Tasting Notes
Vinous 92
Vivid purple. Fresh black and blue fruits and potpourri on the expressive, expansive nose. Highly floral and spicy, with intense dark berry and bitter cherry flavors becoming sweeter with aeration. This precise wine finishes with excellent thrust, sneaky tannins and lingering floral and Asian spice notes. Rostaing pointed out that this is a perfect example of a 2012 that shows wonderfully now but that’s set to shut down in "about six months," after which it should be left alone for at least three to five years.
Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030
Robert Parker 92
Starting with Rene’s classic Cote Rotie, the 2012 Cote Rotie Ampodium is a mostly destemmed blend from Rene’s 13 different terroirs. It’s aged in a combination of demi-muid and older barrels, with just 5% being new. It’s smoking base cuvee that does everything right, offering up tons of sweet blackberry, wild herbs, pepper, spice and olive aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, beautifully textured and with impressive concentration, all while stay classic and elegant, it’s a no-brainer purchase and will have 15-20 years of longevity. This was another terrific visit with Rene Rostaing, and he’s hit gold in both 2012 and 2013. In fact, he may have fashioned the wines of the vintage in 2013 and I was blown away by the depth and richness these showed. There are few people doing Cote Rotie better than this guy.
Anticipated maturity: 2016-2032