2017 Cote Rotie La Chana
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Tasting notes
Opaque ruby. Smoke-accented aromas of ripe dark berries, licorice, pungent flowers, olive and cracked pepper; a hint of mocha emerges slowly. Spicy and seamless on the palate, offering bitter cherry and blackberry flavors that display very good depth and building sweetness. Delivers solid closing thrust and gentle tannins that add shape and grip to the finish.
Critic scores
Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Starting with the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Chana, which includes 3% Viognier and was aged in older oak, it offers a meaty, spicy bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, ground herbs, hints of leather, and dried flowers. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, and upfront and ready to go, drink it over the coming 8-10 years. Domaine Duclaux is located in the southern end of Côte Rôtie, and as such, their wines always shine more for their elegance and complexity than power and richness.
Bottled just three weeks before my visit, the 2017 Cote Rotie La Chana still seemed a bit beaten up by the experience. It came across as a bit simple, with red-currant flavors carried on a velvety, open-knit palate. Medium to full-bodied, it adds a hint of espresso on the finish. Give it another year or two to return to form.
This offers a rich and ripe array of dark cherries and blackberries, as well as boot polish and a variety of spices and pepper. The palate has rich and juicy, fine tannins and fleshy plums and blackberries. Drink or hold.