Terroir-istes International - France, Rhone, Cote Rotie

A focus on Cote Rotie between 1999 and 2007

• 1999 Saint Cosme Côte-Rôtie 82 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Deep garnet to wide orange-brown rim, the bouquet is mature, evolved with leather, tar and horse saddle. 5-10 years old, there is some brett here with clove and horse stables but also an oily note like bitumen.
  Lively acidity on entry, the wine is undoubtedly spicy, and shows a warming alcohol with roasted herbs, warm tar and black olive. The tannins seem soft on approach but rise with a slightly dry and bitter finish supporting the brett issues. Medium in length, the wine is starting to tire.

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• 2000 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Mid cherry-ruby, the wine has bright, youthful aromas of dark morello cherry, tar again, wild strawberry and ripe frozen berries. There is a little pepper and spicy almost furfurol oak nuances.
  The entry is fresh and vibrant with lively acidity, rounded, soft mid-palate and plenty of juicy red and black berries with strawberry, plum and blackberry. Whilst elegant, it hasn't the stuffing of a top Cote Rotie (single site) but has lots of complexity for a regular CR. Excellent integration; the flavours are pepper, some BBQ smoke and underbrush. Medium to long finish, the tannins have a firmness to give a frame to the wine.

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• 2004 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Deep garnet with narrow orange rim. The bouquet is cinnamon, spice but a deep penetration of ripe (of 2003) fruit: wild strawberry, woody herbs, stewed red plums and raspberry. The wine has a soft, creamy texture with plenty of ripe berries, intense spices and gentle black pepper notes. There is a lively acidity (of 2004), well-integrated alcohol and fine powdery tannins with the fruit sitting nicely on the top - its medium- body all suggest more 2004. Medium-long length, freshness and some complexity.

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• 2001 Domaine Garon Côte-Rôtie 83 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Light to medium cherry red with an initial (appearance of a reductive note of) chopped rock but quickly turns to pong, some horse notes and rusty nails. An odd nose, there is some eucalypt but the overriding feature is iron oxide,
  Fresh acid on entry, a chalky texture, some smoke yet some overripe fruit. Somewhat rustic, it feels like a touch of funk from a slightly wetter vintage? Rot perhaps? Very little going for the wine.

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• 2002 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée 81 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Mid-cherry red, the wine is slightly cloudy. The nose is very wild and Sauvage with saddle leather, sweaty horse, iron oxide, and roasted herbs. The wine seems to have a Brett taint leading to bitterness on the back palate, but the acid is lively; there is a pleasant ferruginous quality, some mineral or crushed stone that works. Overall, there is little on the mid-palate, the wine feels somewhat rustic, and the tannins build.

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• 2003 Patrick & Christophe Bonnefond Côte-Rôtie 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Medium to deep garnet with a narrow orange rim. The bouquet is piquant and lifted with oak spices, orange, black pepper and raspberries. As it opens, this veers to blackberry, more cinnamon and nutmeg-baking spices. Dances on the nose!
  An intense, invigorating entry, the wine is medium to full bodied, with a lovley rich sumptuous texture and packed with fruit and spices: blackberry, pepper, dark chocolate and medicinal qualities.
  Very appealing, the vintage feels warmer and riper, evidenced by warm glycerol to the alcohol. There is a touch of smoke, and more medicinal/garrigue elements towards the finish and the wine finishes long. Complex and seemingly ambitious, the wine hasn't quite the cut and dimensionality of a single site but is still a smart wine.

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• 2004 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 96 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Medium ruby with a narrow orange rim, the bouquet is lifted and perfumed with beautiful scents of violet, crushed red flowers and blackberry. Full-bodied, the entry is intense and powerful yet retains elegance and majesty. Seriously smooth and velvet texture, the fruit is rich, concentrated with dark berries, crushed black peppercorns, charcuterie and toffee adding to the spice. Complex, the mouth has that perfect, seamless tannin, layers of fruit and a super long finish. Plenty going on; this is fantastic as it changes in the mouth with every sip.
  Outstanding wine!

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• 2006 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côte-Rôtie Les Jumelles 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Mid garnet quickly fades to an orange-brown rim,
  Some evolution with toffee apple and caramel but also a fresh herbal edge with pepper and some black cherries.
  A graceful entry, the wine is complex and feels brooding.
  The wine is medium-weight with a creamy texture, fresh acidity, and width to the structure. Everything seems to intertwine, and there is a good length. However, whilst there is a polished element here, the wine hasn't the finesse to the tannins, and the herbal edge is a little out of place. As it evolved in glass, it became a little more obvious and delta-ed outwards. But enjoyable!

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• 2007 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Classique 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Light to medium ruby, graduating to a wider orange rim. Perfumed with intense notes of iodine, garrigue, raspberry and peppercorns. Fresh entry with poise and lively acidity, the wine is medium-weight and leaner than expected.
  Complex, with red fruits, and some creme fraiche, there is an elegance and class here even if the vintage feels a little less ripe and exuberant (possibly 2007 as also youthful?). The tannins are a little firm and unyielding right now but has plenty of potential.

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