![Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie "Cuvee Ampodium" Classique 2018 (Northern Rhone, France) - [VM 93-94] [WA 92-94] [JD 92-94]](http://artisan.wine/cdn/shop/products/rostaingcoterotieampod15-w-2_4baa7db9-a760-4261-b6d1-96e0519199e9_{width}x.jpg?v=1614114917)
Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie "Cuvee Ampodium" Classique 2018
(Northern Rhone, France) - [VM 93-94] [WA 92-94] [JD 92-94]
Regular price $100.00 Sale price $89.97 Save $10.03
The Rostaing estate dates to 1971 when René Rostaing– a Notary by trade – began tending a few plots of family vineyards. He had the perfect role model to guide him into a career of classical winemaking: Marius Gentaz, his uncle. Over the next few years, René took advantage not only of his uncle’s mentoring, but of historically low vineyard prices, to acquire a prized half acre each in the Côte Blonde and La Landonne lieux-dits.
And when he married, he acquired a second traditional role model, his father-in-law, Albert Dervieux. Dervieux retired in 1989 and Gentaz followed three years later, giving René a further ten acres of very old vines in some of the appellation’s top sites. This treasury of vineyards launched René’s estate into the stratosphere.
The vineyard expansion also enabled René to quit his day job and to devote himself full time to winemaking. Over the next 25+ years, he crafted a sequence of masterful wines that honored the legacy of his illustrious forebearers.
In 2015, René’s son, Pierre, took the reins at an estate that boasts 20+ acres of the finest vineyards in and around Côte Rôtie.
About this wine:"Aromas of ripe, spice-tinged dark berries and pungent flowers are sharpened by sneaky mineral and spice flourishes. Spicy and focused on the palate, offering juicy blackberry, cherry and violet pastille flavors that are complicated by salty olive and cracked pepper nuances. Fleshes out with air while maintaining liveliness and finishes bright, spicy and quite long, displaying sharp clarity, even tannins and lingering florality. " - Josh Raynolds (May 2020)
92-94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"Mostly blended but still in barrel, the 2018 Cote Rotie Ampodium is a terrific introduction to the Côte Rôties of Rostaing. Mulberries and licorice appear on the nose, followed by savory notes of espresso and black olives on the medium to full-bodied palate. It's silky, fine and complex, with a long, softly dusty finish. I also tasted a richer, more structured lot from la Viallière that will be blended in, along with a terrific-looking barrel from Leyat that will add floral, raspberry and mocha notes." - Joe Czerwinski (19th Dec 2019)
92-94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Moving to the Côte Rôties, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Ampodium is a head turner and is going to rival the 2010 as the greatest vintage of this cuvée to date. A deep ruby/purple hue is followed by sumptuous notes of ripe dark fruits, ground herbs, scorched earth, and violets. Full-bodied, deep, and powerful on the palate, it has the wonderful sense of opulence and purity that’s the hallmark of the vintage." - Jeb Dunnuck (12/12/2019)