Two Côte-Rôtie

[Nicklasss]

My brother was in town this weekend. We went to a BYOW restaurant, kind of medium quality steak house, and thought we should open some Côte-Rôtie, as both of us and our wife like that AOC.

2006 Chapoutier Les Bécasses : I think this is one of the beste ''Bécasses'' in the last vintages. Color was medium red, but, after 30 minutes decanting, the nose was just awesone and very thruth to Côte-Rôtie, with meat, bacon, smoke, and a great concentrated rasberries sniff. In mouth, good concentration of rasberries and red berries, add some bacon, balsamic tones, minerals, and more smoke. Black pepper at the very end. The final is balanced with elegant tannins that made the wine quite long. Good fruity finish character, with dust stones flavors. Very good. TN : 92.

2004 Jean-Michel Stephan Coteaux de Tupin : Very different from the Chapoutier. More concentration and you could almost thing it could be a Bordeaux... The wine does 24 month of oak. Darker color than the Chapoutier. Aromas are more primary, and even if this is a 2004, will need another 10 years to mellow. Great nose of rasberries and ripe strawberries, some violets flowers and blackcurrants. Also some light vanillins aromas. In mouth, Even more fruity and powerful, with some medium oak flavors, and the long final including licorice, violets flower and mineral. Very good also but that night I think Chapoutier has the edge. TN : 91++.

I know that Côte-Rôtie impress some people, and let other saying ''what is the fuzz'', but for my part, I should buy more Côte-Rôtie as they barely never dissapoint me.

Nic

[AlexR]

Interesting notes, Nic.

Interesting to see a négociant wine scored higher than a "parcellaire" wine from a producer.

Yes, I too, am rarely disappointed by Côte Rôtie.

All the best,
Alex

[Nicklasss]

Alex, the Stephan was a great wine, but just too young at the moment. It will be very great! For the story, I bought that bottle two years ago in Seattle, in a winestore downtown, own by a Français originally from Nice. I remember selecting another Côte-Rôtie, but Mr. Émile Ninaud, when he saw that I like Côte-Rôtie told me he had another one in the backstore (the Stephan) and when he receive the two cases, he tasted one bottle and did not put them into the store, not knowing if he would sell or keep it for him! But he went in the backstore, and brought me back a bottle and say : 65 $, but you'll see, it is a complex and concentrated style of Côte-Rôtie...

The Chapoutier is normally a bit leaner, but I really liked that 2006. Or maybe I've been influenced by the company.

Nic

[stefan]

I would buy the Jean-Michel Stephan Coteaux de Tupin if they would spell the name correctly.

[Ramon_NYC]

Interesting to see a négociant wine scored higher than a "parcellaire" wine from a producer.

Not improbable, though.