Michel Chapoutier QUATUOR Red (BIO) Côte-Rotie 2016

It's fascinating to see how the 2016 Côte Rotie Quatuor has evolved since last year, with dark and savory elements largely replaced by notes of raspberry and cedar. A blend of four proprietary plots, it is medium to full-bodied, with a smooth, creamy texture and silky tannins in the acidic finish.

Harvest: manual harvesting.

Soil : This wine comes from a blend of our four plots:
• Côte Brune and its terroir of altered / fragmented micas that give structure and potency to the wine;
• Côte Blonde located in a gneiss vein brings elegance and floral character;
• Snow, located to the north of the appellation, in a soil composed of rocky micaschiste, gives tension and minerality to the wine;
• Tupins in the extreme south of the appellation, in a migmatite area. and silky sand brings notes of spices and black fruits.

Vinification : Vinification takes place in unlined raw concrete tanks. The harvest is completely destemmed. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, with a gradual increase in temperature to reach 30-32 ° C. Fermentation lasts between 4 to 5 weeks, with regular pumping at the beginning of the maceration, some punctures and passive infusion with work on the lees for the last 3 weeks. The daily tasting of each barrel allows the tailor-made adjustment of the different operations and the date of the "écoulage".

Aging : "Hot" barreling after écoulage and sedimentation for 24 to 48 hours to remove the remaining solid elements and the coarsest lees. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels. 50% in barrels (228 liters), 50% in semi-muids (600 liters), 20 to 25% of which are new. Decanting the wines at the end of winter. Aging that can vary from 12 to 18 months, depending on the harvest and the wine tasting.

Variety : 100% Syrah.

REVIEWS:

R. Parker - Wine Advocate - (92-94) /100
Jancis Robinson - 17+/20

Tssting Notes:

Color : dark purple with crimson reflections.
Nose : Predominantly floral, the complex nose opens with aromas of red fruits, spices and tapenade.
Mouth : the attack is fresh, the tannins are silky and dynamic. The finish is full of sweet spices and cedar notes.

The sommelier's advice: with this wine we like: quail stuffed with cepes, roasted game meat.

Service Temperature: 19°C.

Guard potential: 20 to 30 years.