2020 Vignobles Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche
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The 2020 Côte Rôtie La Chavaroche brings another level of complexity, with a smorgasbord-like array of spring flowers, violets, iron, and both red and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with plenty of structure, it's always a more floral, gamey, wild wine when compared to the Les Journaries. This brilliant, old school-styled Côte Rôtie is going to need 5-6 years of bottle age but will unquestionably deliver the wild ride that these wines always provide. Note, the Chavaroche goes by the name Peroline in Europe.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
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Opaque violet color. Expansive blackberry, kirsch, licorice, smoky bacon and potpourri aromas are complemented by a vibrant mineral overtone. Taut and sharply focused on the palate, offering deeply concentrated, smoke-laced black and blue fruit liqueur, olive paste, black cardamom and floral pastille flavors that deepen steadily through the back half. Finishes extremely long and precise, with repeating mineral, floral and dark fruit characters and youthfully solid tannins. This bottling is up there with the best wines that I have ever had from this domaine, and I am familiar with their work going back to their 1983 vintage.
Labeled La Peroline in markets outside the United States, the 2020 Cote Rotie La Chavaroche (a barrel sample, from the lieu-dit of the same name) is another terrific wine from this tiny estate. It's a bit more complex and herbal-stemmy than the other bottlings, but it's also floral and tea-scented, with baskets of purple raspberries on the nose as well. Medium to full-bodied, it's the silkiest, most complete of the three cuvées at this address, while still boasting ample concentration and length and plenty of ripe tannins. Give it at least another 5 years in a cool cellar.