2004 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Upfront and ready to go, the 2004 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde has mature red and blue fruits as well as notes of Provençal herbs, saddle leather, and spice. As with most 2004s, it’s mature yet should evolve nicely gives its freshness and balance, although it doesn’t hit the levels of some of the other top vintages of this cuvée.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
In stark contrast to the ’05, the 2004 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde was open, evolved and ready to go. Loaded with garrigue, saddle leather, spice, and sweet raspberry and cassis-like fruit, it’s a wine I’d drink over the coming decade while the fruit is still lively.
Bright red. Explosive, intensely perfumed bouquet encompasses smoky red and dark berries, cherry, fresh and dried flowers and an intriguing minerality. Deep in concentrated blackberry and raspberry preserve flavors but also boasts superb freshness and clarity. The bright, tangy finish doesn't want to quit, throwing off notes of floral pastille, graphite, tobacco and sweet red and dark berries. The wine's tannins are overwhelmed by sweet fruit.
Deep ruby color. Hugely aromatic nose combines bright cherry, smoked meat, licorice, violet and rose oil. This is almost oily in texture but is surprising for its elegance and mineral tones, with flavors of ripe plum, cherry preserve, roasted coffee and licorice pastille. Finishes with fine-grained tannins, powerful notes of smoky bacon and blackberry and solid grip.