Domaine Rene Rostaing

Entirely destemmed in 2014, its constituent fruit sourced from 13 parcels, the wine has been made with typical aplomb and sensitivity to the vintage. The slightly reduced maceration time has not led to a sacrifice of colour or texture, but has allowed the fundamental eloquence of the vintage to come to the fore. An aromatic red-fruit generosity is therefore complemented by a linear precision in the mouth. A very commendable effort.
Drink 2018-2024.

More powerful than its siblings, the Côte Blonde is the longest lived member of the Rostaing family. From 80 year old vines, with clay, iron and gneiss soils, this wine is aged in barrique rather than demi-muid, its structure thus differing from the Landonne; the soil lending more minerality and a touch less acidity, the wood affording a creamy texture in support of the rich blackberry and cassis fruit. This is a wine of rare complexity and elegance, the quintessence of Côte Rôtie in short.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012

M Rostaing, or RR as we affectionately call him, is something of an enigma, a man giving all semblance of being a classicist, yet whose winemaking philosophy, with its use of rotary fermenters and pragmatic approach to destemming, is far from the old-school. His vocabulary, however, is pleasingly old-fashioned; he likes the 2010 vintage, as there is ‘une belle rigueur’, describing it as ‘Jansenist’ in temperament. The classicism now extends to the names of the wines; the wine formerly known as ‘Cuvée Classique’ has been renamed Ampodium, the Roman name for the town of Ampuis, and the location of his winery.

The Landonne vines are venerable, some dating back to the 1920s and all made up of Syrah only. Ageing is for 24 months and is shared between demi-muids (550-litre barrels) and older Burgundian pièces, a small percentage of which are new. René detects less of the ‘oxide de fer’ character this year, which translates in the glass into a rich, spicy wine, with complex red fruit nuances and immense power on the finish: archetypal l Landonne in other words.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

Gnomic and somewhat whimsical at times, René has been playing his own tune for 43 vintages and shows little sign of abdicating. The Dauphin, Pierre, is now firmly and patiently ensconced. All the grapes were destemmed in 2013 and the harvest was not completed until October 13th; quality is good however, very good indeed.
A big step up over the Ampodium, the 2013 Cote Rotie la Landonne is a muscular, mineral and iron-laced 2013 that has lots of black and blue fruits, crushed rock, pepper and ground herb-like qualities all emerging from the glass. Shockingly good on the palate, it has full-bodied richness, lots of mid-palate depth and a plenty of structure. It will need a decade of cellaring, but be worth it.
Jeb Dunnuck - Wine Advocate Issue#216 Dec 2014

My favourite Cote Rotie producer, Monsieur Rostaing produces wines with dark fruit and real depth. The paradox is that they also show lovely, delicate aromatics. The oak, acidity and tannins are very well judged, this is aristocratic Cote Rotie!
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager

Aromatic nose, black and blue fruit dominate with a delicate white blossom and lavender notes gently balancing the depth of fruit characters. Made from 13 Syrah parcels, it is utterly charming. The balance is exquisite and the restrain and precision of purity make it a marvel. A debutante wine, knowing just the right amount of style, charm and character to leave us wanting to get to know it better. A very fine wine with jasmine and blossom on the finish.
Laura Atkinson, Private Account Manager

Rene de-stemmed 50% of the Ampodium crop in 2011. The fruit is traditionally sourced from 13 different lieux-dits. There is no Viognier, but the wine is aromatically attractive with gentle aromas of wood spice and violet. A satisfying mouth-feel follows, with pleasingly orchestrated tension between crisp acidity and finely etched tannins.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer

The urbane René Rostaing has an aphoristic turn of phrase; he quotes Pliny the Younger for example, when reminding us that ‘le vin du Viennois a l’odour de violette’. He then throws in the enigmatic phrase, ‘le Viognier à Côte Rôtie est plus légende que réalité’: a subject for debate at the next Northern Rhône symposium perhaps?  He can be somewhat unpredictable, eschewing new wood, yet using industrial-looking roto-fermentors. One thing is for sure; he is not too keen on the apparently facile division of Côte-Rôtie into mere Brune and Blonde; it is far more complex than that. 

La Landonne is always the more expressive of the two senior cuvées in youth, it personality combining ripeness of fruit with whole bunch extract and vigour. The famous arzelle (decomposed schist) soils lend energy, charm and length.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Wine Buyer 

One can usually rely on M. Rostaing for an aphoristic analysis of the vintage in question. 2012, he has decided, offers. ‘le plaisir évident mais avec le sérieux derrière’. Hardly Oscar Wilde, but the message is clear.  Whilst perhaps not an iron fist in a velvet glove, the vintage offers, pace the great man, plenty of substance and ageing potential. The imposition of a Latin name on his main cuvée has, it seems, been a success and he maintains his fleet of roto-fermentors, de-stemming the grapes as and when appropriate and now ageing the significant majority of his wines in demi-muid.  

