Côte Rôtie Les Terrasses, Vignoble Jean-Luc Jamet 2020

The 2020 Côte Rôtie Terrasses is terrific and shows the forward, sexy style of the vintage while still being classic Côte Rôtie! Black raspberries, peppery herbs, spring flowers, and a kiss of game all define the bouquet, and it's medium-bodied, with a supple, silky mouthfeel, soft tannins, and a great finish. It stays light on its feet and has a good sense of freshness, and it should evolve gracefully for a decade or more. Drink 2024-2034.

Cask samples tasted at the domaine.Sample 1: Les Moutonnes, Bonnivières, Fongeant, La Landonne, Côte Bodin, Rochins. 3 year-old barrel.Dark-fruit notes but fairly discreet. Perhaps a herbal note. Plenty of freshness, the acidity quite pronounced.Sample 2: Blend from a new oak cask.Dark fruit but the oak overpowers the fruit at present. Drying finish.Sample 3: Another blend.Again, muted but a dark-fruit aspect. Acidity and herbal notes. Tannins powerful but slightly dry on the finish.Sample 4: Another blend from new oak.Oak present but greater purity and expression of fruit. Acidity still notable but matched by the ripeness of the fruit. (JL)

Dense, spicy aroma, smoky notes, roasted bacon, dried meat, dried Mediterranean herbs, eucalyptus, dark berries, cherry, plum. Dense and elegant on the palate in perfect balance with power, silky tannins, fresh acid vein, fine fruit with clear mineral savouriness, certain ageing potential for many more years. (Ulrich Sautter, Falstaff)

Tasting through several parcels/barrels, the 2020 Cote Rotie Terrasses looks to be a solid effort, marked by slightly vegetal notes up front and almost sherbet-like red fruit flavors. Medium to full-bodied, with decent texture and length, it should be approachable young, with the ability to age at least a decade.