Wine Advisor
M. Chapoutier, Cote Rotie La Mordoree 2016
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
The elegant, medium to full-bodied 2016 Cote Rotie la Mordorée was aging in 30% new oak. It shows cedar and leather notes upfront, balanced by raspberry fruit, hints of espresso and black olive. Firmly tannic yet velvety in feel, it should drink well for 20 years after release.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Opaque ruby. Potent dark berry, exotic spice, potpourri and smoky mineral aromas display impressive energy and pick up olive and smoked meat nuances with air. Sappy, deeply concentrated blackberry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors stain the palate and show noteworthy energy and focus. Sweet and seamless in texture, finishing with strong, floral-driven persistence and fine-grained tannins that add gentle final grip.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Inky ruby. Powerful, smoke-tinged blackberry and cherry liqueur aromas pick up a sexy floral nuance and hints of olive with aeration. Fleshy and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet lively black and blue fruit preserve, cola and violet pastille flavors energized by a core of juicy acidity and a vibrant mineral quality. Finishes chewy, sweet and extremely long, featuring building tannins and a strong echo of peppery spices and minerals.
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
A blend of old vines in the lieux-dits of Côte Brune and Côte Blonde, the 2016 Cote Rotie la Mordorée shows a bit of cedary oak up front (it spent 18 months in 30% new barriques). It's full-bodied and ripe on the palate, with herb-tinged red fruit notes that show mammoth complexity and a fine, silky, long finish.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A moody and dark-fruited style that has a wealth of richness with red and dark plums on offer. The palate delivers a rich, spicy and alluring array of dark plums and blackberries. Muscular tannins. From organically grown grapes. Barrel sample.
About the Producer
Founded in 1808, M. Chapoutier owns 175 hectares of vines in five appellations in the Rhone Valley and is now run by the energetic and brilliant Michel Chapoutier. Since Michel started running the estate, the quality of the winemaking has improved very quickly and the philosophy of winemaking has changed considerably. Michel Chapoutier's achievements caused an instant sensation in the winemaking world and he completely changed the way Chapoutier wines were made and the winemaking process, eventually making wines to rival those made by Marcel Guigal, one of the best winemakers in the Rhone Valley. The vineyards of Château Sapoutier range from the Rhone Valley to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with a number of quality vineyards planted with Syrah, Grenache, Marsanne, Roussanne and other major grape varieties. The winery is "mono-varietal" (i.e. making wines from a single variety), for example, all Syrah for the Châteauneuf-du-Rotie wines, all Marsanne for the Hermitage whites and all Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines. The wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are all Grenache. Château Sapoutier has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of its wines, even though each single vineyard produces far more than the 500 cases of fine wine. Since 1989, Château Sapoutier has been using biodynamic farming and winemaking methods with the aim of producing wines that are the purest and closest to the natural terroir. Every decision, every step of the viticultural and winemaking process is designed to add to the terroir, varietal character and vintage identity of the wines. Only wild yeasts are used for fermentation and the wines are made in small oak barrels. The best red and white wines are not clarified or filtered before bottling.
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