2018 Cote Rotie Vieilles Vignes
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Tasting notes
Laced with floral and spicy-savory notes, the 2018 Cote Rotie Vieilles Vignes delivers a solid base of elegant mixed-berry flavors. It's medium to full-bodied and velvety on the palate where it adds hints of mocha and olive, layers of ripe tannins and a lengthy, gently tannic finish. Despite the structure, it's approachable now and should drink well for at least a decade.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
100% Sérine (more than 60 years old). 100% whole bunches. Landonne, Lancement, Chavaroche. 12 months in new and one-year-old oak plus 12 months in foudre (Allier, Tronçais). Cask sample. Dark blackish crimson. Light lively liquorice on the nose and very juicy and round on the palate with the freshness of whole bunches. Maybe this freshness is just slightly exaggerated? Just a tad austere on the end. (JR)
100% Syrah. Aged for 12 months in oak. Cask sample. Tasted blind. Delicious red fruit on the nose, with a very slight stemminess adding complexity. Juicy and expressive, with very long, intense fruit concentration on the finish. Lots of polish and sheen to the structure. (RH)
One of the stand outs was the 2018 Côte Rôtie Vieilles Vignes, another classic expression of an appellation, offering a complex perfume of black raspberries, crushed flowers, peppery herbs, and incense aromas and flavors. More medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated and elegant, it’s going to drink nicely right out of the gate. As I’ve written in the past, this is a top-flight estate making a bevy of brilliant wines from both the northern and southern Rhône. The wines fall into the progressive category and are largely brought up in barrels, with some new, yet the wines never lose their typicity or character. If you like rich, textured, yet pure and impeccably made wines, give these a go.