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Indeed, all along the year, 2012 did not spare the Vignerons : even the savviest got confused, almost losing their points of references, while dealing with its tricks ! Heterogeneity in the vineyard would bear, right from the start, the mark of damage caused by winter frost. Sadly enough, very old Grenache and Syrah vines did not survive this frost. Loss of a precious heritage, impact on the yields of the upcoming harvest, Vignerons were already under pressure…
Conversely, the months of July and August were extremely hot, speeding up the maturing process, as a first step, but worsening water stress, in a second. Rarest reaction, the Vignerons came to bless the rains that fell beginning of September, as they profitably revived the phenolic ripening of the grapes. In the end, deciding the right moment to pick up grapes caused the serious Vignerons a real headache ! To the extent that the harvesting of the different cépages, in the different parcelles, followed a more than widely unusual order…
And now, for one more uncommon observation : opting for a later harvest was not necessarily the winning choice, in 2012 : the exception that
proves the rule !
Now, at this stage, as the Wines are nearing the end of the fermenting process,
they already impose their real potential : they are very, very, good… Thus, they lead us to admit that, from contrasts, Harmony can arise...
La Côte.
AgeingIn new and one year old barrels. Allier, Tronçais et Jupille.
12°C
Decant one hour before tasting.
13%
BottlingWithout fining and light filtration.
CépagesMarsanne : 50 % Roussanne : 50 %
NickOnWine’s Wine Of The Year 2014
Forbes
, *****
It perfectly captures the combination of sensuality and racy energy that marks great whites of the Rhône. This lovely wine comes from a tiny appellation of Saint-Peray at the southern end of the northern Rhône known, if at all, for it’s sparkling wines. “Michel Tardieu is one of the most admired négociants in the region. Over the years he has worked tirelesly to establish long-term relationships with vignerons who cultivate old vines in prime locations, and is thus able to produce tightly focused, intense wines like this beauty from the lieu-dit of La Côte. “Lush with the flavors of Provencal summer peaches and Cavaillon melons yet with the sort of grip and focus that prevents it from being flabby. “Half the assemblage is 100-plus year old Marsanne vines, half 40 year old Roussanne vines, and from such venerable antiquity great wine flows
Forbes
, *****
, 2014-12-20
Creamy and enticing, with salted butter, white peach and Jonagold apple flavors, offset through the finish with a lightly firm stony edge that adds cut and length.
James Molesworth
Wine Spectator
, 91/100
, 2014-05-31
Light gold. Poached pear, lemon zest, chalky minerals and white flowers on the highly perfumed nose, with a gingery nuance adding lift. Dry and precise, offering refreshingly bitter citrus zest and pear skin flavors that become smokier with air. Shows impressive tension on the clinging finish, leaving notes of dusty minerals and jasmine behind. Michel Tardieu told me that the marsanne vines here are over a century old while the roussanne was planted in the early 1970s.
Josh Raynolds
Stephen Tanzer International Cellar
, 91/100
, 2014-04-01
Big, ripe and fleshy, with notions of tropical fruit, dried pineapple, brioche and buttered toast, it hits the palate with loads of fruit and texture, yet stays beautifully pure, fresh and clean. It’s impressive.
Jeb Dunnuck
Wine Advocate
, 90-92/100
, 2013-12-01