2016 Cote Rotie Cuvee Classique
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Full bottle 1,214 g. Certified Ecocert and AB organic. Cool. So fine it's almost Pinot Noir-like, but for the transitory impression of pepper, caramelised beef and old leather. Tannins buffed softly to dry and understated, savoury red fruit, transparent and fragile-fragrant. A restrained, graceful purity. Tomato leaf and pressed-tomato freshness and savoury sweetness bringing gentle leaf, and stem and tanginess. (TC)
Critic scores
Average Score
Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Deep lurid ruby. An assertively perfumed bouquet evokes ripe, spice-accented black and blue fruits, olive paste and incense, and a smoky mineral nuance adds urgency. Stains the palate with sweet blueberry, cherry liqueur and dark chocolate flavors that become more lively on the back half. Deftly marries power and elegance and finishes with supple, slow-mounting tannins and strong persistence.
The debut vintage for the new name and label for this cuvee, the wine is peppery from the get go. Medium bodied, clean and energetic, the wine displays it vibrant, spicy red berries with ease. Give it a few years to develop before pulling a cork.
Lurid ruby. Assertive, spice-laced dark berry, floral pastille and smoky mineral scents show excellent delineation and a hint of peppery spices. Sappy, energetic and penetrating on the palate, offering fresh, mineral-laced boysenberry and raspberry flavors that deepen and become sweeter with air. Shows a highly appealing interplay of richness and vivacity and finishes with gently gripping tannins and strong, mineral-driven persistence.