Côte Rôtie, Les Schistes, 2021

Les Schistes leaps out of the glass with cool, wiry dark and red fruits, infused with cracked pepper, stones, liquorice and earth. A wine of great measure and shape, it has a sculpted, toned, confident feel that at no point comes across as daunting. Expressive and cooling, with a certain levity and radiance, underpinned by a sapid, stylish tannic seam. A blend largely from the schist, south-east facing vineyards of the Verenay commune including the lower part of Viallière, Champon and Le Plan. As ever a proportion of whole bunches have been used in fermentation, a little less this year than normal, averaging 20% across the range. Ageing is in oak barriques for at least 15 months with less than 15% new wood.