2018 La Rosine Syrah VDP

The 2018 La Rosine Syrah blends scents of licorice, tapenade, cola and plums on the nose, revealing substantial complexity. Medium to full-bodied, it shows excellent ripeness on the palate, silky tannins and ample length on the mouthwatering finish. It's a terrific introduction to Stéphane Ogier's range of Syrahs from the Northern Rhône.

Pungent blueberry, cherry, incense and a hint of cracked pepper on the fragrant nose. Appealingly sweet and broad in the mouth, showing good depth and clarity to the juicy, smoke-tinged black and blue fruit flavors. Reveals a building floral quality and lively, spicy lift on the long, subtly tannic finish, which leaves a hint of violet behind.

Deeply colored, the 2018 IGP Collines Rhodaniennes La Rosine is a rich, powerful vintage for this cuvée, yet it has wonderful purity and finesse in its fruit and tannins. Value is the name of the game here, and this beauty will be ideal for readers who love Côte Rôtie yet not the price tag of Côte Rôtie. It’s going to keep for 7-8 years. Unquestionably, one of the most exciting domaines in the world of wine today is that of superstar winemaker Stephane Ogier, who continues to purchase and plant new vineyards throughout Côte Rôtie and the Northern Rhône. I was blown away by his 2017s, and his Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, as well as one of the greatest Côte Rôties I’ve had the opportunity to taste. While it’s still in barrel, the Côte Rôtie Belle Helene is another wine with perfection written all over it. In general, his 2017s shows ripe, expressive aromatics and tons of fruit, yet they have a firm, structured vibe on the palate and need bottle age. The 2018s, which are from a vintage compared to 1991 by Stéphane, show a slightly more rounded, seamless profile with silkier tannins. These wines shine for their purity of fruit as well as balance. While the expensive releases get all the attention, don’t miss the La Rosine, L’Ame Soeur, Saint Joseph, or Côte Rôtie Mon Village from this estate. These are terrific wines that offer loads of character and represent smoking values for the true wine lovers and wine drinkers out there.