Pierre Gaillard Cote-Rotie Rose Pourpre 2019

Pierre Gaillard has ascended to legendary status for his work in Côte Rôtie over the past 40+ years. In the early 80s, he worked alongside Marcel Guigal to craft Guigal's La Turque, arguably the region's most famous wine. This 94 POINT, single parcel syrah sings with Côte Rôtie’s ample voice and is a perfect expression of authentic syrah from one of the best spots in the world to grow it.

The “Rose Poupre” comes from a single parcel vineyard under one hectare in size known as Côte Rozier in the heart of the Côte Brune. The vineyards look over the town of Ampuis, rooted in deep, schist soils rich in iron oxide, with the vines planted back in 1983. The plot is south-facing, forming an amphitheater where surrounding stone walls capture the day’s heat – bringing classic Côte Rôtie concentration and power to the resulting wines.

And that is exactly what you get here… layers of dark cassis, pretty violets, smoked meats, peppery spice, inky and primordial volcanic rock, blackberries, blueberries, kirsch, and iron ore – this is a masterclass on Northern Rhone syrah, yet with the rounded edges, and polished smoothness, and elegant acidity that have become Pierre’s hallmarks over the last several decades.

Pierre, and now his children, have never shied away from the use of new oak. The key to Pierre is that it never dominates the conversation – merely serves up concise talking points to guide the discussion along in a civilized manner. This 100% syrah sees 18 months in barrel, of which up to 50% may be new, depending on the vintage. He micro-oxygenates the wine every 4 months during that period to further encourage the integration of the tannins and cooperation of the flavor profiles, all before bottling unfined and unfiltered. The resulting wine is one of the highlights of the stellar 2019 vintage – a vintage that will be remembered for its power, richness, and ageability. This can easily be drunk over the next two decades, and yet, it is a charming and enjoyable sip even today! Just under ten cases, so don’t delay!