Rich and powerful. Black fruit on the palate, followed by smoky gaminess and a nice Bacon aromas as well. Very good spicy character and silky tannins.
Finesse and elegance.
"Peppered blueberries and raspberries mark the nose of the 2019 Cote Rotie la Vialliere, the latest—and most impressive—release from this historic domaine. Vaguely floral notes, hints of black olives and licorice add complexity to the bouquet, while on the palate, this medium to full-bodied effort still shows some appealing baby fat, an expansive yet structured feel and ample length on the finish. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (May 2021), 95 pts
"Dark violet. Spice- and mineral-accented black and blue fruit aromas show excellent definition and pick up olive, smoky bacon and candied violet notes with air. Sappy and concentrated but energetic as well, offering palate-staining blackberry, bitter cherry and boysenberry flavors that become spicier as the wine opens up. Melds power and finesse with a sure hand and finishes impressively long and sweet, with chewy tannins building steadily. All whole clusters and 10% new oak, a combination of foudres and demi-muids. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (April 2020), 94 pts
"Readers who love old school Côte Rôtie that demands bottle age will love this beauty. Revealing a deep purple color as well as a mineral-drenched bouquet of black raspberries, camphor, new saddle leather, and peppery herbs, the 2018 Côte Rôtie La Vialliere hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, notable concentration, ripe yet firm, present tannins, and a great finish. This tannic, backward, yet impressive Côte Rôtie is going to demand 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for 20+ years."
- Jeb Dunnuck (November 2020), 94 pts
"A blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier brought up in less than 10% new oak, the 2016 Côte-Rôtie La Vialliere is a beautiful 2016 that shows the elegant, balanced style of the vintage perfectly. Revealing a vivid purple/ruby color as well as complex notes of black raspberry, incense, white pepper, and gamy, bacon fat, it’s medium to full-bodied, has no hard edges, and fabulous purity of fruit. You can drink it today with incredible pleasure, but it will keep for upwards of two decades."
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 27th 2019), 94 pts
"POINTS
The 2016 vintage produced a classic style of Côte-Rôtie, and the crisp black-fruit character and pronounced herbal accents of this slightly frail but elegant Syrah are inviting. The palate is delicate, suggesting crunchy black cassis nuanced by savory hints of soy, charcuterie and thyme. It's not deeply concentrated but lingers softly on fine, drying tannins and a pleasantly earthen tone. Enjoy now–2025. - Anna Lee C. IIJIMA"- Wine Enthusiast (July 2019), 91 pts
"Brilliant ruby. Highly expressive, smoke-accented black raspberry, potpourri, game and peppery spice aromas carry a minerally topnote that gains strength as the wine opens up. Intense red and dark berry, floral pastille and spicecake flavors are braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Puts on weight on a persistent, sharply delineated finish that echoes the berry and smoke qualities and leaves behind allspice and cracked pepper notes. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (July 2017), 92 pts
"Violet petals and pristine black cherries perfume earthier tones of garrigue and bramble in this brisk, freshly composed Syrah. Light bodied and robed with fine, firm tannins, it's a vibrant, youthful wine that should improve through 2025 and hold further. - ANNA LEE C. IIJIMA"
- Wine Enthusiast (March 2019), 93 pts
"Spicy black pepper and very fresh black raspberry show on the nose of this young, fruit forward Côte-Rotie. While fresh and youthful, the wine is also elegant with a sense of terroir, showing notes of dark earth and spice on the finish. Third generation winemaker Joël Champet makes the wine from his 3 ha vineyard, using 90% used 30 hectoliter foudres. 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier"
I-WineReview (December 2013), 91 pts
"Champet's 2011 Cote Rotie la Vialliere is a pretty, elegant and lightly texture Cote Rotie that offers classic pepper, olive, sappy herbs and darker styled fruits in its medium-bodied, mid-weight profile. Soft, supple and nicely texture, it should drink well for 5-6 years. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue #216, Dec 2014), 88 pts"
The estate is located in the Côte Brune in the lieu-dit La Viallière. Romain and Maxime Champet represent the 4th generation of winemakers in the family. They inherited from their ...
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