2018 Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places
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This Syrah comes from vines aged between 70 and 110 years old, located on one of Côte-Rôtie’s finest sites. It is a beautiful, dark ruby colour, offering deep, dark fruit aromas of plums and blackcurrant, with hints of crushed strawberries and confit cherries, great minerality and delicate spice. The very fine tannins are well integrated, extremely elegant and fresh. There is a backbone of acidity on the mid-palate which opens up to a long and savoury finish. This full-bodied Syrah offers everything – an impressive fruit profile, rich but elegant tannins, explosive acidity and a mineral finish. This magnificent Côte-Rôtie is clearly built for ageing. Cellar for another three or four years to enjoy its full potential.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
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From an estate that readers need to jump on, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Les Grandes Places is from a great lieu-dit in the northern part of the appellation and is all Syrah that spent two years in barrel. Gorgeous black fruits, smoked earth, chocolate, violets, and an incredible sense of minerality emerge on the nose, and this beauty is full-bodied, with a deep, layered mid-palate, sweet tannins (which are rare from this terroir), and a big finish. This powerhouse of a Syrah will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
Formerly destined for Guigal, Nicolas Champagneux has been bottling his own wine since 2014. His 2018 Cote Rotie les Grandes Places features scents of asphalt and black olive, mocha and vanilla. Ripe, dark and velvety, this full-bodied effort looks to have solid potential.
About the producer
Nicolas Champagneux is one of the Northern Rhône’s rising stars producing wines from an exceptional plot of ancient vines in one of Côte-Rôtie’s top vineyards.