Domaine Rostaing, Cote Rotie, Ampodium 2020

Saturated ruby. Highly perfumed aromas of ripe dark berries, cherry, olive and pungent flowers are sharpened by a suggestion of black pepper. Supple and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated black raspberry, cherry-cola and violet pastille flavors and a suggestion of star anise. Finishes pliant, sweet and focused on the penetrating finish, showing smooth tannins and excellent tenacity.

The 2020 Côte Rôtie Ampodium is well worth seeking out, and it’s been a great value now in just about every vintage I’ve tasted. Medium to full-bodied, pure, elegant, and balanced, it has lots of textbook Côte Rôtie red and black fruits, violets, and peppery herbs, with some graphite and minerality as well. It’s clearly an outstanding wine, and I’d be happy to drink a bottle any time over the coming 10-12 years or more.

Pierre Rostaing has been shortening the cuvaison for this cuvée, and the 2020 Cote Rotie Ampodium received closer to three weeks on the skins than four. It's still impressively dark and rich, with scents of black olives, violets, raspberries and a touch of orange zest. Medium to full-bodied and velvety in feel, it looks like a strong year for the estate's blended wine.