2011 Cote Rotie Chateau d'Ampuis

Vivid ruby. Spicy red fruits, incense, violet and botanical herbs on the flamboyantly perfumed nose. Vibrant, mineral-tinged black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors show impressive depth and vivacity and a seamless texture. Juicy, precise and appealingly sweet on the youthfully tannic, incisive finish, with the berry and floral notes echoing. The blend of fruit intensity and tension here is quite suave.

The final wine is a blend of seven parcels, each with separate élevage. Three cask samples were tasted. La Garde (Côte Blonde): Above La Mouline. Dense and rich. Very attractive and sappy. Pure Côte Rôtie. Lovely pure stuff if in a slightly minor key. (Scored 17 Drink 2018-30 ) La Pommière (Côte Brune): Occasionally auctioned as cask or magnums for charity as ‘Hommage a Etienne Guigal’. Next to Turque but quite Blonde-like. There is some Viognier. Almost pruney – not the freshest cask. (Scored 16 Drink 2018-32) La Viria (Côte Brune): A massive style from a 1.5-ha parcel that touches La Landonne – lots of manganese. In fact this seems rather perfumed! Good framework on the plate but rather heady and alluring on top of the muscle. The tannins build! (Scored 17+ Drink 2018-35) (JR)

The 2011 Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis has closed down slightly since last year, yet still offers a terrific perfume of cured meats, vanilla bean, sweet black currants and graphite to go with medium to full-bodied, ripe, sexy style on the palate. I doubt it will truly close down and would happily enjoy bottles anytime over the coming 15 or more years. Dec 2015, www.robertparker.com