Domaine Pierre Gaillard Côte-Rôtie 375ml 2019

Pierre Gaillard's Côte-Rôtie is 90 per cent Syrah co-fermented with 10 per cent Viognier, offered here in a half bottle.

Côte-Rôtie is the northernmost appellation of the Rhône, and it is the only one where a small proportion of white Viognier may be co-fermented with Syrah, a practice that lifts the aromatics and helps fix colour. The fruit for this bottling comes from the schist soils of Fongeant and Viallière at Ampuis, together with a parcel on gneiss at Semons in the south of the appellation. Harvesting is by hand with a strict selection so that only the finest bunches and berries reach the blend. The fruit is fully destemmed, given a five-day pre-fermentation soak and then worked with regular punch-downs. The wine spends 18 months in barrique, half of it new, and is bottled without filtration. The style is seductive and layered, with smoke and spice around the fruit and a ferrous mineral edge.

Approachable young but built to keep for a decade; serve at 16-18°C with grilled beef, roast lamb or hard cheese. A 375ml bottle will mature faster than a standard bottle.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.