It’s about time for the 2022 budget to be “released” and I’m wondering what are the Syrah-dominant wines that folks here are planning to buy from the 2019 vintage. My wife has finally accepted that she does really enjoy Syrah, so it’s time to bump up the Syrah dominant wines in the cellar from about 7% to about 10%. Which means I need another 24-30 bottles that I haven’t already purchased. So I thought I’d do a little crowd sourcing here to get some recommendations.
Here’s what I have already bought.
3x 2019 Domaine Joël Champet Côte-Rôtie La Viallière
3x 2019 Clos Saint Joseph Syrah Côtes de Provence Les Planches de la Garedivole
7x 2019 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage
3x 2019 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage (MAGNUM)
6x 2019 Twill Cellars Syrah Steelhead Run Vineyard
6x 2019 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes
Here is what I have left that I plan to buy
7x 2019 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche
2x 2019 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche (MAGNUM)
3x 2019 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Les Journaries
4x 2019 Chave Hermitage
3x 2019 Clape Cornas
3x 2019 Guillaume Gilles Cornas
What am I missing that is a “must try” or “must have” ??
Jamet ?
Any other values?
2019 A&E Verset, good value and bumps up your Cornas percentage. Also their signature Verset (best barrels) bottling once it’s released.
Others I’ve been buying annually in the more value side (if they even are): Balthazar Chaillot, Xavier Gerard Cote Rotie and St. Joseph and Michael Bourg. Higher price and different color maybe look for some of the Gangloff wines.
Looks like a pretty good list. You could be pretty happy buying just Levet, Levet, and more Levet. Champet, which you’ve already covered, and Gallet are other regular Cote-Rotie buys for me. Honorable mention to Xavier Gerard. But you should definitely add some Gallet.
I would recommend some cool climate Syrah’s from Santa Barbara County. Some of my favorites cobe from Frequency Wine Co, Tensley, Andrew Murray, Holus Bolus, Melville, and Stolpman
2019 Mickaël Bourg Cornas Les P’tits Bouts
2019 Julien Cecillon Cornas Saint Pierre
2019 Domaine Barge Côte-Rôtie Les Cotes
2019 Domaine Champet Côte-Rôtie La Viallière
2019 Domaine Champet Côte-Rôtie Les Fils à Jo
2019 Domaine Gallet Côte-Rôtie
2019 Domaine Jean-Claude Marsanne St. Joseph
I’ll probably buy:
Jerome Despesse Cornas
more Barge Côte-Rôtie
Levet Côte-Rôtie
Bénetière Côte-Rôtie
Xavier Gerard Côte-Rôtie
Gilles Cornas
Cuchet Beliando Cornas
Texier
etc.
Saint Cosme and Jean Louis Chance negociant lines can both be good values. I quite like the Saint Cosme Crozes Hermitage. There’s also Barruol Lynch for Hermitage and Cote Rotie, neither are inexpensive, but I do think they’re worthwhile. Faury has been mentioned before - and worth cellaring too. I’d also look at their Colline Rhodaniennes too as an early drinker - which can be a spectacular value. Vincent Paris is another popular option too - although I don’t have much experience myself.
I’d swap the La Chappelle, which clocks in at 15.5% ABV in this vintage, for Jamet. Jamet is my favorite Cotie Rotie, though admittedly I own 5x more Levet. I agree with Keith there. Definitely for value and quality, grab the Gerard Xavier Cote Rotie, and it’s little discussed St Joseph, La Blanchard. I really like that La Blanchard, just got in my 19s this week. And since it is Paul’s last vintage (I think), grab some 2016 Halcon Alturas.