A taste of the top northern Rhônes
Côte-Rôtie
1 NORTHERN RHONE WINE OF THE VINTAGE KEY PRODUCER Jamet, Côte Brune 99
Domaine Jamet’s only single-vineyard bottling, made every year. All-enveloping star anise, incense. So rich and round on the palate, full of rose and frankincense. Exceptionally fine tannins, pinpoint acidity, beautiful lush density to the tannins, supreme opulence. So fresh, so aromatic. Black pepper and dried rose. Sweet, chalky, dark chocolate tannins. Very rich and opulent, amazing cross between the smoky and the floral – a seamless wine. From barrel this was sheer perfection, so could well be worthy of 100 points in bottle. Drink 2023-2050
Jamet 98
A step up from the 2018 vintage, the 2019 is more vibrant and intense. A blend of 25 parcels, amounting to 17ha, almost exclusively on schist soils, with no destemming. A tasting of nine different barrels across a variety of lieux-dits suggests that the 2019 Côte-Rôtie is very special indeed. It’s vibrant, intense, but not as sunny as the 2018 in style – sugars and phenolics progressed at the same gradual rate in 2019, making for a more harmonious and balanced wine. You feel the hot vintage in the wine, but it’s represented more as power and intensity than hot alcohol. Vivid and highly impressive. Drink 2022-2045
2 KEY PRODUCER Delas Frères, La Landonne 97
POA Jeroboams, Maisons Marques et Domaines
Fermented in open-top concrete tanks for 20 days, then matured in new and second-year barrels for 14 months. Immediately it has the darkness and aromatic austerity of La Landonne. Very full-bodied, expansive on the palate but not heavy. Mouth-coating flavour and tannin. Seriously tannic, but not tough. Great character, huge power and perfect balance. Alcohol is just a little raised, but this is a blockbuster. Drink 2026-2035 Alc 14%
KEY PRODUCER E Guigal, La Landonne 97
POA Jeroboams
From the northern part of this
