2015 Cote Rotie Les Triotes

(25% new oak) Opaque ruby. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes dark fruit liqueur, smoky minerals and pungent flowers, along with olive and dark chocolate nuances. Coats the palate with concentrated black and blue fruit flavors that are given lift and spicy bite by a peppery element. Clings with strong tenacity on a sweet, dark-fruit-dominated finish framed by velvety, slow-building tannins.

Leading off the 2015s from bottle, the 2015 Côte Rôtie Les Triotes checks in as 100% Syrah that’s from four lieux-dits: La Triotes, le Mollard, le Combard and Lancement. It’s mostly destemmed and spent 20 months in French oak. It’s beautifully perfumed and offers classic blackberry and darker fruits, peppery, dried earth and obvious minerality. With a medium to full-bodied, ripe, concentrated, opulent style on the palate, it’s a beautiful wine I’d happily drink over the coming 10-15 years. Here’s what I wrote two years ago when I first tasted these 2015s from winemaker Kevin Garon: “Don’t miss the 2015s, as these are the finest wines I’ve tasted from this estate.” I stand by that statement today and I hope readers were able to latch on to a few bottles of these beauties. The 2016s don’t match the 2015s, but are still beautiful, elegant wines.

The domaine's main (blended) cuvée, the 2015 Cote Rotie Les Triotes is full-bodied, rich and creamy, yet it retains delicate florals and bright cassis aromas. I suppose it may be a bit too much like chocolate-laced spice cake or fruitcake for purists, but it was shining on the day I tasted it, harmonious and long on the finish.