2019 Domaine René Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde
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Tasting notes
Opaque ruby. Intensely perfumed, spice- and mineral-accented blueberry, kirsch, fruitcake and floral aromas are complemented by suggestions of incense and botanical herbs. Shows superb clarity and mineral thrust to its sweet black and blue fruit, cola, violet pastille and spicecake flavors, which deftly meld depth and vivacity. Finishes extremely long and smooth, with polished tannins and reverberating blue fruit, mineral and floral notes.
Critic scores
Alistair Cooper MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde is as seamless and silky as they come and is just a quintessential Côte Rôtie. Black raspberries, flowers, ground pepper, and subtle meatiness all emerge from this beauty, and it’s full-bodied, has remarkable tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It certainly offers pleasure today, but smart money will hide bottles for 4-5 years. It will knock your socks off over the following two decades.
Is it really fair when a wine rated 95+? is a bit of disappointment? Yet I confess that's how I felt upon tasting Rostaing's 2019 Cote Rotie la Cote Blonde—perhaps a victim of my own overly high expectations? It was a bit closed on the nose, only to explode with vibrant red raspberries and cherries in the mouth. Full-bodied, concentrated and plush, with a long, mocha-tinged finish, it did begin to show a bit more aromatic range and complexity as it sat in the glass, so perhaps I'm being too tough on it.