E.A.R.L. Jasmin Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône

Côte Rôtie is the northernmost of the Rhône vineyards and there have been vines on these "roasted slopes" for 24 centuries. Jasmin owns just under ten acres in the Côte-Brune and Côte-Blonde. The steep terraced slopes must be tended by hand but the reward is a wine of great class that vies with Hermitage as the world's finest example of syrah. When Robert Jasmin was tragically killed by a reckless driver a few years ago, the Estate fell into the careful hands of son Patrick who carries on his father's work. He uses no new oak, preferring two and three year old Tronçais barrels from Burgundy growers. Jasmin himself prefers his wine at five years though it is capable of prolonged aging. Patrick has been very successsful in a remarkably short time. The grapes are now destemmed and the time in wood has been lessened. He has also reduced the number of bottlings so as to guarantee greater consistency between the different markets that it is sold in. One of "The Appellation's Most Profound Wines" Robert Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide #7, 2008

Côte Rôtie 2009 The Jasmin wines come from three vineyards above the village of Ampuis. They are elegant wines noted for possessing superb finesse and balance rather than weight. "Glass-staining purple. Deep, pungent nose combines black raspberry, Asian spices, flowers and cola. Sappy, seamless and sweet, with lively mineral character and sweet dark fruit and violet pastille flavours. This focused, youthful wine is quite elegant, finishing with appealing spiciness, a dusting of silky tannins and a distinct floral element." 91-93 points, International Wine Cellar, Jan/Feb 2011