Judi Kruse

9.0

Nice light, effervescent white. Enjoyed beside the Arkansas River in Salina, CO. — 6 years ago

Julie Sawyer

9.0

Cherry/fruit forward juicy Zin, with a nice sharp finish — 6 years ago

Will Hodges

9.0

Initially I simply was trying to figure out what hybrid varietal based wine tastes like but after settling into it, I was able to admire it for what it is; a delicious, fresh, juicy acid bound wine that almost could replace some of my go to Tuesday night gluggers. Very excited to taste more. Marquette, Petit Pearl, St. Croix, Sabrevois, Cayuga. — 6 years ago

Steve Gerths

9.2

This wine from 1890's vines in the San Joaquin River Delta Sand was really great. Have another bottle so it went to bottom of the rack. Dark berry with very smooth long finish — 7 years ago

Adam Hasten

9.1

What I wanted it to be. Light smooth but not bland...reminds me of Russian River pinots. — 7 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.2

V15. Nicely balanced. Toasty nose. Buttery pear, Apple and soft honey kissed fruit. Creamy oak finish. — 7 years ago

Craig Camp

General Manager Troon Vineyards

9.1

Stunning vibrancy for a wine of such girth, balanced and alive, but this is about hedonism — 7 years ago

Bart Bartlett

9.1

Very fruity. Starts with sweet plum and a tinge of grapefruit and transitions very smoothly to a licorice finish. I really, really enjoy this wine! — 7 years ago

with Jennifer

Ashley Holmberg

9.1

Enjoying CO Sunsets with a great glass of local vino while getting dolled up for Emily & Josh's ceremony. Their pear cider is perfect for the river as well...! — 8 years ago

Michael Chelus

9.0

Cherry, raspberry preserves, dark chocolate, mossy earth, vanilla and oak. Great structure and soft tannins. — 6 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

2010 was a very good vintage in Rhône. Rostaing is a well know producer with people that know and drink Northern Rhône wines, not so much with others that do not. The Ampodium is the entry level into Rene & Pierre Rostaing wines. It is a blend of 13 vineyards in Northern Rhône. They are simply one of the very best producers in the region. I spent an afternoon with Rene & his son Pierre tasting in the their cellar and in their La Landonne vineyard as shown in the photos. The 2010 is drinking beautifully with many good years ahead. On the nose; ripe & slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries, cherries, steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, iron pan, some white & black pepper, bacon fat, grilled savory meats, pork, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with violets. The body is round and medium full. The tannins round, still a little chewy & around 55% resolved. The length, texture, tension and balance are in near perfect harmony. The fruits are; round, ruby & ripe; slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries & cherries. Steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, chalky minerals, iron pan, coffee grounds, spice, some baking spices w/hints of vanilla, white & black pepper, drying blood, dry herbs/bay leaf, dry stems, moderate levels of bacon fat & pork, grilled savory meats, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with fresh violets for days. The acidly is round and dripping. The long finish is plush, velvety delicious and lasts & lasts. In good vintages, I would put this in blind with the best of of the best new world wines from any vintage that many love; SQN, Booker, Saxum, Alban, Cayuse, Horsepower etc.. I’d bet most of you would pick it over these producers that cost much more $$$. It’s simply one of the best pound for pound wines/producers for this varietal. Especially, for the $$$. Wow, what a wine for the $. $55 upon release. Photos of; Winemaker Pierre Rostaing and our group in their La Landonne vineyard, the small sign that barely identifies their Estate, an example of the Quartz mineral that runs throughout their La Landonne vineyard and the view back onto the river from the top of the very steep La Landonne Vineyard. Producer notes and history...Rene Rostaing produced their first wine in 1971. However, it took almost three decades before wine became a full time occupation for Rene Rostaing. Domaine Rene Rostaing came about through marriage. The wife of Rene Rostaing was the daughter of the famed Cote Rotie grower, Albert Dervieux, and the niece of Marius Gentaz-Dervieux who gave Christine the vineyard land that became the Northern Rhone estate for Rene Rostaing. Through inheritance from Albert Dervieux Thaize (his father-in-law) who retired in 1990, and from Marius Gentaz Dervieux, his uncle, Rene Rostaing expanded his holdings, giving him some of the best terroir in Cote Rotie. The new vineyard land was basically 3 small parcels in the La Landonne, Cote Brune and Vialliere lieux-dits. This initial expansion from his initial tiny parcel, allowed Rene Rostaing to change careers and become a full time vigneron. Since 2007, the estate has managed by Pierre Rostaing, (son) of Rene Rostaing. Currently Rene Rostaing owns 7.5 hectares of vines that is spread out among 20 different parcels located in 14 locations. Perhaps the most celebrated vines of Rene Rostaing are the 1.6 hectares of vines they own in the La Landonne vineyard (photo). On La Landonne, the vines are more than 60 years old. Some vines are even close to 100 years of age! Those are his largest holdings. The smallest vineyards of Rene Rostaing are located on Cote Blonde. Rene Rostaing also has vines planted in; Fonjean, La Vialliere, Le Plomb, Bouchare, Leyat, La Roche and La Tupin. Their oldest vines are more than 70 years old and are used for Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde. The majority of those plantings are on the steep hillsides with mica, schist and rocky soils. 25% of those vines are closer to the bottom of the slopes and on the flats. Rene Rostaing remains a traditional Cote Rotie producer who is not among the last to harvest. His wines are aged using very little new, French oak barrels. On average, Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie are aged in about 10% new French oak barrels. Rene Rostaing produces 4 different Cote Rotie wines. Rene Rostaing Ampodium, which was previously known as Rostaing Cuvee Classique, is a blend of 13 sections of different vineyards, but it does not include their best holdings on La Landonne or Cote Blonde. The fruit for Rene Rostaing Ampodium has at least 40% or more of the stems removed and run between 12-13.5% abv. The wine is usually made from 100% Syrah and is aged in an average of 15% to 25% new, French oak barrels. The amount of new oak can be less, depending on the character of the vintage. About 1,750 cases are produced each year. The wine is no longer called Cuvee Classique, the name was changed to Rene Rostaing Ampodium with the 2009 vintage. Rene Rostaing La Landonne comes from a terroir consisting of sands with iron oxide and traces of quartz. This wine is always produced from 100% Syrah. The grapes are partially destemmed, with about 10% to 20% of the stems removed, depending on the vintage. There are vintages when no destemming takes place. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats. Rene Rostaing is not a believer of using too much new oak for the aging, which on average uses 10% new, French oak barrels and the remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids (600 liter) and French oak barrels. This wine is like most wines from La Landonne, masculine and meaty in character, requiring at least a decade to soften and develop. On average, Rene Rostaing La Landonne produces less than 600 cases depending on what the vintage delivers. Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde is perhaps his best. It’s produced from a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. The grapes are co-fermented. The vineyards is planted in the region call Arzel. Arzel is a poor, mineral laden soil with deposits of Silex and Mica on a steep hillside. The vines are more than 50 years of age. The grapes are partially destemmed…35% to 50% of the stems are removed. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats.
The remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids. This one is the hardest to find and most collectible of all their wines. In fact, they only produce close to an average of 350 cases of Cote Rotie in most vintages. Rene Rostaing Cote Brune made its debut with the 2013 vintage. The vines were once part of the holdings of Marius Gentaz, which eventually passed to Rene Rostaing. Rostaing replanted those vines in 2000. Made from 100% Syrah. — 6 years ago

