TN: 2012 Bernard Levet - Côte-Rôtie "Les Journaries" / "Maestria" (France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie)

WINE TALK
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2012 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Les Journaries / Maestria - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (10/5/2025)
– decanted 15 min. before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over a couple hrs on Day 1; revisited on Day 2 –

NOSE: hint of funk; black pepper; savory red-purple fruits mix; very N. Rhone; medium+ expressiveness.

BODY: medium to medium-full bodied; violet-blood red color of medium-deep depth, with a hint of bricking throughout.

TASTE: DAY 1: medicinal underwash – a bit bandaid-y; very Cayuse-like; pepper; fully relaxed, but still mostly primary fruit flavors; no tannins remain; 13% alc… DAY 2: still good, but some noticeable oxidation on the last glass, approx. 27 hrs after uncorking, so not the sturdiest of wines at this point, assuming this is a representative bottle. This was an auction purchase earlier this year, so I cannot comment on provenance beyond that, and that the bottle showed no outward signs of poor previous storage. Low-level excellent (low 90’s). I bet this is on its downslope 10 years from now, so for me this is a Drink Now and over the next few years vintage for Journaries at this point.

5 Likes
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Thanks for the notes.

How did you store it overnight?

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Recorked and placed in fridge

4

I do find that a lot of Rhones, Northern and Southern, show some VA on day 2, even when refrigerated. You can often see a little film on the surface, which I assume is little aceto bacteria.

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Cool. But just to make sure we are on the same page — Day 2 with this Levet showed oxidation, not V/A.

6

Oops. I misread it. But I also find that fairly common, even with syrah. Often with a bit of VA, too.

1 Like
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Yeah, Grenache is sensitive / difficult like that, but I wouldn’t expect it (quick oxidation) from Syrah. But maybe I should be? Plus, this is a 13 yo wine — I wouldn’t really call that “old” for a quality Cote Rotie, but it’s not exactly a baby anymore, either.

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I’m guessing heat damage. :slightly_frowning_face:

9

I’m wondering the same, although things were fine on Day 1, so … ???