denver - from @ajselection. Old school producer that survived through WWII and sticks to just one bottling. De-stemmed from what I surmise but not without a rustic, bloody meatiness on the nose. Slight reduction, still young. The fruit character is markedly NOT black or purple like the Crozes / St Josephs I'm so often drinking instead (cheaper). Instead, it's a medley of black cherry, strawberry and sweet raspberry with an oddly contrasted tropical edge (hello 4% viognier!), that ultimately takes a back seat to the savory, spice notes. Certainly ample body despite being only 12.5% and aged in neutral oak. Seems built for the long haul. Cool wine. I sell magnums of 2007... I wonder what that tastes like?
#syrah #classicwines #coterotie #northernrhone #jasmin #rarewineco #kermitlynch #AlainJunguenet — 7 years ago
Benjamin et David Duclaux
Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2003
Opaque with a seductive deep red core. The #2003 vintage came through with mass amounts of luscious ripe red, black, and blue fruit. Unfortunately the palate was a touch flat do to the lack of structure. A delicious #coterotie though. Drink now!! #benjaminanddavidduclaux #northernrhone #rhonevalley #syrah #ctbucklinwine — 8 years ago
E. Guigal
Château d'Ampuis Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2003
The nose was sweet and showed tremendous depth and concentration of ripe fruit. New oak is present but not overwhelming. The wine is complex but lacking a firm structure. Alcohol was not overwhelming. The wine is tight and will be very special with time and a loss of baby fat. #coterotie #guigal #northernrhone #rhonevalley #syrah #ctbucklinwine — 8 years ago
Domaine Jean Michel Stéphan
Coteau de Bassenon Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2013
Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits
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
Yves Cuilleron a Chavanay
Terres Sombres Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2010
A very young and tight wine with great intensity. The fruit was dense and the spice and aromatics were beginning to evolve. It had great structure wth very silky tannins and beautiful length. #yvescuilleron #coterotie #rhonevalley #northernrhone #syrah #ctbucklinwine — 8 years ago
E. Guigal
La Landonne Côte-Rotie Syrah 1998
Wine of the night showing extraordinary balance, power, and length while screaming elegance. #guigal #coterotie #lalandonne #northernrhone #rhonevalley #syrah #ctbucklinwine — 8 years ago
Domaine du Coulet (Matthieu Barret)
Billes Noires Cornas Syrah 2011
Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits
Syrah seemingly in the zeitgeist right now so I picked up this 2011 Coulet. Wow - it's so different than the Cote Rotie I just had. I know syrah can run the gamut but this is radically different. Biodynamic, low so2, neutral oak & concrete. Not really Vin de Garde; Not really Vin de Soif...
So what then? Certainly intense. Plum & liqueur-like raspberry notes that are both in-your-face "sexy" & "scary" at the same time. Even more prevalent than the fruit are the aromas of menthol, acetate, & iron. Nearly akin to robitussin - & I mean that in the best way possible. It's weirdly delicious & syrah freaks will get it.
Unfortunately, the regular consumer might find it to be too much. The slight volatility is both good & bad. It dials up the fruit's sweetness, giving the wine body & texture. But also amps up the medicinal quality. This is not a wine to guzzle & ignore. Admirably, not subtle.
Coincidentally this wine reminds me Pax - who is getting a lot of attention right now & rightfully so. I have't tried the new 100 point Hillside bottle yet (though I have one ready), but I've always been a huge fan of his wines for a long time. My favorite site he works with is Griffins Lair & I believe I've tasted every vintage of it going back to 2002. Those original vintages are bigger & riper (which I still love & fuck you hipsters for not), but even back then Pax never used superfluous new oak, sulfites, yeasts etc.. Yes, they were broad shouldered wines but they were pure & unmasked - like this Cornas. Some of the early 2000s Griffins Lair had a slight volitility that came across as kirsch sweetness. It's an interesting balance that punctuates the varietal character perfectly - & it demands your attention while doing it.
This Cornas is not some delicate wine that somms gush over; nor is it a slick, parkerized wine without sense of place. It's something else. A wine for the true syrah aficianado. The audience is small but those who can appreciate it, will appreciate it. If you like weirdness, intensity, complexity & the flavors to scream at you from the glass, this is your wine.
#cornas #syrah #coulet #biodynamic #pax #coterotie #rhone #northernrhone #rhonevalley — 7 years ago
Domaine Alain Voge
Les Peyrouses Côtes du Rhône Syrah 2014
Really well put together with great spice, body, and freshness. #alainvoge #cotedurhone #syrah #rhonevalley #northernrhone #ctbucklinwine — 8 years ago
Domaine Georges Vernay
Blonde du Seigneur Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2008
The #2008 #coterotie s are so pretty and this is no exception. The nose was fragrant and spicy. The wine danced on the palate and had a delicate finish. The fruit was alive but not dense. #domainegeorgesvernay #georgesvernay #coteblonde #syrah #viognier #rhonevalley #northernrhone #ctbucklinwine — 8 years ago
MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET
Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com
Archetype for #saintjoseph and for #northernrhône #northernrhone #syrah salted cured meats smoke herbal and juicy. Loved it. — 5 years ago