appellation photo
Laurus

Côte Rôtie

Appellation d'origine protégée

This is the most northerly appellation to be produced in the Rhône Valley and one of the oldest French vineyards. The perfect balance between the terroirs of “Côte Brune” and “Côte Blonde” gives a racy Laurus Côte Rôtie with great aromatic finesse.

couleur
2017
description_recompenses
2017 is a promissing vintage of the past few years with wines that are particularly elegant and harmonious, with superb, concentrated aromas and a solid ageing potential. The weather conditions during the growing season were difficult and extreme, resulting in a challenging task at harvest time. The high temperatures and almost total lack of rainfall since Springtime brought the harvest date forward by almost 10 days in many regions. Although these extreme conditions impacted heavily on the size of the harvest, with one of the smallest in the last 60 years, the quality is exceptional.
Récompenses
92             Wine Enthusiast
91               Jeb Dunnuck
89 - 91     Wine Advocate - Robert Parker
15,50/20   Bettane & Desseauve
etiquette
Côte Rôtie
Vintage
2017

Cépages: 

100% Syrah

Terroir: 

The selected plots come from the two sectors of the AOP:
- micaschist terraces from the Côte Brune (structure and complexity);
- gneiss and loess from the Côte Blonde (finesse and elegance).

Vinification: 

Harvest started on September 11th 2017. Grapes were hand-picked and placed in vats. Fermentation and maceration lasted 20 days. Malolactic fermentation in 275-litre oak Laurus barrels followed by 15-months of elevage.
Production: 2 369 bottles, 130 magnums, 25 jeroboams and 5 mathusalems
Bottled on: May 10th 2018

Note de dégustation: 

"Gentle herbal overtones and raspberries mark the nose of the 2017. It's medium bodied, with silky tannins and crisp acids, ending on dry, cedary notes and hints of cranberries and white pepper". Joe Czerwinski, October 2018

Service & accords: 

Serve at 16-18 °C – Ideal when opened 3 hours prior to serving
Optimum maturity: 2019 - 2028
ABV: 13.5%
 
Roasted pheasant with Perigord truffle
Spice-rubbed beef tenderloin

Age des vignes & rendement: 

20 to 35 years on average - 36hl/ha.

During the Middle Age, it is said that a Lord shared his property between his two daughters, one of them blond and the other brunette, thus giving rise to the names “Côte Blonde” and “Côte Brune”.