View analysis




Description
Tasting notes

Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Always a blend of Côte Brune and Côte Blonde, the 2017 Cote Rotie la Mordorée is a stunning example of this cuvée. Pencil shavings frame raspberry and blueberries on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and concentrated, richly tannic but fully ripe, with licorice notes coming to the fore on the long, velvety finish. Super stuff.

Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
A blend of Côte Blonde and Côte Brune (the actual lieux-dits), the 2017 Cote Rotie la Mordorée is a top-notch example of this cuvée. The Chapoutier team now picks and vinifies the parcels separately, which has allowed them to fine-tune the picking dates. It boasts an exciting mélange of berry fruit flavors, is silky and medium to full-bodied in the mouth and finishes long.

Reviewed by: James Suckling
There’s a deep, dark-stone impression to the nose here with graphite and wet slate, as well as plums, star anise and licorice. The palate has a very plush, peppery and deeply fruited feel with such intensity and depth to the dark plums and blackberries. Slate and pepper to close. Good depth. Try from 2024.
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.