2003 Cote Rotie Les Rochains

The inky/blue/purple-tinged 2003 Cote Rotie Les Rochains (a 2.78-acre vineyard) is a floral, bacon fat, litchi nut, black raspberry, and blackberry-filled effort. Opulent, rich, and slightly less tannic and backward than the 2003 Cote Rozier, it is an enormously-endowed, exemplary example of Cote Rotie from an extreme vintage. Well-balanced and incredibly pure, it is one for anthology. Give it 2-4 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following two decades. Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Diamond Wine Merchants, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897, and Esquin Imports, San Anselmo, CA; tel. (415) 451-2520

Dark violet color. Impressively focused scents of blueberry, cassis, cherry preserves, plum and cured tobacco on the rather powerful, flamboyantly expressive nose. Lush and weighty but nicely balanced, with intense, vibrant dark berry flavors that seem to grow sweeter on the relentless finish. Big but well-integrated tannins give the wine shape and grip.

(14. 8% alcohol) Saturated ruby. Highly aromatic nose of black fruits, violet, licorice, bitter chocolate and tarry oak. Large-scaled and dense, with the wine's high alcohol giving it roundness, and the sheer material supporting the chewy tannins. Youthfully aggressive flavors of tar, bacon fat and black licorice. The tannins turned a bit tougher with aeration. I find the Cote Roziers to be more typical, elegant Cote-Rotie, while this cuvee is more powerful. Christophe Bonnefond says this may get a longer elevage From a blend of 15- and 50-year-old vines. Drink the classique and the Cote Roziers over the next six and eight years, respectively; this wine will probably reward five or six years of patience.