2018 Cote Rotie Cuvee Classique

Aromas of ripe, spice-tinged dark berries and pungent flowers are sharpened by sneaky mineral and spice flourishes. Spicy and focused on the palate, offering juicy blackberry, cherry and violet pastille flavors that are complicated by salty olive and cracked pepper nuances. Fleshes out with air while maintaining liveliness and finishes bright, spicy and quite long, displaying sharp clarity, even tannins and lingering florality.

Moving to the Côte Rôties, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Ampodium is a head turner and is going to rival the 2010 as the greatest vintage of this cuvée to date. A deep ruby/purple hue is followed by sumptuous notes of ripe dark fruits, ground herbs, scorched earth, and violets. Full-bodied, deep, and powerful on the palate, it has the wonderful sense of opulence and purity that’s the hallmark of the vintage. This was another power-packed lineup from the Rostaing Family, and you can’t go wrong with any of these new releases. The 2017s show the sunny yet also elegant style of the vintage and have beautifully polished, ripe tannins. These wines offer pleasure even today but do your best to give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age, especially the single vineyard releases. Looking at the 2018s, these are largely in the same style yet have slightly more concentrated, structured profiles. My money is on the 2018s requiring slightly more bottle age, but I’ll report on those from bottle this time next year. In addition to the Côte Rôties, don’t miss a chance to try the Languedoc and Collines Rhodaniennes releases. Both represent terrific wines as well as value.

Mostly blended but still in barrel, the 2018 Cote Rotie Ampodium is a terrific introduction to the Côte Rôties of Rostaing. Mulberries and licorice appear on the nose, followed by savory notes of espresso and black olives on the medium to full-bodied palate. It's silky, fine and complex, with a long, softly dusty finish. I also tasted a richer, more structured lot from la Viallière that will be blended in, along with a terrific-looking barrel from Leyat that will add floral, raspberry and mocha notes.