Domaine Burgaud Cote Rotie

Country: France
Region: Cote Rotie (Northern Rhone)
Varietal(s): 100% Syrah
Maturation: 15 months in 20% new oak barrels
Alcohol: 13% abv
Size: 750ml

The Land

In the 1980s Bernard Burgaud shifted the focus of his family farm to wine production. The landscape is extremely steep, rendering mechanical methods impossible. He didn't seek expansion beyond 5 hectares of vineyards as "a single man can only work two hectares per year", according to him. The domaine has holdings in the famous climats of Côte Blonde, Fongeant, Les Moutonnes, Leyat, La Brosse and Champin.

Vinification

They refuse the fashion for special vintages and bottling single parcels, as they aim for an overall harmony in the blend. Native yeasts are used for fermentation, which lasts for 10 days. Grapes are 100% destemmed, as stems reduces the acidity of the wine (no longer desired as grapes are now sufficiently ripe thanks to climate change) which is important to retain freshness in the final blend. It is then matured in 20% new French oak barrels for 15 months (compared to longer maceration and more new oak, common among his neighbours) resulting in wines that are more approachable when young.

The Wine

The harvest was early after a heatwave in July, grapes are healthy and of good quality. The wine has a deep colour, with intense violet and dark fruits on the nose. The palate is concentrated, full of red and black fruits with round, velvety tannins and a long finish. A more elegant and approachable vintage, relatively lighter bodied but uncompromising intensity. Drinking beautifully now