Côte Rôtie, Côte Blonde, 2016

Tightly-coiled and austere initially but this is evidently a class act indeed. More obviously tannic than the La Landonne less flesh but so precisely chiselled. Crisp, crystalline fruit such bright and lively flavours of cassis, bramble, loganberry, some red cherry and black pepper with a distinct cooling minerally element, rounded off by a gentle but sweetly-scented violet touch. A great Cote Rotie and a true vin de garde. A plot of 45yo vines planted on whiter soils more limestone soils than the La Landonne giving a more strict style of wine but with finer-cut tannins and shape. Fermented with whole bunches and aged in large demi-muid casks, a maximum of 10% of which are new.