France — wine

Côte-Rôtie AOC

Côte-Rôtie — 'roasted slope' — is the Northern Rhône's most prestigious appellation, producing singular Syrah wines from near-vertical granite terraces above Ampuis. The wines combine power with extraordinary elegance and complexity: violets, black olive, smoked meat, and an iron-mineral backbone that no other Syrah wine can replicate. Viognier may be blended in up to 20% to add perfume and stability.

Year Rating Notes
2022 Superb Syrah year; concentration with freshness
2021 Elegant, fragrant wines of great finesse
2020 Among the greatest Côte-Rôtie vintages ever made
2019 Classic vintage; violet perfume and iron mineral
2017 Accessible and aromatic; drinking beautifully now