|
Bright violet. Vibrant, intensely perfumed black and blue fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of exotic spices, potpourri and smoky minerals. Seamless and precise on the palate, showing intense mineral lift and thrust to the appealingly sweet blueberry, violet pastille, salty olive and spicecake flavors, which deepen on the back half. The mineral note gains strength with air and carries emphatically through a vibrant, focused finish that features discreet tannins and lingering florality. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous
This is a superb Côte-Rôtie value from a domaine whose quality reds are often overlooked. This is somewhat understandable given the prestige which Domaine Georges Vernay has garnered for its benchmark array of Condrieus. Christine Vernay now heads the domaine and the quality of these classically-styled reds has never been higher. The Maison Rouge lieu-dit is in the Southernmost segment of the appellation between Tupin and Semons. The vines range from 50 to just shy of 100 years old, planted on sandy granitic soils.
The cuvée is 100% Syrah the majority of which is destemmed before undergoing vinification with quite gentle extraction, mostly achieved via pumping over. The 2016 is somewhat atypically red fruited with bright spice and garrigue. It’s a wine of high pleasure that is already exuberantly aromatic and with more refined tannins than you will usually find from this appellation. There is black cherry and a touch of plum and pepper on the palate as well as gentle elements of oak spice. The texture is supple and there is beautifully chalky minerality on the sapid and floral finish. It’s a tremendously high class Côte-Rôtie that is ready to drink and a real value, especially in 3 packs.
Cheers,
- Spencer
|
