2010 Côte-Rôtie, La Mordorée, Michel Chapoutier

From the North of the Côte Blonde, just above the town of Ampuis and not far from the famous Single Vineyards, this is 100% Syrah, confirming that Michel does not really believe in blended wines, not in the north of the valley at least. From soils made up of micaschist, loess and iron oxide, this is a beautifully crafted wine, with feline Syrah elegance and a silky veil of tannin.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012

Amongst the most celebrated, rarest and over-subscribed wines in the Rhône Valley, the Selections Parcellaires are the finest expressiosn of terroir, mostly the soils of the Hill of Hermitage, the minutiae of which are painted with pointillist attention to detail and unparalleled expertise. Inevitably they are made in modest quantities. Do not be too taken aback by the fact that Michel drops his ‘h’s when describing his Ermitage. It is not an estuary French, rather an acknowledgement of ancient spelling.

Maison Chapoutier

Savoury and racy and polished. Sinewy. Very full variation on pure Côte Rôtie theme. Long. But not soaring – just a little muddier and softer than some of the finest Côte Rôties. Côte Rôtie tannins, thanks to the soil, are more difficult to polymerise.
(Jancis Robinson MW & Julia Harding MW - jancisrobinson.com - December 2011)

Nearly as good as the 2009, the 2010 Cote Rotie La Mordoree has a dense ruby/purple color along with notes of licorice, roasted herbs, forest floor graphite, black currants and sweet cherries. It is medium to full-bodied, not as intense as the Hermitages, St-Joseph or Crozes, but still impressive. It should drink well for 30+ years, given how slow some of the great vintages made in the 1990s are evolving. There are four separate cuvees of Hermitage, all of them magnificent wines that will have 30 or more years of aging potential, and well in excess of 50 years in the case of L’Ermite and Pavillon. (Robert Parker - Wine Advocate #197 Oct 2011)