Syrah and a splash of Viognier...
75cl * 13% ABV * Cote Rotie, France
One of Cote Rotie's finest producers Rene Rostaing (alongside Augustus Clape) has been credited with the rebuilding the reputation of the Cote Rotie to one of one of the world's great fine wine districts and his wines (and opinions!) are hugely sought after.
Drinking window: 2020 - 2031.
"The 2011 Cote Blonde saw 100% stems and a small percentage of Viognier. While I liked it a tad more last year, it showed beautifully here as well, with a perfumed, forward and medium to full-bodied profile to go with classic olive, garrigue and raspberry aromas and flavors. This is Cte Rtie at its most refined and elegant, and it should be even better in another 2-3 years and evolve nicely through 2031." 94/100 Points - Jeb Dunnock (Feb 2015)
"Darker fruit than the Ampodium, light pepper and spice that is almost incense-like, maybe that is the combination of spice and leaf. Paper-fine tannins, lithe and fresh and elegant, the tannins showing reluctantly on the finish in this refined structure are almost the only thing revealing the wine's immaturity." 17.5/20 Points - Julia Harding MW (Jancis Robinson.com)