+1 for Gerard, albeit based on a small sample size.
I had the 14 this year and it was definitely in my top 10 wines of the year.
I had the 17 also, and it showed way too young, but excited for my other bottles of it given some time.
Just had the 2012 a couple weeks ago. Honestly, it was better on release.
The 2017 St Joe is quite nice, too
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No fans of Guigal Brune et Blonde? Not the height of funk or complexity but readily available, consistent and typical. Age well.
I strongly recommend Benetiere, Levet, Barge, Gallet, and Gerard, all mentioned above. All of these are plentifully represented in my cellar, especially Barge. I have some Jean-Luc Jamet but haven’t tasted any.
I will be crestfallen if Benetiere is truly defunct. Although there has been much sturm und drang with Benetiere’s 2015, the wines prior to that vintage have been simply awesome and it will be devastating to lose a producer of such quality.
The '17 Gerard Cote-Rotie is full on excellent.
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Surprised no one has gone with Clusel-Roch nor Jasmin. Both affordable, classic (lower oak) Cote Rotie.
I think Champet is a good Benetiere replacement. I enjoyed the 2013 but I see the negative CT notes on the 2015 that Robert mentioned.
Paul
I do have a bottle of Clusel-Roch’s La Vialliere (2017) in my cellar 
. Only had Jasmin once (a 1988) whixh was good.
Will check out Champet.
well, I’ve got nothing fresh to add. +1’s on Levet, Champet, Gallet, and Barge.
So do people have thoughts on recent vintages?
2015-2018(2019 too), all seem to score high as good vintages.
I have only tasted a few 2015’s and 2016’s myself and prefer 2016 so far as 2015 can seem very hot and dense, but still good in the right hands.
Clusel-Roch deserves more praise most definitely and all three bottlings can be bought for below 100€ in Europe. Even the Schist (was Classique before) ages very well, providing eventually a superb mature CR experience. Barge’s Côte Brune is pretty fantastic at the masculine end of the spectrum.
Looks like nobody sells Gallet in the USA. Too bad.
(Yes, I realize OP is in Europe.)
I realize you didnt include '14 but I thought '14 was excellent and some times even better than '15. As you mentioned, all depends on producer.
Benetiere is not at all belly up. A bit (seemingly appropriately) absurd/comical to see the geek speculation churn.
I tasted the ‘17 Cordeloux in bottle at my house last week. Absolutely freakin’ delicious. Will be offered in January w the in stock Dolium '14.
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Yep, 14 turned out some quality Syrah. I prefer the 2014 Juge, for example, way more than the 2015. Crazy good aromatics in it.
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Good to hear. For me it is the same with Barolo actually where 2014 goes under the radar, but everything i tasted from 2014 has been good.
In addition to earlier recommendations, famous Condrieu producer Georges Vernay also makes a good Cote Rotie “Blonde du Seigneur”, and due to the “Ramonet effect” where everyone wants the whites and ignores the reds, even though retail price on these approaches $100, 2015-2017 have been available here $50-60. Includes 5% viognier with aromatic, generous fruit, but retains an olive-bramble-blackberry wild streak. I thought it nicely straddled the line between old- and new-world. Well-made for what it is, and maybe worth trying a bottle if $50 rather than $100.
This. Although Vernay’s Condrieus are sublime, their Côte-Rôtie is terrific as well.
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My cote rotie team reads almost like a list of the recommended producers here.
Benetiere
Garon
Billon
Clusel Roch
Jasmin
Vernay
Not yet mentioned and definitely should be: Cédric Parpette.
So far, after tasting many wines from each vintage, I prefer 2016 to 2015, but I think there will be some very impressive 2015s after they have time to mature. The vintage 2017 also seems to be terrific. I am starting to taste 2018s, mostly Saint-Josephs, and I am not enjoying them all that much as they have come off as blocky and stodgy. We’ll see how they fare with time.
I am relieved to hear that Benetière is still going strong.
I am still trying to get a read on Clusel Roch. The Viaillere seems to be a very fine wine, all finesse and wispy red fruit. I tasted one 1997 Clusel Roch Les Grandes Places several years ago that was absolutely amazing. The one 2018 Cote Rotie that I have tasted is Clusel Roch’s new cuvée “Champon” - it was really large-scaled, ripe, clumsy, and marked by oak. I followed it over two days and didn’t like it at all.
I’m with you on the vintages. I LOVE 2016 northern Rhônes, which I think have phenomenal balance. I think 15s have great potential but can also be a bit overdone, and 17 is more charming. Haven’t had 18s yet.
I really like Clusel Roch’s Grandes Places with age (or long decants), and buy regularly, but am a bit less impressed with the other cuvees.