René Rostaing’s cellars are renowned for being among the coldest so when we visit we like to keep the pace up, before the cold penetrates tired feet.   His benchmark Côte-Rôtie, from 13 assorted plots in his care, and now firmly known as Ampodium rather than its previous label ‘’Classique’’, is always a pleasure to taste.   The 2012 has a fine crisp character, leading on to well-defined threads carrying the pure fruit through to a long, firm, assured finish.   A classic Côte-Rôtie, which will develop beautifully into the late 2020s; and for a very respectable price.
Tom Cave, Cellar Plan Manager

The Ampodium is sourced from 13 parcels, with an average vine age of 40 years and half of 2012’s crop destemmed. Exhibiting aromas of violet and bacon rind, then classic Rostaing grip, this is the appellation’s exemplar. After 42 vintages, M Rostaing is clearly in control of his brief; there is just enough tension here and finely etched tannins on the finish.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Wine Buyer 

One can usually rely on M. Rostaing for an aphoristic analysis of the vintage in question. 2012, he has decided, offers. ‘le plaisir évident mais avec le sérieux derrière’. Hardly Oscar Wilde, but the message is clear.  Whilst perhaps not an iron fist in a velvet glove, the vintage offers, pace the great man, plenty of substance and ageing potential. The imposition of a Latin name on his main cuvée has, it seems, been a success and he maintains his fleet of roto-fermentors, de-stemming the grapes as and when appropriate and now ageing the significant majority of his wines in demi-muid.  

Awarded top mark when tasted blind at The World of Fine Wine in July 2008; Youthful colour, delicious aromas of Syrah at its most generous and expressive, perhaps helped by a little Viognier; Aromas of rosehip, thyme, blueberry abound on the nose, overlaid by a hint of iodine; The palate is suitably fine, the tannins dignified, quite assertive, lovely weight , balletic poise, terraced elegance; long and confident.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)

Our 2012 Rhône Vintage Recommendation: Favourite Côte-Rôtie
 A fine example of terroir speaking for itself, the Côte Blonde is made in just the same method as La Landonne. This has a weighty and powerful profile but is nonetheless made up of bright and elegant elements, redcurrant, spicy wild and dry strawberries on the nose and a hint of rose coming later.
Guy Davies, Wine Team

This is big, rich and stinky on the nose, loads of dark, brooding black fruit, with fragrant, lifted notes fighting their way through. Lush, black and spicy fruit on the palate, it has loads of fine integrated tannins, wonderful freshness, and one can almost taste the limestone soil. Elegant, fine and long: almost perfect.
Chris Pollington, Private Account Manager

The Côte Blonde contains 3 or 4% of Viognier and yet is the most reserved member of the family. Given time it will blossom into one of the definitive statements of the entire Rhône valley; its youth is marked by dense red fruit, spice and pepper, with hints of cedar and tobacco also evidenced.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Wine Buyer 

One can usually rely on M. Rostaing for an aphoristic analysis of the vintage in question. 2012, he has decided, offers. ‘le plaisir évident mais avec le sérieux derrière’. Hardly Oscar Wilde, but the message is clear.  Whilst perhaps not an iron fist in a velvet glove, the vintage offers, pace the great man, plenty of substance and ageing potential. The imposition of a Latin name on his main cuvée has, it seems, been a success and he maintains his fleet of roto-fermentors, de-stemming the grapes as and when appropriate and now ageing the significant majority of his wines in demi-muid.

Decomposed schist, known locally as ‘arzelle’, hosts the tiny Rostaing holdings on the Côte Blonde. Ageing provides in Demi-muid a perfect, subtle foil for the unparalleled elegance of this wine; pure piercing Syrah dark-fruit descriptors lead to a dense yet composed palate, a pleasing paradox of potential.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

Gnomic and somewhat whimsical at times, René has been playing his own tune for 43 vintages and shows little sign of abdicating. The Dauphin, Pierre, is now firmly and patiently ensconced. All the grapes were destemmed in 2013 and the harvest was not completed until October 13th; quality is good however, very good indeed.
Reductive and hard to read aromatically, the 2013 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde nevertheless has more stuffing, concentration and depth on the palate than the la Landonne. As normal, it keeps things slightly closer to the vest aromatically in its youth, yet the quality shows on the palate. Again, the ripeness, texture, voluptuousness and tannin quality that Rene was able to achieve in 2013 is superior to just about every other estate. I've no doubt this will show beautifully from bottle and be a mid-90s or better scoring effort.
Jeb Dunnuck - Wine Advocate Issue#216 Dec 2014

RR is one of the main land-owners of this famous granitic vineyard, located just to the north of the town of Ampuis in the area known as Côte Brune. The wine is suitably powerful, with a dense mid-palate of damson, sousbois and licorice, supported by velvety tannins and great authority on the finish.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012

M Rostaing, or RR as we affectionately call him, is something of an enigma, a man giving all semblance of being a classicist, yet whose winemaking philosophy, with its use of rotary fermenters and pragmatic approach to destemming, is far from the old-school. His vocabulary, however, is pleasingly old-fashioned; he likes the 2010 vintage, as there is ‘une belle rigueur’, describing it as ‘Jansenist’ in temperament. The classicism now extends to the names of the wines; the wine formerly known as ‘Cuvée Classique’ has been renamed Ampodium, the Roman name for the town of Ampuis, and the location of his winery.

