Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.6

Cool label, but can you explain what the hell "sérine" is? Apparently it's some tight clustered Syrah clone that's both "highly precise" and "vulnerable to disease". Sounds risky... Especially considering this comes from the frighteningly steep terraces of Cote Rotie. Not only that, but the wines were made without new oak or sulfur. He also picks early and uses some amount of carbonic maceration. Jean Michel Stephan uses to work for Guigal, but I guess he must of learned "what not to do" instead of mimicking the style.

The intensity is beyond belief! Cote Rotie is already aromatic, but this is amplified by the carbonic quality. Further, there's a large amount of Viognier here too, which lends a bright tropical punch in the midst of classic Syrah notes (tapenade? meatiness?). There's some similarity to the Matthieu Barret Cornas I just drank, but this has far more clarity in the aromatics - a quality both important and underrated. So striking here are the aromatics, it's hard to even move on to actually tasting the wine - but once you do, it surprises again.

This wine's balance is very strange... No oak, but the high acidity is tapered by carbonic maceration. It's soft, but lean at the same time. There's a slight oily texture which might be from the Viognier, but it's counter balanced by an amazing display of fresh fruit. Raspberry, pear, black cherry, and even pineapple. From the nose to the mid palate it's an exhilarating wine., but the finish is noticeably abrupt. The tannins are tart and bitter like the skin of an under ripe plum. Aesthetically it works. From the nose all the way into the mid palate, this wine is so "over-the-top" that a sudden, unexpected bitterness comes across as a moment of clarity instead of disappointment.

I highly recommend the wine. I hope to taste other vintages and bottlings.

#syrah #naturalwine #coterotie #northernrhone #jeanmichelstephan #syrah #biodynamic #rhone #northernrhone #rhonevalley — 6 years ago

Rebecca Markarian

9.3

Good stuff — 8 years ago

Robert Schein

9.2

Sumptuous! My new favorite Cahors! — 8 years ago

Gottfried Benn

9.0

Blackberries, Black currant, laurel and black olives. Very nice wine. — 9 years ago

Noah Askin

9.0

Nice, mellow red. Slightly spicy but not much. — 9 years ago

Mikey T

8.9

2010 Chateau De Cosse Sauternes — 9 years ago

Morrigan Burke-martin

9.6

Struck matches, high in residual sugar, spun gold — 10 years ago

Laura Masero

9.6

Rising star in Chavignol! Well done Matthieu! — 10 years ago

Chris Scanlan

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

9.0

Ancient vines, not within Cru bojo, but worthy of such recognition, Marcel may be gone, but his wife and friend's carry it on: Marie Lapierre, Matthieu Lapierre and the Chamonards. — 11 years ago

Craig Jenest

9.2

Paired with...
Potage aux Cosse de Petit Pois — 6 years ago

Chris Zitzman

9.5

Had to pop this to help celebrate the crowning achievement that the incredibly astute Matthieu Finot has been awarded- and more over to toast to all the BEAUTIFUL work that’s been (& BEING) done by the “3”. Jake & Emily I sing all of your praises- and this beautiful wine of its very own impressive “conversation” is an even richer conversation than when we first for to wrap it around our ‘thirsty palates’.
BRAVO TO THE THREE! The three...with lamb chops tonight. Baby. — 6 years ago

with Beth

Jeremy Wong

9.0

Drank on 7 Apr 2017 in HK @ Serge et le Phoque. Floral nose and long lasting — 7 years ago

K J

9.0

Frenchie wine bar. Lighter. Long finish. Vanilla and long finish. — 8 years ago

Bradley Brown

Owner/Winemaker Big Basin Vineyards

9.2

Savory classic Cornas, aging great — 8 years ago

Kieran Roberts

9.4

Yes yes yes! Delicious with restraint that carries through! — 9 years ago

Astrid Lewis

9.2

Always a fave. Thx to Matthieu for bringing it for the marketing catch up! — 9 years ago

with Pierpaolo

Bryan Garcia

Sales Grand Cru Selections

9.6

'89 Baudry Chinon Grezeaux opened by Bernard & Matthieu. A great testament to their Chinons longevity & elegance! — 9 years ago

with Pascaline

Kevin Yen

9.3

2013/5@Tainan bear bar — 10 years ago

Diane Peters

9.7

With Matthieu at Lo Stivale D'Oro — 11 years ago

John Hagood

9.5

Whence? Extremely pleasant. With poached salmon — 6 years ago

Dave Montagne

9.0

Last night in Vaison-La-Romaine with Matthieu. — 7 years ago

Alia Connor

9.1

Sel rrose! — 7 years ago

Al Doyle

9.4

I'm very enamoured of this; one of the few (only?) Chenin Blancs from the Muscadet appellation area, it's doing a lot of things at once; malo richness and tingling acids, fresh and terrifyingly drinkable. — 8 years ago

with Lulu

Logan Brooks

9.0

Let it open and enjoy! — 8 years ago

Kalani Niheu

9.4

Great wine. — 9 years ago

Dubarno

9.0

Anniversaires 19 Matthieu et 47 Arno — 9 years ago

Bryan Garcia

Sales Grand Cru Selections

9.1

#barreltasting '12 Baudry La Croix Boissée with Matthieu Baudry — 9 years ago

with Pascaline

Baku Nagai

9.8

The best way to describe I think this would be: the fruit is alive, or: the most complete expression if the fruit. — 10 years ago

Ania Et Samir FBY

9.9

A l'oiseau sans tête — 10 years ago

Diane Peters

9.7

With Matthieu & Arno — 11 years ago