2011 Domaine Jamet Cote Rotie

[marcs]

Among the cognoscenti, I understand Jamet is generally considered to be the best producer of Cote Rotie. Yet their wines are widely available in the $150-180 range, despite a total production of only about 2,500 cases a year. This always seemed a bit contradictory to me -- granted $150-180 is far from cheap, but given that Cote Rotie is a famous region at the pinnacle of Syrah, one might expect the very finest producer from that area to have ascended into the stratosphere of first growth or Burgundy grand cru type pricing. Could it be that Northern Rhone Syrah is just too much of an acquired taste to drive the needed consumer demand?

I've had sips of Jamet at various tastings, but last night I had my first chance for a true communion with this producer, i.e. my first chance to sit with a single bottle over a several hour dinner. This helped me understand both why the cognoscenti rave about this wine and why it really is a bit of an acquired taste.

First of all, the nose was extraordinary. Really unique and complex, mixing dirt, leaves and sticks (I know, weird descriptor, but you know when you're outdoors and it's hot and dry and you can smell the vegetation and dirt?) with a beautiful floral-violet sweetness and hints of bacon.

The palate took a bit of time to unwind but when it did it had a gorgeous lightness to it. The initial attack and midpalate had a subtle, mild, and very pretty sweetness intertwined with a meaty/beefy quality that matched perfectly with the beef stew I was having. (By "meaty" I don't mean substantial but a complex range of actual meat-type flavors). However, the finish moved to being tart and tangy and a bit sour, with a limited length. The wine as a whole was not "velvety", plush, or deep but was on the lighter side while still having great and mouth-filling substance to the flavors, at least until the finish.

Overall, this is an extraordinarily good wine, perhaps even great, especially with food. (You could smell this all night with or without food but the palate was really helped by food). But the tart finish and the textural lightness meant it was not really a "delicious" wine. It didn't have that cushioned, sweet, "luxurious" back palate finish that bigger high end wines have. It was more of a delicate piano concerto than an overwhelming symphony. Not only that, the sour/tart/short finish could even be viewed as slightly unpleasant and rustic, lacking in harmony.

All of this is probably partly due to the vintage being a lighter and more diluted one, but lighter vintage also probably contributed to the beautiful complexity and subtlety of this wine.

[Dandersson]

Nice tasting note Marcs, thank you for sharing.
"Could it be that Northern Rhone Syrah is just too much of an acquired taste to drive the needed consumer demand?"
There are a few Cote Rotie wines selling in the $400-500, and Hermitage wines in a similar price range. It seems like those that get cult status have the demand so the prices escalate. Why the prices are not higher for Jamet? I don't know.

I have had similar experience regarding the lightness and complexity of 2011, but not at this level.

Best, Dan

[DavidG]

Uh-oh, more competition. Prices will never drop!

[OrlandoRobert]

This is a wonderful note, thanks for sharing.

The 2011 Jamet is excellent. It will not be in the pantheon of great Jamets, but it’s damn fine, as you note. It’s like a lot of 2011 Northern Rhones. I have really enjoyed this vintage very much, it’s quite expressive, like 2014, and more approachable while the big vintages like 2010 and 2013 take far greater time to hit their real heights. Standouts to me are Jamet, Allemand, Clape, Gonon and Juge. The Juge 2011, like the Juge 2014, is a firecracker of aromatics, so lithe and packing so much pleasure.

[s*d*r]

Now I don’t need to buy it. I can enjoy it just as much by reading Marcus’ deeply evocative note.

Stu

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks for your detailed notes and thoughts Marc.

Jamet only started to get really expensive a few years ago.

And it’s production is not small by Cote Rotie Standards.

To me Jamet is the Armand Rousseau of the Northern Rhone.

It is hedonistic, true to its terroir and dare I say a bit obvious; a real crowd pleaser.

The Romanee Conti of the region used to be Gentaz Dervieux, but it is no longer made.

Then of course you have the La-Las which can be very good but you need 30 years for the new oak to integrate.

I think the purest expression of Cote Rotie maybe Robert Jasmin.

But there are a lot of other excellent producers like Levet to name just one.

I recently released my case of Jamet Cote Rotie 2007 and the first couple of bottles have been outstanding and the finish was long.

Jamet Cote Rotie 2007: a multi-faceted wine that keeps on transforming itself, chameleon-like. An initial enthralling throwback whiff of stale 1970s ashtray, and, at different times, hints of cigar box and piped tobacco; olives, tapenade, Mediterranean scents; iron and minerals; bacon fat, celery, and savoury mid palate aromas; game and hung meat; youthful, tensile, a tad spikey; untamed walk-on-the-wild-side; fine, bracing acidic line; lithe, deft and an exquisite finish. So vigorous and juicy with lively acidity it will mellow with age but I suspect now is the perfect time to drink this.

