The 2021 Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune is a towering success. It unwinds with a mesmerizingly complex perfume of juniper, crushed violets, chamomile, blueberry jam, menthol and herbal tea. Licorice and black pepper add spicy subtleties, complemented by ferrous and stemmy undertones. Although there is more ripeness and density compared to the classic Côte-Rôtie, the 2021 Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune remains medium-bodied at most. Velvety tannins caress the palate and provide gentle structure to what essentially is a textbook Côte Brune of singular class. With so many copycats in the world of wine, the 2021 Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune is an original that could only be made by the talented Jamet family.

A gorgeous nose, that’s so floral, like a rose. It’s silky and approachable already. A drier impression than a typical year but it shows great freshness and energy. Well balanced acidity, no greenness here, but it's just-ripe. Not as long as some years, but it’s precise and more friendly than most 2021s. It’s very much about the florals. One of the oldest parcels, and they found no rot here, unlike most others. It’s constant in quality, impressive even in complicated years. Whole-bunch fermented, matured in old demi-muid. No La Landonne will be made in 2021.