Eric Linderman

9.0

Lightest of morgans wines. 2011 — 8 years ago

Buddy G

9.3

Drink more Bedrock! — 8 years ago

Gregory Fulchiero

9.0

Ripe fruit - creamy texture - wonderful - blend of 3 vineyards — 6 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.3

First winery on day two in Sonoma was Donelan Family Wines in Santa Rosa with Meredith. The next Rhone varietal red was the Kobler Family Vineyard Syrah. Made up of 90% Syrah and 10% Viognier from the Kobler Family Vineyard in the Green Valley of Russian River Valley. The Syrah and Viognier are co-fermented with around 40-60% whole cluster for 21 months in neutral French oak. Only 508 cases produced.

Deep purplish ruby red. Layered nose with dark berries on the attack followed up by smoked meats, chutney and some floral elements. Medium plus tannins (7/10) with a medium plus body and a dry long finish. Dark minerality on the palate with some purple flowers, savory herbs, leather, salami and raspberries. Drink till 2028. (93+)

$$ - Tasted at the winery. Retail price is $60.00. — 6 years ago

with India

Keith Whitener WSET Diploma, CSW

9.2

Super-Cali-fragran-tastic-Bacigalupi-docious! From Kirk Venge & Co. Others have called this a Cab lovers Pinot. I concur. Yum! — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.3

Halfway through my work conference here in San Francisco, and we wanted to make our way to the piers for dinner one night and get some prime seafood. I’m with 3 co-workers who know nothing about wine, so I ordered this. Every single person tasted and said “holy smokes, I didn’t know white wine could taste this good”. Merry Edwards SB is a crowd pleaser. Not a massive citrus bomb, with flavorful savory notes of wet rock and limestone. Perfect for seafood. 👌 — 7 years ago

Ghassan Kanafani

9.3

With D and Lauren at home in CO — 7 years ago

Eric Linderman

9.4

From the cellar. Big bold beefy Syrah, iodine, dark fruit just big and lingering in the mouth. Morgan (aka rain man) makes a mean Syrah but this shows they need some bottle age. Beautiful. Too bad he doesn't make this anymore. — 7 years ago

Jake Hajer

8.9

Good in that you can clearly taste the Belgian yeast and very appropriate in style- banana, Clove, and green cardamom. Tastes hot, but not 10% alc hot. Not original or different, but enjoyable — 8 years ago