Patrick & Christophe Bonnefond

Côte-Rôtie Syrah

9.015 ratings
8.86 pro ratings
Côte-Rôtie, Northern Rhône, Rhône, France
Syrah
Lamb
Top Notes For
Jay Kline

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. In the glass, the wine is a garnet color with some significant rim variation, moving towards a burnt sienna rim. The core is hazy, translucent. Viscosity is medium with some slight staining and there appears to be some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous. Lovely notes of desiccated brambles and purple flowers accompanied by tobacco, old leather-bound books, damp earth, gentle warm spices and something that was reminding me a bit of pyrazines but more on that later. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose however, on the finish (which was long) there was a strong impression of fine ground black pepper. Alcohol was medium.

Initial conclusions: this could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend with associated Bordeaux varieties), Tempranillo or Syrah from France, Spain or USA. But there wasn’t enough focus on the fruit for me to be in the USA and the oak came across more French than American so I ruled Spain out. Then there was that black pepper on the finish. Bordeaux doesn’t traditionally have that character so it had me thinking those pyrazines I perceived on the nose was actually rotundone and this was whole-cluster Syrah. And, because the wine was showing so much maturity, I felt this had around 30 years of age.

Final conclusion: this is Syrah, from France, from the Northern Rhône, from Côte Rôtie, 1989 vintage. Wow…2007! This is advanced for its age. That likely has something to do with with the solar vintage but having recently enjoyed a 2007 Côte Rôtie from another producer, this was showing a lots more tertiary character than I would expect. This is a new (to me) producer. Enjoyable! Drink now.

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. In the glass, the wine is a garnet color with some significant rim variation, moving towards a burnt sienna rim. The core is hazy, translucent. Viscosity is medium with some slight staining and there appears to be some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous. Lovely notes of desiccated brambles and purple flowers accompanied by tobacco, old leather-bound books, damp earth, gentle warm spices and something that was reminding me a bit of pyrazines but more on that later. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose however, on the finish (which was long) there was a strong impression of fine ground black pepper. Alcohol was medium.

Initial conclusions: this could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend with associated Bordeaux varieties), Tempranillo or Syrah from France, Spain or USA. But there wasn’t enough focus on the fruit for me to be in the USA and the oak came across more French than American so I ruled Spain out. Then there was that black pepper on the finish. Bordeaux doesn’t traditionally have that character so it had me thinking those pyrazines I perceived on the nose was actually rotundone and this was whole-cluster Syrah. And, because the wine was showing so much maturity, I felt this had around 30 years of age.

Final conclusion: this is Syrah, from France, from the Northern Rhône, from Côte Rôtie, 1989 vintage. Wow…2007! This is advanced for its age. That likely has something to do with with the solar vintage but having recently enjoyed a 2007 Côte Rôtie from another producer, this was showing a lots more tertiary character than I would expect. This is a new (to me) producer. Enjoyable! Drink now.

Dec 5th, 2023
Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.2

🔥🔥🔥

🔥🔥🔥

Apr 15th, 2016
Tom Donegan

Sommelier Stokehouse

8.5

Ripe, meaty, foliage

Ripe, meaty, foliage

Dec 29th, 2014
Tim ORourke

You can smell the poop on this wine as it matures in your glass, a Burgundian style Cotr-Rotie by Bonnefond that will last for years too!

You can smell the poop on this wine as it matures in your glass, a Burgundian style Cotr-Rotie by Bonnefond that will last for years too!

May 31st, 2014
Antoine Amiot-Servelle

Production Domaine Amiot-Servelle

9.3

Antoine had this 9 years ago

Antoine had this 9 years ago

Apr 2nd, 2016
Nicholas Livingston

Nicholas had this 11 years ago

Nicholas had this 11 years ago

Mar 20th, 2014
Matthew Latuchie

Contributing writer Terroirist.com/Enthusiast

7.5

Matthew had this 11 years ago

Matthew had this 11 years ago

Jan 3rd, 2014
Peter C

Peter had this 4 years ago

Peter had this 4 years ago

Mar 12th, 2021
Peter C

Peter had this 4 years ago

Peter had this 4 years ago

Jan 22nd, 2021
Carsten Rudolph

Carsten had this 7 years ago

Carsten had this 7 years ago

Aug 19th, 2017