Eric L

9.3

Very good for Marlborough Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, which are usually very poor. Smooth and easy drinking but with personality. — 5 years ago

Chip Hughes

9.2

Poor man’s Raveneau...which is no faint praise. All Servin’s ‘17s are beyond great. — 6 years ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.1

Classic Bandol rose’ with a full mouthfeel. Mouthwatering. I agree with @Geoff Troup, poor man’s Tempier. Killer value. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

For me it has easily been a year since the last time I experienced one of these. And wow let me tell you this one would STILL confuse me if I was blindfolded and asked to tell the year of vintage. I would have guessed 2014 or 2015. This wine is POWERFUL. Complex, deep, structure is massive. The nose of this wine is blackberry and dark chocolate. The entry is dark, deep blackberry, cassis, smokey. Middle has some mint chocolate chip, dates. Finishes strong, very youthful, immense amount of black pepper and still quite tannic. Still has 7-10 years in it. Drink 2018-2028 — 7 years ago

Aaron Means

9.7

THE. BEST. DOMESTIC. CHARD!!!!!! Yes, yes, yes. I'm blown away. This is the best domestic chard I've ever drank. This particular vintage is killer. I could poor this in a lineup of top notch Meursault and none would be the wiser, that's how good this is. Intense smoke/funk brought on by minerality that most domestic producers could only dream of. A legendary wine in my book. @June's All Day, Austin TX — 8 years ago

Gene Buonviri

9.0

Electric blush rose. Strawberries and cranberry. Great with Italian Johnny Marzetti. — 8 years ago

with Justinian

Laura Maguire

9.5

Really into this bright, super fresh wine with some good tannins. 4 barrels produced, give me all of the Grenache that you have. — 8 years ago

with Kyle

Renee Chippendale

10

Sweet and smooth, but not overly sweet either. — 9 years ago

Michelle M

9.4

Rich smells of milk chocolate, ripe blackberries brambles and fresh blueberries, with hints of white mushroom, tart cherry, and saltwater taffy. Medium-light weight, deep opaque red with rich oily umami mouthfeel and light red fruits like cherry and plum on the palate, and soft well polished black tea tannins lingering nicely on the finish. Very interesting red, like a poor-mans-Ho-Brion (😉), would probably go well with tomato-cream sauce dishes and grilled meats or great by itself. Great value — 5 years ago

RL

9.3

Drank this beauty in New Mexico with friends. Blackberries, sour apple and pine. — 6 years ago

Doug Sayed

8.9

Big Sonoma Pinot framed by very fine tannins and a bit of heat (14.3% abv). Well made, but poor QPR, and a bit too much ripeness for my tastes. — 6 years ago

Kim Stanbro

9.0

Our evening of Walt Pinots continues with more neighbors at home for family game night. Bob’s ranch was delicious but my least favorite. — 7 years ago

with Amy, Therese and 1 other

Ming L

8.9

This one-off Cuvée from the boutique Robert Craig winery which focuses on mountain appellations in Napa is 50% Spring Mountain CS and 50% Howell Mountain Zinfandel (same juice that goes into the Turley Zin) aged 12 months in French Oak, 35% new. Gentle nose of dark fruits, green and sweet bell pepper, coffee, herbs, slight scent of perfume. Silky and savory on the palate with refreshing acidity. Bitter herbal finish. This wine is supple and delicious. And a hell of a deal at $20! — 8 years ago

JJ Lumia

8.9

Similar tasting notes. Blackberry and Asian spice notes. Full and fruit-forward, maybe a bit extracted. Not as peppery or meaty as last tasting. Maybe losing its edge; maybe a poor bottle. Still solid at $10. — 8 years ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

8.9

It's election night and this wine has cherries 🍒 but overall it's a light weight with not enough stuffing may be the poor vineyard is catching up with this. (I might have rated this higher in the past). I will try this tomorrow again. +++ Slightly better the next day with added weight and complexity. +++ — 8 years ago

jerod peitsmeyer

9.3

poor man's barbaresco — 9 years ago

Bill Koplos

9.2

Strawberry pie bomb, toasted brown sugar, lavender. Diggin’ this — 5 years ago

with Jenny

Paul J

9.1

Solid wine! PnP. Dark purple color. Nose has oak and dark cherry. Oak continues to dominate on the palate with blackberry and cedar tones. Solid finish. Surprised modestly to the upside, but did follow a poor wine. — 6 years ago

with Brooke

Jonathan Evans

9.0

Smooth and vivid. No aftertaste. Sediment from the cluster adds character, takes nothing away. A fabulous wine 🍷 — 6 years ago

with Kristen

Somm 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. — 7 years ago