2014 Cote Rotie
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Tasting notes
Leading off a bevy of terrific Côte Rôties, the 2014 Côte Rôtie Brune Et Blonde is classic stuff and shows the open knit, elegant style of the vintage as well as the perfumed, complex style of the appellation. Beautiful notes of dried flowers, bacon fat, and sweet berry fruits all emerge from this pretty, seamless, medium-bodied effort that’s ideal for drinking over the coming 7-8 years. The big news at the Guigal estate is the purchase of Domaine de Nalys in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The family has always wanted an estate in the South, and Nalys is an unrealized treasure trove of awesome terroir and old vines, both of which I’ve no doubt will be maximized by this talented family. In addition, the former winemaker at Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Jacques Desvernois, has joined the team, and while it’s not clear exactly what his role will be, I suspect he will largely lead the charge at Domaine de Nalys. Either way, Desvernois is an incredible talent and can only add to what is already a well-oiled machine. As to the wines reviewed in this report, I was able to taste multiple vintages of each of the cuvées and have listed the wines by cuvée as opposed to by vintage, which is how we tasted through the wines.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Opaque ruby. Lively and focused on the nose, displaying fresh cherry, blackberry and floral scents and deeper suggestions of pipe tobacco, olive and licorice. Juicy cherry and dark berry and salty olive paste flavors show very good delineation, and a hint of candied flowers emerges on the back half. Fine-grained tannins build slowly on an impressively long, sweet finish that leaves a suggestion of cherry cola behind.
Recently bottled, the 2014 Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde spent 36 months in half new and half second-fill oak. It’s a bit lightweight perhaps, but it boasts pretty cherry and raspberry fruit accented by cedar, pepper and herbal notes. It finishes on a silky, mouthwatering note, so drink the 2014 while waiting for other vintages to mature.
95% Syrah, 5% Viognier. Cask sample. Rather closed at the moment – but it has only just been blended and is not yet bottled. Firm tannin, lovely black-fruit purity but more to come in terms of aromatic range, surely. There's a hint of stemminess on the length. (RH)