The Rostaings are lucky enough to own two plots of this famous schistous vineyard, their holdings amounting to 1.6 hectares overall. The 2015 has not been de-stemmed more than a third, and it will probably stay in wood for a total of at least 18 months, such is its inherent power. About 13 percent of the wine is aged in new wood, presumably not a contradiction to René’s remark that “if you like new wood you don’t like wine”! I certainly like this wine in any event. As usual it is more forward than its sibling in youth, with notes of pine spice and black cherry evidenced, plenty of mid-palate concentration and then a quiet authority on the finish. Drink 2022-2030+.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

A few mores stems than usual have been turned over in the famous roto-fermenters; and yet the inherent quality of the fruit is such that the wine is already rich and fleshy with a superb tannic definition. Sourced from 11 lieux-dits, ranging from Tupins in the south to La Viallière in the north, the wine is aged in a combination of barrique and demi-muid, none of it new. Beyond the power one detects the floral elegance for which this village is so famous, and a generous red-fruit personality, backed up by soft spice and finely etched tannins. Drink 2019-2026.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Rhône 2009 - Berrys Recommends
The sophisticated Monsieur Rostaing was one of the producers of the vintage for me. His Cuvée Classique (soon to be renamed "Ampodium" after the town of Ampuis), is a blend from across the Cote Rotie and was thoroughly impressive: Dark, lifted cassis fruit, with sweet spices, beautifully balanced fresh acidity and lengthy, chewy tannins.
(Hamish Orr-Ewing, BBR Fine Wine)

Blended skilfully from thirteen parcels at both ends of the appellation, the Classique is a model of harmonious balance, its gentle aromas of cassis, violets and wood spice gently wooing the taster with feminine charm and real finesse. Freshness on the finish completes the picture.
(Simon Field MW BBR Buyer)

Quite reserved on entry, with fine linear acidity and a pure, long finish. The harvest was relatively late after a mild August; and René praises the resulting wine for its ‘belle tension’, The wine has ripe yet restrained fruit, with subtle aromatics of violets and forest floor, and beautifully silky tannins at the back of the mouth. Extremely promising.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

A brilliant vintage for Côte-Rôtie, this is René’s favourite vintage of the past 20 years. Long maceration and low temperatures preserve the crystalline focus, yet the ripeness of the fruit gives a balance of opulent richness that makes this wine approachable in youth. There is finesse with black fruit precision with a touch of wet stone minerality, floral jasmine notes and herbs de provenance on the finish. Personally, I feel this wine as it represents the best of the Côte-Rôtie at a reasonable price. Though approachable now, this has the structure to age happily for a decade or more and will continue to give and give. If you have a case of this, I would open a bottle a year and track its progress.
Fine Wine Team

M Rostaing, or RR as we affectionately call him, is something of an enigma, a man giving all semblance of being a classicist, yet whose winemaking philosophy, with its use of rotary fermenters and pragmatic approach to destemming, is far from the old-school. His vocabulary, however, is pleasingly old-fashioned; he likes the 2010 vintage, as there is ‘une belle rigueur’, describing it as ‘Jansenist’ in temperament. The classicism now extends to the names of the wines; the wine formerly known as ‘Cuvée Classique’ has been renamed Ampodium, the Roman name for the town of Ampuis, and the location of his winery.

Destemming was virtually absent in 2016, then a
long cuvaison, gently executed and with minimal
pumping over; all the energy and power from the fruit
itself channelling the nutrients and character of the
vintage. Elevage was mainly in demi-muid, with very
few barriques employed, none of them new; the result
has ripe yet restrained fruit, with subtle aromatics of
violets and forest floor, and beautifully silky tannins
at the back of the mouth. Approachable, yet youthful at
the same time; a child for our time. Drink 2020-2024.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

From the famous lieu-dit high above the village, a deliciously complex Condrieu, my first tasting notes here include the words ginger and salt whereas normally with Condrieu it is honeysuckle and apricot, or maybe lychee, if I wish to be controversial. Rostaing captures the biotite granitic soil profile and tames his Viognier with great skill, avoiding oak which I commend with such an inherently powerful varietal. A partially suppressed malolactic fermentation underlines the freshness. The vintage has helped certainly, but the classicist and the son of the classicist have eschewed the decorative and the overly indulgent with great skill. Drink now to 2020.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer