Jean-Luc Colombo, Côte-Rôtie (Rhône Valley, France) 2011

I’ve tasted many of Colombo’s wines in most vintages for more than a decade, and I adore Côte-Rôtie (which along with great Burgundy is simply the world’s most sublime red wine, period).  Nevertheless, I’ve never tasted this wine, though I’m damned sure glad to have put an end to that lamentable reality.  The aromas are simply gorgeous even before the wine has attained an age at which it could offer up tertiary scents — which is a testament to how good the fruit material was, and how judiciously it was oaked during the wine’s elevage.  Lifted scents of violets and both red and black fruits are totally alluring, and the delicate flavors follow suit.  Beautifully light and fresh for a wine from the (sometimes chunky) 2011 vintage, this just radiates elegance and class.