2016 Christophe Billon Côte-Rôtie Côte Rozier
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Tasting notes
Brilliant purple. Ripe black and blue fruit aromas are accompanied by suggestions of exotic spices, cola and violet, and a hint of pipe tobacco emerges as the wine opens up. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering sweet blueberry, cassis, fruitcake and licorice flavors that become livelier on the back half. Dusty tannins build steadily on a very long, penetrating finish that leaves a suggestion of candied flowers behind. 30% whole clusters and 50% new oak.
Critic scores
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Not yet bottled, the 2016 Côte Rôtie Côte Rozier (97% Syrah and 3% Viognier) sports a saturated purple color as well as rocking notes of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed rocks, and liquid violets. It's rich, full-bodied, powerful, and concentrated, with building tannins and beautiful purity. It's a powerhouse that needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will keep for 2+ decades. Billon makes a relatively modern, rich, and powerful style of wine that still never loses its Côte Rôtie soul. While the 2016s were mostly tasted from barrel, these are impressive, age-worthy wines.
Billon's full-bodied 2016 Cote Rotie Cote Rozier is still in barrels (50% new). Made using 30% whole clusters, it's not particularly stemmy, just complex, with hints of cracked pepper, black olives and dark berries joined by hints of cedar and baking spices. It's plush and velvety on the palate, leading into a slightly dry, cedary finish.
97% Syrah, 3% Viognier. Subtle black fruit, dry and savoury on the palate. Lacks the aromatic range that Côte Rôtie can have. Simple finish. (RH)