Maryline et Christophe Billon
La Brocarde Côte-Rôtie Syrah
Côte-Rôtie, Northern Rhône, Rhône, France
Fantastic nose. Cassis, liquer, blackberry, blueberry, dark black cherries, florals and mega spice. Stunning but holding back. Lots of granite and an airiness about it. Super penetrative nose that has tremendous complexity and ethereal layering. Palate is a stunner. Big and rich but so elegant and sapid. Blackberry and blueberry fruit that is ultra concentrated and so refined. This is so refined. Gorgeous purity and depth even though it’s holding back. Incredible fruit and the oak is in check. Will track this but easy 9.5 for now. With air this became outstanding. Velvety and so elegant. 9.5 to 9.6.
Fantastic nose. Cassis, liquer, blackberry, blueberry, dark black cherries, florals and mega spice. Stunning but holding back. Lots of granite and an airiness about it. Super penetrative nose that has tremendous complexity and ethereal layering. Palate is a stunner. Big and rich but so elegant and sapid. Blackberry and blueberry fruit that is ultra concentrated and so refined. This is so refined. Gorgeous purity and depth even though it’s holding back. Incredible fruit and the oak is in check. Will track this but easy 9.5 for now. With air this became outstanding. Velvety and so elegant. 9.5 to 9.6.
Apr 3rd, 2024
Vintage 2015 | deep colour, layers of impressions in a complex smell: vanilla, ginger, cardamom, spicyness, gingerbread, distinguished taste with great potential.
Vintage 2015 | deep colour, layers of impressions in a complex smell: vanilla, ginger, cardamom, spicyness, gingerbread, distinguished taste with great potential.
Dec 6th, 2023Significant new oak on the nose. Vanilla. Spice. Floral. Smoke. But this has not budged since release. Palate is concentrated and deep with tiny berry fruit. Raspberry, black raspberry and blackberry. Terrific purity, grip and freshness and lovely creaminess. Billon has really toned down the wood signature since 2013 on this cuvee. The raw material is there. I’d wait 5 more years. I bet it’s a 9.4 - 9.5 then.
UPDATE - huge improvement overnight, integrated oak, better more vivid aromas and amazing pure concentrated fruit. 9.2 to 9.4
Significant new oak on the nose. Vanilla. Spice. Floral. Smoke. But this has not budged since release. Palate is concentrated and deep with tiny berry fruit. Raspberry, black raspberry and blackberry. Terrific purity, grip and freshness and lovely creaminess. Billon has really toned down the wood signature since 2013 on this cuvee. The raw material is there. I’d wait 5 more years. I bet it’s a 9.4 - 9.5 then.
UPDATE - huge improvement overnight, integrated oak, better more vivid aromas and amazing pure concentrated fruit. 9.2 to 9.4
Sick wine. Big floral nose. Amazingly dense and concentrated palate with incredible freshness and fruit density. Such sappy sweetness. Great acids. So balanced. Still has a decade or two of life left.
Sick wine. Big floral nose. Amazingly dense and concentrated palate with incredible freshness and fruit density. Such sappy sweetness. Great acids. So balanced. Still has a decade or two of life left.
1 person found it helpfulMar 12th, 2018
Concentrated, plush, ripe Côte-Rôtie. Shows the warmth of the site in its fruit depth and softer acid profile. Oak is still strong right now, and seems to be slowly melding away into the wine. I like this almost “new age” style, its sleek and very user friendly, it does not need food in my opinion. Lacking that heady CR perfume and persistent mineral drive for me, but makes up for it in richness of fruit and richness on the palate. Macerated black raspberry and black cherry, bacon, iron, sweet oak, coffee bean, cool herbs, violet. A few hours of air and this really began to move into a more savory/garrigue expression, leathery notes, that crushed rock minerality on the finish. Finish is even more expansive and persistent.
Concentrated, plush, ripe Côte-Rôtie. Shows the warmth of the site in its fruit depth and softer acid profile. Oak is still strong right now, and seems to be slowly melding away into the wine. I like this almost “new age” style, its sleek and very user friendly, it does not need food in my opinion. Lacking that heady CR perfume and persistent mineral drive for me, but makes up for it in richness of fruit and richness on the palate. Macerated black raspberry and black cherry, bacon, iron, sweet oak, coffee bean, cool herbs, violet. A few hours of air and this really began to move into a more savory/garrigue expression, leathery notes, that crushed rock minerality on the finish. Finish is even more expansive and persistent.
1 person found it helpfulFeb 6th, 2018Marcus had this 7 years ago
Marcus had this 7 years ago
1 person found it helpfulNov 11th, 2017Spicey, meaty, feral nose. Florals as well. Sexy fruit. Concentrated and deep and actually ready to drink now. Late breaking tannins. Very very pure.
Spicey, meaty, feral nose. Florals as well. Sexy fruit. Concentrated and deep and actually ready to drink now. Late breaking tannins. Very very pure.
1 person found it helpfulFeb 29th, 2016
Oh wow. To share or not to share...
Oh wow. To share or not to share...
1 person found it helpfulDec 21st, 2014Huge cassis, big smoke, touch of oak, mineral, intensity. Density, ripeness. Huge nose. Intense minerality. So dense and so sweet. What mineral intensity and earthy sweetness. Juicy and sweet. Mineral as fuck. Amazing what 2 years difference can make with oak.
Huge cassis, big smoke, touch of oak, mineral, intensity. Density, ripeness. Huge nose. Intense minerality. So dense and so sweet. What mineral intensity and earthy sweetness. Juicy and sweet. Mineral as fuck. Amazing what 2 years difference can make with oak.
Mar 14th, 2017
Slightly sour; enough to dismiss it in this company.
Slightly sour; enough to dismiss it in this company.
Oct 21st, 2023