Côte Rôtie,

Stephane’s Cote Rotie is a blend of a number of parcels across the appellation, Tupin, Cote de Brune, Cote Blonde and Cote Rosiers. The grapes from Cote Blonde were all de-stalked whereas those from Brune and old vines from Cote Rosiers, up to 50% of the stalks are kept. The wine is aged in used oak barriques for 18 months. Ripe but not without freshness, fruity round and plump, wonderfully balanced. Firm but not hard, juicy sweet fruit flavours of mulberry, raspberry, plum with svelte, spicy undertones. A suave Cote Rotie with an evident touch of glycerol to it, very smooth but with sufficient sap and backbone. Excellent.