Domaine Rostaing Cote Rotie Ampodium 2009 《Terroir Collection - TF021》

Domaine Rostaing Cote Rotie Ampodium 2009 《Terroir Collection - TF021》

Region : Cote Rotie , Rhone Valley

Grapes : Syrah

Alcohol : 13 % vol

Website: http://www.domainerostaing.com/en/index.html

🏅 Jeb Dunnuck 92 pts

🏅 Vinous 92 pts

🏅 Wine Spectator 91 pts

🏅 Wine Advocate 90 pts

🏅 Decanter 90 pts

🏅 Jancis Robinson 17/20 pts

🏅 Vivino 4.1

The Rostaing estate dates to 1971 when René Rostaing– a Notary by trade – began tending a few plots of family vineyards. He had the perfect role model to guide him into a career of classical winemaking: Marius Gentaz, his uncle. Over the next few years, René took advantage not only of his uncle’s mentoring, but of historically low vineyard prices, to acquire a prized half acre each in the Côte Blonde and La Landonne lieux-dits.

And when he married, he acquired a second traditional role model, his father-in-law, Albert Dervieux. Dervieux retired in 1989 and Gentaz followed four years later, giving René a further ten acres of very old vines in some of the appellation’s top sites. This treasury of vineyards launched René’s estate into the stratosphere. The vineyard expansion also enabled René to quit his day job and to devote himself full time to winemaking. Over the next 25+ years, he crafted a sequence of masterful wines that honored the legacy of his illustrious forebearers.

In 2015, René’s son, Pierre, took the reins at an estate that boasts 20+ acres of some the finest vineyards in and around Côte Rôtie. Having grown up with tutelege of classical wines from this revered appellation, he has maintained his father’s deep reverence for Côte Rôtie’s traditions. Pierre was also able to experiment further through stages in Washington, California and in France.

In the vineyards, obviously all the work has to be done painstakingly by hand, given the steepness of the slopes. At harvest, the Rostaings endeavor to obtain mature fruit, but never to a degree of over-ripeness. For example, if you’re looking for 2003 or 2009 Northern Rhônes with no hint of sur-maturité, there are no better choices than Rostaing Côte Rôties.

In the cellar, René was never afraid to use technology if it would help him make even more authentic Côte Rôtie. So, in the late 1990s, René acquired horizontal, rotary fermentation tanks, though not for the same purpose as virtually everyone else. While modernists—most famously in Barolo—adopted these tanks to speed fermentations and capture more color and fruit, René adopted them to mimic the long, gentle macerations of his ancestors. The process has much the same effect as the cappello sommerso employed by many of Piedmont’s staunchest traditionalists, with the tanks often making just a single rotation per day, and total macerations lasting often 3-4 weeks

The Rostaings use up to 100% of the stems - believing they contribute to Côte Rôtie’s ineffable perfume as well as they texture and complexity that they provide. The wines enjoy a fairly long élevage in a mix of barrels and demi-muids so that no more than 10-15% of a given vintage sees new wood.

In sum, the Rostaing wines are among the very best of classic Côte Rôtie. They are wines of consistency and sophistication that are true to their origins. And with Pierre Rostaing now in day-to-day control, the future for this estate has never looked brighter.

The sophisticated Monsieur Rostaing was one of the producers of the vintage for me. His Cuvée Classique (soon to be renamed "Ampodium" after the town of Ampuis), is a blend from across the Cote Rotie and was thoroughly impressive: Dark, lifted cassis fruit, with sweet spices, beautifully balanced fresh acidity and lengthy, chewy tannins.

Blended skilfully from thirteen parcels at both ends of the appellation, the Classique is a model of harmonious balance, its gentle aromas of cassis, violets and wood spice gently wooing the taster with feminine charm and real finesse. Freshness on the finish completes the picture.

🏅Jeb Dunnuck 92 pts

Intensely perfumed and fragrant, the 2009 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Classique Ampodium, 100% Syrah and formerly labeled as the straight Classique, sports a vivid semi-translucent purple color to go with notions of sweet raspberry and blackberry fruit, cedar, black pepper, pine sap, and intense floral aromas on the nose. Beautifully fresh and energetic, this medium to full-bodied Côte-Rôtie is silky and polished on the palate, with racy acidity, fantastic purity of fruit, and a vivacious texture that coats the palate and carries into the finish.

🏅Vinous 92 pts

Dark ruby. Ripe chery and dark beryaromas are complemented by notes of anise and allspice, with subtle smoke and black pepper nuances in thebackground. Then brighter on the palate, offering vibrant cherry and bitter rhubarb flavors and a late note of candiedlicorice. Shows very good energy and a touch of licorice on the intensely spicy, persistent finish.

🏅Wine Spectator 91 pts

A very sleek, precise style, with white pepper, cherry eau de vie and violet notes riding a knife edge of iron through the finish. Not big, but focused and intense.

🏅Wine Advocate 90 pts

The 2009 Cote Rotie Ampodium (a name change for the Classique starting with this vintage) exhibits sweeter, riper fruit as well as abundant raspberry and cherry notes intermixed with bacon fat and spice. This is 100% Syrah with no Viognier co-fermented. There is some tannin to shed, but the overall impression is one of flesh and intensity.

🏅Decanter 90 pts

This is the first vintage bearing the name Ampodium. Pretty discrete on the nose for a hot vintage, with a touch of potpourri. Has some agreeably toothsome elements to the fruit, but it's remarkably dry and savoury for a 2009. Good sense of freshness, if not the most elegant tannins - they're a little pinched on the finish. No destemming. Aged in 228l oak barriques and 600l demi-muids for 24 months using a minimum of new oak, just to renew barrels where necessary (typically 10%).

🏅Jancis Robinson 17/20 pts

Bright crimson. Massive grunt factor here. All very terroir driven. Does smell of a roasted slope! Then some very savoury, transparent light- to medium-weight Syrah. Should not disappoint, and should be drinkable relatively early.