Côte Rôtie, Les Grandes Places, 2016
Incredibly intense and linear. Tight-knit and firmly structured initially, each little sip gives and glimpse more of its full potential however. Deep minerally black cherry fruit, notes of earth, pepper, stone, salt, bramble and Morello cherry. Crisp, high definition and hauntingly long Cote Rotie. Top class. Grandes Places is a fabulous single vineyard in the Verenay commune planted with 75-year-old ‘Serrine’ vines, which is the traditional Syrah of Ampuis. The wine is aged for 24 months in 30% new oak and is bottled without filtration.
critic reviews
Inky purple. Explosively perfumed aromas of fresh blackberry, boysenberry, incense, licorice and smoky minerals. Deeply concentrated and alluringly sweet, offering palate-staining dark berry preserve, licorice candy, bitter chocolate and violet pastille flavors, along with a touch of exotic spices that emerges on the back half. Finishes broad, chewy and impressively long, with steadily building tannins and lingering florality.