2001 Cote Rotie Champin Seigneur
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Tasting notes
Blend of parcels from the Côtes Brune and Blonde. 10% Viognier. 11 months in oak (60% new). 2,000 cases produced. Mid bright garnet. Lightly peppery and a touch of forest floor but still lots of dark peppery fresh fruit. Maybe just a touch of lavender. Fragrant and expressive. Fine but quite chewy tannins, fresh and mouthwatering. Still young and primary on the mid palate with the pepper coming through again on the finish. Elegant and also has depth of fruit but not so much length. Originally I thought the acid stuck out a bit at the end but it seemed better integrated when I went back to it. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Bright, deep ruby-red. High-toned, perfumed nose dominated by mocha, pepper and baking and Indian spices. Less fleshy than it appeared to be in barrel a year ago, but juicy, lively and light on its feet. Today the wine's fruit is overshadowed by its oak component. Finishes with a slightly dry oak edge.
Gerin’s 2001 Cote Rotie Champin Le Seigneur spent 11 months in 60% new French oak with one racking. Its deep ruby color is accompanied by a sweet perfume of black raspberries, cherries, and pain grille. This seductive, medium-bodied, lush, fruit-driven Cote Rotie includes 10% Viognier in the blend for additional complexity. Enjoy it over the next 7-8 years. The president of the syndicate of Cote Rotie growers, the young, dynamic, and talented Jean-Michel Gerin continues to build a strong following for his progressive, modern-styled, barrique-aged Cote Roties. He calls 2001 a “very good vintage ... assuming vignerons did severe crop-thinning.” He believes the wines will be approachable early, much like 1997. Importers: New Castle Imports, Myrtle Beach, SC; tel. (843) 448-9463 and Langdon-Shiverick, Cleveland, OH; tel. (216) 861-6800