2017 Cote Rotie

The smoky, peppery, spicy, leafy, herbal, red fruits on the nose start the wine off nicely. Medium-bodied, bright, polished, lifted red fruits are found on the palate and in the finish. The finish is a bit short, else the wine would deserve a better score.

Deep, vivid ruby. Spice-tinged aromas of ripe red and dark berries, allspice and pungent flowers, with a smoky nuance emerging as the wine opens up. Sappy raspberry and bitter cherry flavors are supported by a core of juicy acidity. Turns sweeter with aeration, picking up spicecake and floral pastille qualities that carry through a very long, gently tannic finish

Burgaud is a bit of anomaly in present-day Côte Rôtie, as he continues to produce a single, blended bottling aged in 20% new oak. The 2017 Cote Rotie includes parcels from several lieux-dits: le Champin, la Brosse, Fongeant, Leyat, les Moutonnes and Côte Blonde. Unfortunately, the sample I received showed some pronounced notes of rubber or asphalt, which made it difficult to assess. Beyond that, mocha and cedar notes accent red berries. It's medium-bodied and silky, but it finishes a bit short.