Domaine Jean Michel Gerin Côte Rôtie La Viallière 2021

Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin draws this Côte-Rôtie from La Viallière, a vineyard of steep terraces next to the village of Ampuis in the northern Rhône, with the rows running between roughly 180 and 325 metres above sea level. The slopes are some of the most demanding in the appellation, worked by hand on dark schist soils that give Syrah its power and structure, and the vines are organically farmed. The south facing terraces hold the heat to ripen the late maturing Syrah fully, while the altitude and the cooling river air preserve acidity and lift the aromatics. The wine is aged in oak, a long raising that resolves the firm tannins through gentle oxygen exchange and adds spice without overwhelming the fruit. It is deep ruby to black, with a nose of dark plum, blackberry, cracked pepper, smoke, cured olive and violet. The palate is full bodied and intense, with concentrated dark fruit, firm ripe tannins, a savoury, peppery heart and a long, mineral finish that reflects the schist. This is a wine to cellar. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees in a large glass and decant young bottles. It suits roast and braised red meats and game.