Côte Rôtie, Domaine Jean-Paul Jamet 2022

Just bottled, the 2022 Côte Rôtie offers a beautifully classic Jamet perfume of red and black fruits, crushed stone, and sappy flowers. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate and has a broad, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form. One of the benchmark estates for traditionally made Côte Rôtie, Domaine Jamet is today run by Jean-Paul Jamet alongside his son Loïc, with the support of Jean-Paul's wife Corinne and daughter Fanny. Located high above the appellation near the village of Le Vallin, the estate farms 25 parcels spread across 17 lieux-dits, with the majority of the holdings in the schist-dominated Côte Brune side of the appellation, including Chavaroche, Le Truchet, Les Moutonnes, Rochins, Fongeant, and La Landonne, as well as prime parcels in the Côte Blonde sector such as Lancement. Winemaking here is classic yet not dogmatic, with a strong preference for whole cluster fermentation with adjustments based on the vintage. The wines are aged primarily in older demi-muids, with 15-30% new oak, and are bottled unfined and unfiltered after about two years. While the flagship Côte Rôtie remains a blend of their numerous parcels, a small-production Côte Brune cuvée was introduced in 2015. While it would be easy to assume the Côte Brune bottling is a richer, more powerful wine, it is often a more perfumed, floral, and elegant expression compared to the classic cuvée. Jean-Paul has commented that while the recent vintages of 2018, 2019, and 2020 bordered on excessive in style, he was thrilled with the 2022s, which mark a return to more stylistically classic ripeness levels and balance. (Drink between 2031-2052)

A velvety, balanced and textural Cote-Rotie with lots of crunch. Notes of dark cherries, spiced plums, dried herbs, stones and peppercorns. It's medium-bodied with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Lively and bright with tension. Full of vitality and transparency with a long, precise finish. Drink or hold.