2020 M. Chapoutier Côte Rôtie Neve

A wine that stopped me in my tracks was the 2020 Côtes Rôtie Nève, which comes from a single lieu-dit in the northern part of the appellation. All destemmed Syrah that spent two years in 30% new barrels, it has a hair-tingling bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, lit gunpowder, iron, and spring flowers. Pure, full-bodied, and powerful on the palate, it brings lots of ultra-fine tannins, has incredible balance, and the class to benefit from 6-7 years of bottle age and cruise for 25+ years!

Deep magenta. Suggestions of olive, smoky bacon, minerals and incense complement highly perfumed cherry and cassis scents. Juicy dark berry, bitter cherry and espresso flavors stain the palate, unfolding and slowly turning sweeter and spicier on the back half. Fine-grained tannins lend grip to the finish, which hangs on with impressive tenacity and a resonating floral note.

Brilliant all the way, and possibly the finest vintage for this cuvée to date, the 2020 Côte Rôtie Nève is 100% Syrah from mica schist soils in the northern part of the appellation and was destemmed and is still resting in 30% new demi-muids. Gorgeous pure cassis fruit as well as crushed stone, graphite, and violet notes define the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with terrific concentration, ultra-fine yet certainly present tannins, and a great finish. This structured yet flawlessly put together Côte Rôtie will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 15-20 years.