Domaine René Rostaing, Côte-Rôtie (Rhône Valley, France) 2009

 René Rostaing’s modest winery is a couple of lanes over from the legendary Château d’Ampuis within rock-tossing distance of the Rhone River.  It’s his vineyards that make Rostaing a Rhône rock star.  He acquired some of the best vineyard sites in the Cote-Rotie when his father-in-law and his uncle retired.  If you have had the incredible fortune of having experienced a ethereal Gentaz-Dervieux Côte-Rôtie, the last vintage of which was 1993, then you can appreciate the origin of some of his wonderful fruit.  Ampodium is a blend from several vineyard sites.  It is in a classic style showing savory, black pepper, herbal, violet aromas and flavors.  The fruit on the palate is concentrated and intense, lifted by decisive acidity and beautiful fine-grained tannins.  It is drinkable today, but will certainly become even more interesting over many years to come.