2015 Cote Rotie Domaine des Pierrelles

Vivid purple. Sexy, mineral-accented aromas of ripe dark berries, candied violet, olive and smoky Indian spices show excellent clarity and energetic lift. Sweet and focused on the palate, offering juicy, nicely concentrated black raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors and a hint of allspice. An intense mineral nuance drives a strikingly long, gently tannic finish.

The 2015 Côte Rôtie Les Pierrelles shows its southern roots (it’s from the more granite portions of the southern end of Côte Rôtie) with a pure, elegant, silky style that’s hard to resist. Black raspberries, spiced meats, dried flowers, and forest floor notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, pretty, downright elegant 2015 that can be drunk anytime over the coming 10-15 years. If anyone had any doubts about the incredible turn around in quality this estate has seen since being taken over by Caroline Frey and winemaker Jacques Desvernois in 2006, these latest 2015s should put those doubts to rest. This is unquestionably the finest set of releases I’ve tasted from the estate, and the top reds rival, and in a number of cases surpass, the 2009s and 2010s. While the lineup remains relatively unchanged, the La Petite Chapelle has been done away with and is replaced by the La Maison Bleue cuvee, which driven by vineyards located on the eastern side of Hermitage Hill, as opposed to being a second wine for the La Chapelle cuvee. I continue to think the whites could use more richness and opulence, yet they’re impeccably made and carry their fresher, vibrant style nicely.

Despite the warm, concentrated nature of the vintage, the 2015 Cote Rotie Domaine des Pierrelles shows remarkable silkiness and finesse. Smoky notes frame raspberry fruit in this wine that seems almost too gentle to have come from such a rugged landscape. In its elegance, it reminds me of a ripe Burgundy from Chambolle-Musigny.