2020 Domaine Rostaing, Cote Rotie, La Landonne

Almost pure perfection, the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Landonne just about jumps out of the glass and offers up utterly classic La Landonne aromatics of smoked black fruits, cassis, scorched earth, cured meats, and ground pepper, with more violet and floral nuances in the background. These all carry over to the palate, where the wine is full-bodied, dense, and powerful, with building tannins and an incredibly layered mouthfeel. It's not for the instant gratification crowd, but this is one seriously good Côte Rôtie.

Opaque ruby. Displays an array of intensely perfumed, mineral-accented black and blue fruit, floral, botanical herb and exotic spice aromas, along with suggestions of licorice, smoked meat and olive. Shows serious depth as well as unlikely energy, offering palate-staining kirsch, cassis, bitter chocolate, olive paste and violet pastille flavors that slowly turn sweet and become more energetic through the back half. Youthfully gripping tannins add grip to the smoky, mineral- and spice-driven finish, which emphatically repeats the licorice and blue fruit notes.

Whole-bunch fermented and aged in demi-muids (no more than 10% new). Cask sample. Liquorice, peaty smoke, dark fruits and lavender. Powerful and rich palate with pronounced firm and muscular dense tannins and good fruit too. Layered and clean but very young. Needs lots of time. (AC)