Côte Rôtie, Les Grandes Places, 2021

The most reticent and austere red in the cellar, but also arguably the most impressive, the 2021 Grandes Places pivots between brambles and dark cherries, leafy, earth-driven notes and red plums. More serious with an enormous amount of material. Intense, mineral-flecked and confident. The 2021 was produced with 20% whole bunch and 20% new oak. Grandes Places is a fabulous single vineyard in the Verenay commune planted with 75-year-old ‘Sérine’ vines, which is the traditional Syrah of Ampuis. The soils here are poor like Viallière but more crumbly in structure, so the roots can go deep. The resulting wine is very profound and mineral.