Côte-Rôtie Serine

Inky. Tar, cassis. Long. Lower acidity.

Saint Cosme is famous for its estate vineyards in Gigondas but they are also a highly regarded negociant with long standing relationships throughout the Rhone, giving them access to fruit from some highly regarded lieu-dits. Their Cote Rotie is no exception and this was a killer expression of 2014, if you’re into that sort of thing like I am. This bottle was provided from my cellar and was purchased upon release. Opened and splash decanted just before service. No formal notes and holy whole cluster Batman! This was straight up bussin, with rotundone for dayz! A black pepper and olive bomb with all of the garrigue and purple flowers your heart could ask for and some blood and bacon for good measure. The tannins are well integrated and the fruit is just really well balanced with the structure at this point. The finish was long with a dance of fruit and earth on the palate that was hugely satisfying. Some might be turned off by the sanguine, feral funkiness this wine possesses but for me, it’s hugely charming. Drink now or over the next 5-10 years with ease. Would be great with a meal or on its own (as it was tonight).

Wonderful Syrah from maestro Barruol! Earth, licorice, mushrooms, black fruit, graphite, developed tannins. Bravo!

Consistent with previous notes—black cherries, blackberries, plums, pepper, cured meat, spice cake, damp leaves and wood, black tea, mesquite smoke. Very much on the savory and earthy side of the spectrum, drying out a bit maybe

From magnum. Some storage issues I believe. Cured meats, spice, celery, tobacco, dried herbs, minerality and nice acid. Though stored improperly, still pretty.

In a much better spot than a ‘98 I had recently. Lots of smoky mesquite and pepper and other savory stuff. Seems to be on the early maturing side of Cote Rotie but no shame in that

Hrm. Definitely past its prime but still enjoyable. Fruit fills out a little with some air. Nose is almost rioja-like with cherries, mesquite wood, leather and dill, with a little bit of wet rotting vegetation. Some tangy red fruit left on the palate with dried leaves, earth and barbecue sauce. Going to accelerate the timetable on some other bottles from the mid-aughts

Dark ruby. Powerful, mineral-accented cherry and black raspberry scents are complemented by suggestions of exotic spices, violet and licorice. Supple and broad in the mouth, offering intense red and blue fruit liqueur, spicecake, vanilla and violet pastille flavors that become sweeter as the wine takes on air. The floral note carries strongly through the expansive, spice-tinged finish, which shows excellent clarity and velvety, slow-building tannins. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, September 2019)

Smoke, bacon fat, peppercorns and olive, crushed violet, crushed blackberry and plum skin. Dominated by sweet smoke and hung meat, gorgeous nose. Palate is just now starting to unwind, tannins are elegant but a little unyielding, needs food to shine. Palate is full of fruit, there’s just enough polish and extract to make this very pleasurable. This wine wears the ‘10 vintage well, no need to pop these soon IMO.

Absolutely delicious traditional Cote rotie, yes a big vintage but with an hour or two of air it’s actually accessible. Violets and purple berries up front with game, olive and dried herbs, plush texture and the tannins start to really creep in towards the end signaling this may be about to shut down for a while.