[jal]

I also like Jamet's Cote Rotie but they are pricey, I like Jamet's better than the more expensive Guigal Chateau d'Ampuis and LaLas. Jamet wines are getting complicated now though, with the brothers Jean Paul and Jean Luc separating in 2013, I have not yet tasted the wines after 2013 so I don't know which ones are better.
Ian, is it Patrick Jasmin or Robert? Or is it the same? I love Patrick Jasmin Cote Rotie but I thought I was the only one, his wines are approachable young and improve with age, they are very perfumed, mainly because of the small percentage of Viognier in the blend.
I'm also a fan of Garon and Gangloff.

[marcs]

I have been on a bit of a northern Rhône kick lately — not so much in terms of tasting yet but purchasing. In addition to 2009/2011 Jamet, got some Clusel Roch Grande Places, Rostaing Ampodium/Terroirs and Landonne, and also Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle. Already had a half case of Levet. 2010 was expensive/unavailable so I concentrated on 2012 (decent QPR vintage it seems) and 2015/2016.

Might be a while before I drink them!

[Dandersson]

I also like Jamet's Cote Rotie but they are pricey, I like Jamet's better than the more expensive Guigal Chateau d'Ampuis and LaLas. Jamet wines are getting complicated now though, with the brothers Jean Paul and Jean Luc separating in 2013, I have not yet tasted the wines after 2013 so I don't know which ones are better.
Ian, is it Patrick Jasmin or Robert? Or is it the same? I love Patrick Jasmin Cote Rotie but I thought I was the only one, his wines are approachable young and improve with age, they are very perfumed, mainly because of the small percentage of Viognier in the blend.
I'm also a fan of Garon and Gangloff.

Patrick is Robert's son that took over the winery back in 1999, when Robert tragically died.

[jal]

Thanks Dan,
I met Patrick Jasmin when traveling to the Rhone a few years back, the guy was big burly, warm and friendly. One of my better winery visits ever. And like I said, I love his wines.

[Dandersson]

Thanks Dan,
I met Patrick Jasmin when traveling to the Rhone a few years back, the guy was big burly, warm and friendly. One of my better winery visits ever. And like I said, I love his wines.

Yes, Jasmin is very famous for their great wines. I need to find some for my cellar.

[Comte Flaneur]

Maureen, whose first love in wine is Northern Rhone, managed to snag a batch of 1980s Jasmins 8-9 years ago, from the 1980, 81, 84, 86 and 90 vintages. They were the best mature expressions of Cote Rotie I have ever tasted.

Later that year Bryan Collins a wine collector here generously provided Gentaz 1991, 1992 and 1993 mini vertical at a dinner. Quintessential expressions of Cote Rotie a thrill to drink them, the 1991 was the pick but still youthful at the time.

Jacques I love Gangloff too. I think one of the plus points with Cote Rotie is that with the exception of the La Las they generally can be approached quite young, sometimes even at age 5-6. I find Cornas and Hermitage generally less approachable young but clearly there are some exception, e.g., Vincent Paris.

[Blanquito]

As much as I loved the bottle of 99 Jamet C-R we had in Denver, I thought the 99 Clape Cornas ran circles around it.

Is that just because I like Cornas better in general?

[Comte Flaneur]

Yes I seem to remember that the Clape was the better wine on the night, Patrick.

Sometimes Jamet can underwhelm. I remember a 1991 a few years ago was disappointing.

I recently bought a six pack of Jean-Luc Jamet’s 2016 Cote Rotie Terrasses. It was only £295 for six and gets very good reviews from John Livingstone-Learmonth and others.

Has any one tried the wines of Xavier Gerard? Any thoughts on this producer?

[DavidG]

I picked up some 2015 Xavier Gerard on advice of others, have tried only 1 so far. More floral, olive than some of the feral, gamy wildness of say a Jamet or Levet. Plenty of lush fruit and lots of tannins, it will benefit from a Blanquito or two.

[Nicklasss]

Nice note marcs. Count me as a fan of the Rotie and of Jamet. The main quality of Jamet: typicity and reality. No recipe to produce international palate style every vintage. Simplicity too, but done minutiously. I visit Jamet in 2012, one of the best wine visit i ever had. Jamet was literally giving all the secrets of his own. I really liked the small pour of 2009 i had in MC glass in DC 2020. Still young, but already fabulous on nose and excellent in mouth.

Jasmin is quite dood too, in a flwery/mineral style.

Gangloff and Stephan are also making great Rotie. When i was in Ampuis, i discovered also Bernard than was quit good in a violet fruity smoky style.

Nic