2018 Cote Rotie Neve
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Tasting notes
Opaque violet color. Expansive, mineral-accented aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, allspice, candied flowers, vanilla and licorice, and a smoky nuance builds in the glass. Seamless, sweet and energetic on the palate, offering intense kirsch, boysenberry, salty olive and fruitcake flavors that spread out and pick up a spicy nuance with aeration. Quite powerful but elegant as well, showing fine balance and well-knit tannins that frame an extremely long, floral- and spice-driven finish. One-third new oak.
Critic scores
Average Score
The Wine Advocate
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Coming from more mica-schist soils, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Nève was all destemmed and spent 18 months in 30% new French oak. Incredible notes of black raspberries, incense, acacia flowers, camphor, and a marine-like minerality all emerge from the glass of this beauty, and it turns more earthy, darker, and even more mineral-laced as it sits in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a seamless, weightless texture, ripe yet firm tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and just a classy, elegant, age-worthy style. I'd give bottles 3-5 years in a cold cellar and it should evolve for 20+.
A deeply perfumed bouquet displays ripe red and blue fruits, exotic spices and incense, along with a strong mineral overtone. Alluringly sweet, penetrating black raspberry, blueberry, cherry, floral pastille and spicecake flavors show impressive focus and vivacity. Shows firm, spicy thrust on the persistent finish, which features smoothly integrated tannins and clinging floral and mineral notes.
Chapoutier's 2018 Cote Rotie Neve features stunning scents of violets, purple raspberries and cassis. It's full-bodied, rich and creamy-textured in the mouth, turning silky on the finish. Concentrated but elegant, it showcases the amazing potential of the Neve lieu-dit.