Whenever I open a bottle of Cote Rotie that smells and tastes like this, I’m reminded why Cote Rotie is my favorite expression of Syrah. Earthy, meaty, black olive and a unique animal aroma, some call barnyard, or saddle leather. The wine now has a rich, supple mouthfeel that is mouth coating with a beautiful lift in the finish. I have had this wine before and loved it from first tasting it at the Marche aux Vins in Ampuis in 2004, but now it is fully mature having not only bottle bouquet but also having lost all that original astringency that has evolved into a velvety mouthfeel. I have one more bottle but I may not wait much longer as I can’t imagine the wine getting any better than this. Perfect accompaniment to a rack of lamb with a coffee, garlic, parsley, olive oil, turbinado sugar, and red wine vinegar rub from the Made with Coffee Cookbook. This recipe was the best treatment for a rack of lamb we’ve ever tasted.
I literally just opened a bottle of this last weekend. Your description of it is exactly as I could have described it. Meat, earth, olive and barnyard nose. Thanks for tasting note.
Thanks Brian. That gives me hope my last bottle will be a duplicate too. Been lucky not one of my bottles has been corked and hope that run continues. Makes remembering tasting in Stephane’s cellar the different barrels that comprised this wine. There are many different single site bottlings of his Cote Rotie now. While some barrels were more interesting than others, I wonder how the “classic” Cote Rotie is these days having not been to visit for quite a while. In 2004 there were only 4 bottlings, the regular, the reserve, Lancement, and Belle Helene. Though not an official Cote Rotie I always bought the La Rosine bottling too as it was more typical of Cote Rotie than the wines of most producers at the Marche.
By astringency, I assume you’re referring to tannin, but my issue with this wine the last few times I’ve tried it was that it was exceptionally/painfully tart and acidic. I tasted it and loved it on release, and have tried about 4 bottles over the years since then, but haven’t loved it. I think the last I tried one was about about 18 months ago. Time does tend to resolve tannin, but not so sure about the tartness, though I’ll try one again at some point in the next year or so, and hopefully your note indicates that the wine is moving into a good place.
Hi Everett, Nice to see this note and agree this wine is drinking wonderfully and it has been been drinking at peak for the last 5 years or so. I think I am out as once they entered this prime time window I just started slurping up my supply. Take care.
Thanks for the note. One bottle left in my cellar so fingers crossed (also have one more 1999 left). I’ve decided I have to drink through my 1998-2001 Cote Rotie wines as soon as possible.
Me too, I want to drink some of my 90s - 2001 Cote Rotie. Am not in a big rush, so maybe we can drink some when the air sufficiently clears, Marc.
Btw, we had a good-drinking 2001 Ogier Les Embruns during a dinner-tasting with local NorthernRhone-geeks about 1.5 years ago.
I’m not sure you need to be in a rush if you’re talking about solid producers. In the last year, I’ve had amazing bottles of '01 Jamet and (even more amazing) '99 Belle Helene. I haven’t had any Northern Rhone wines from good producers from 1998 or later that have been showing a downward trajectory. In fact, I had a glorious '95 Chave Hermitage just last week. That said, it’s certainly reasonable to assume you can safely drink wines from this period without worrying that they’re not yet ready to consume…
An 01 St Cosme C-R a while ago was wan and fading for me.
The last 01 St. Cosme Cote Rotie I had a year ago was quite lean, acidic, and disappointing.
Sounds good to me. Should have more than a few left as decreasing quantity/pace of general wine consumption is advisable/on the horizon. My hope is that the summer months will allow for congregation but I have no crystal ball.