CÔTE RÔTIE
2017 Les Rochains Domaine Patrick & Christophe Bonnefond
From a small plot next to La Landonne, on schist and iron-oxide-rich soil. The vinification is the same as for the 'Rozier', aged for 20 months with 30% new wood. Very ripe and dense but with real poise, saturated black fruits, mineral, smoke. Very pure and elegant as well as quite powerfully rich - still a lovely style. Drinking range: 2022 - 2032L&S (Jan 2019)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Inky ruby. An expansive, smoke- and mineral-accented bouquet evokes fresh black and blue fruits, licorice, incense and violet, and an exotic spice nuance emerges as the wine stretches out. Sweet, broad and muscular in style, offering cassis, boysenberry, cherry liqueur and spicecake flavors supported by a spine of juicy acidity. Plays richness off finesse with a steady hand and finishes with superb, dark-fruit-dominated tenacity and solid, youthfully tannic grip. Drinking range: 2024 - 2033 Rating: 95 Josh Raynolds, www.vinousmedia.com (Apr 2020)
Aromas of licorice, charcuterie and wild herbs, as well as blackberries and ripe dark plums. The palate has a very plush, ripe and juicy feel with so much blueberry and plum fruit on offer. Drink now. Rating: 92 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Oct 2019)
An exotically perfumed bouquet displays powerful aromas of red/blue fruit liqueur, potpourri, smoky minerals and olive paste. Offers palate-staining black raspberry, boysenberry, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that are accented by an exotic touch of passion fruit. Gains weight and sweetness with air, finishing with resonating minerality, harmonious tannins and outstanding persistence. Rating: 93-95 Josh Raynolds, www.vinousmedia.com (Jul 2019)
From the oldest vines of the estate on a site located on the southern end La Landonne. It too is completely destemmed and spends 20 months in 25% new French oak (400-liter), with the balance in once used oak. The 2017 Côte Rôtie Les Rochains is another heavenly barrel sample from this vintage. It offers cooler notes of dark berry fruits, scorched earth, and leafy herbs and is medium to full-bodied, incredibly layered, and silky on the palate. It’s a complete, balanced wine that does everything right. It has good concentration and sweet tannins, and should be reasonably approachable with just short-term bottle age. Drinking range: 2020 - 2035 Rating: 93-95 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Feb 2019)
Domaine Patrick & Christophe Bonnefond
Christophe and Patrick took over this family domaine in 1990. It extends to ten hectares, with small amounts of IGP 'Collines Rhodaniennes' Viognier (0.5 hectare) and Syrah (1 hectare) as well as the Condrieu and the three cuvées of Côte-Rôtie.
The Condrieu (1 hectare) comes from the granite soils of the Côte Chatillon. It is fermented in 440l barrels (with 30% new wood) at 18C and aged on the lees for ten months.
The 'Colline de Couzou' Côte-Rôtie comes from several plots in the north and south of the appellation, on schist and granite, about six hectares in total. All the reds are fermented in stainless steel with around 20% whole bunches. The Couzou is then aged in 400l barrels for eighteen months, with 20% new wood. Production hovers just above 2000 cases a year.
The Côte Rozier (0.5 hectare) is in the north of the appellation, on schist and mica-schist. The vinification is the same, but the percentage of new wood for this and the Rochains goes up to 30% and the élevage in barrel is extended to 20 months. Only about 160 cases a year. The Rochains (1 hectare), a slightly bigger cuvée at 300 cases a year, is also in the north of the appellation, the other side of La Landonne, on a soil of schist with lots of iron oxide. These are the oldest vines of the domaine.
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Wines bought en primeur are scheduled to arrive in the UK over the course of the next eighteen months. If you do not wish to take home delivery, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our primeurs team for more information.
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() or your normal Lea and Sandeman contact.RHÔNE PRIMEUR FAQ
OFFER: All wines are offered subject to availability and final confirmation.
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