M. Chapoutier, Cote Rotie, La Mordoree 2019

Deeply colored, the 2019 Côte Rotie La Mordorée is the flagship Côte Rôtie, offering gorgeous blackberry and black raspberry fruits as well as scorched earth, flowers, and peppery herbs. This beauty is full-bodied, has a seamless, elegant texture and incredible length, and is just magical stuff. It’s a blend of Côte Blonde and the Côte Brune.

One of the top Chapoutier Côte Rôties I've ever encountered, the 2019 Cote Rotie la Mordorée offers up complex notes of violets, mixed berries and delicate dried herb nuances on the nose. It's quite floral, yet there's a concentrated, full-bodied core of fruit that's neither dense nor muscular, but silky and lush. Blended from a parcel in La Côte Blonde and another in La Côte Brune, this is simply a joy to drink, with a long, tannic-yet-silky finish. It should easily age well for up to two decades.

Inky garnet color. Powerful, expansive aromas of cassis, black raspberry, exotic spices and candied licorice are complemented by a smoky mineral nuance and a hint of botanical herbs. Chewy and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated dark berry and cherry preserve, floral pastille and fruitcake flavors that show impressive energy for their heft. Finishes impressively long and minerally, with well-judged tannins and building florality.