2003 Domaine René Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde

Seventy percent of the stems were utilized in the 2003 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde. This profound Cote Rotie boasts an exquisite nose of bacon fat, sweet black cherry jam, raspberries, melted licorice, chocolate, and hints of herbes de Provence, licorice, and smoke. Voluptuous and full-bodied, it is ideal for drinking now and over the next 10-12 years. Importer: Manny Berk, The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484

Dee p red-ruby. Blackberry, truffle, bacon fat, coffee and black pepper on the wild nose; a bit less extravagant and more sophisticated today than the Landonne. Dense and large-scaled but more reserved than the Landonne, despite its generosity of texture and sucrosite This, too, is carrying alcohol near 14%, but it comes across as more sappy than the Landonne (the Landonne has a pH near 3. 9, while this is between 3. 8 and 3. 85, with alcohol around 14%). Finishes with huge but very fine tannins and great persistence. Today, this conveys a stronger impression of terroir than Rostaing's other 2003s. Again, Rostaing wondered out loud if this and the Landonne are "typical" Cote-Roties, but they are undeniably impressive. "In 1999, we were shocked by the ripeness of our fruit, but we're now getting used to the warmer climate," Rostaing admitted.

Cask sample. Again a bit reduced but sleek and savoury – a rather welcome change from the typical, rather sweet 2003. (JR)