Côte-Rôtie under 100$.

[Keith_Levenberg]

Looks like nobody sells Gallet in the USA. Too bad.

(Yes, I realize OP is in Europe.)

Fass Selections sells Gallet every vintage. Envoyer offers it on occasion too.

[LasseK1]

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.

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.

Thanks! Great information. I do love 2016 so far myself, so i am buying up now while I still have a chance.

[Jayson_Cohen]

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.

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.

Funny you say that. I’ve been drinking the 2018 Faury VV the last few days. And it’s been a head-scratching ride. Ultimately I think my main concern is 14.5% ABV that makes me think the admirable acid-tannin elements of the wine may always be dominated. Hard to know. I guess I’ll wait 15 years to find out.

The more samples I taste from central France in 2018, the happier I am I largely stayed on the sidelines and shifted my coin to 2019 MSR this year.

[Zachary_Ross]

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.

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.

Funny you say that. I’ve been drinking the 2018 Faury VV the last few days. And it’s been a head-scratching ride. Ultimately I think my main concern is 14.5% ABV that makes me think the admirable acid-tannin elements of the wine may always be dominated. Hard to know. I guess I’ll wait 15 years to find out.

The more samples I taste from central France in 2018, the happier I am I largely stayed on the sidelines and shifted my coin to 2019 MSR this year.

I think your point about alcohol levels and, therefore, ripeness makes sense. I haven’t had either 2018 Faury St.-Jo yet; I don’t suppose I will now, either! I’ve tried Fauterie, Luyton, and Jacouton (Fassmen all).

Also, aside from Gonon, which I no longer buy, I don’t see my Saint-Joseph purchases as fifteen-year keepers; that status is reserved for Cornas, Cote-Rotie, and a little bit of Hermitage. So I don’t suppose I will find out how these 2018 Saint-Josephs end up down the road unless someone else’s largesse comes along in 15 years.

[HenryB]

I dont know about American pricing, but Guigal 2015 D’Ampuis is ~£60 a bottle before tax.

[LasseK1]

So much great info in this thread! Thank you all.

Also bought a few bottles of Gallet’s 2016 along with a 2012 i will taste now.

[patrick_c_albright]

JP Jamet’s Fructus Voluptus bottling should be under €60– over there.

[Zachary_Ross]

So much great info in this thread! Thank you all.

Also bought a few bottles of Gallet’s 2016 along with a 2012 i will taste now.

The 2012 Gallet showed very well upon release. It seemed to me then that it would give lots of early drinking pleasure, so I drank all mine, the last bottle I had was about a year ago. Let us know how it’s doing now!

[Ethan_Abraham]

I got one each of 16 and 17 gallet…so tempting to pop one rather than send into deep deep storage.

[Ramon_C]

It’s been a while, but last had a Cote-Rotie from Benjamin Duclaux from vintage 2005. Post 2005 vintage, it seemingly just stopped showing up in my market, so I stopped drinking it.

I don’t think it’s still over > $100, but I’ll add it to the list here.

[Matt_Mauldin]

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.

K&L had some deals on this a few months ago on both the 2016 and 2017 vintages. A good one to look for on their Insider Advantage emails.

[Noah_C]

Stephane Ogier makes some really excellent Cote Rotie wines of excellent concentration and wonderful savoriness. Personally, I enjoy N Rhone reds that emphasize earth and mineral over the extracted hot jammy fruity flavors of more modern styles of winemaking and Stephane Ogier always hits the spot! A bit off topic, but consider Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage as well; excellent producer with wines that share many qualities with Cote Rotie for well under $100.

[LasseK1]

So much great info in this thread! Thank you all.

Also bought a few bottles of Gallet’s 2016 along with a 2012 i will taste now.

The 2012 Gallet showed very well upon release. It seemed to me then that it would give lots of early drinking pleasure, so I drank all mine, the last bottle I had was about a year ago. Let us know how it’s doing now!

Will do

[Jozef.P]

It’s been a while, but last had a Cote-Rotie from Benjamin Duclaux from vintage 2005. Post 2005 vintage, it seemingly just stopped showing up in my market, so I stopped drinking it.

I don’t think it’s still over > $100, but I’ll add it to the list here.

Duclaux has a good reputation in France, AFAIK, and that’s where it’s mainly sold. I bought 3 Cote Rotie La Germine 2016 to try (Maison Rouge is their top bottling). The bottles were far below 100 USD.

[LasseK1]

JP Jamet’s Fructus Voluptus bottling should be under €60– over there.

Was told that it is not a big step up from his CDR… have you tasted both?

[HMechbal]

I second the Bonnefond mention(s). Their Rochains and Rozier bottles are excellent and age gracefully and you can still get them below 50 euros. Might be the best bang for your buck in Cote Rotie, I’ve tasted some bottles with 15 years of age and they could play with some of the big boys of CR.

Pierre Gaillard is getting pricier and pricier unfortunately, but it’s still below the 100$ mark, I’m just annoyed by the price increase pace. But yeah, Rose Pourpre is good.

I like a lot the Maison Rouge Cote Rotie of Ducleaux, I’m less convinced by the two other cuvées of the domaine. Reading around in French forums though it seems that quaility is unenven depending on vintages. 2009 was the last I drunk and it was excellent. La Germine is ok I guess, I just can find better stuff at that price point. La Chana is just a way to sell young Cote Rotie in restaurant.
Haven’t tasted the big Jamet cuvées but was unimpressed by Fructus Voluptus. Same for their CdR actually, I found it ok but bad value for the 20-25 euros range.

Cuilleron’s cuvées keep changing name but their top cuvée continues to be excellent. It was previously Terres Sombres and became Lieu-dit Bonnivieres, the 2016 and 2017 I tasted were excellent.

A domaine that is on the rise in France in terms of reputation is Francois et Fils. They have a Cote Rotie around 30€ and they have a Rozier and Rochains cuvées as well. I’ve put away some but did not taste yet as I didn’t get enough bottles to sacrifice one. And around 30 euros, I know it’s negoce and a lot of bottles produced each year but I’ve had a lot of really good Brune and Blonde from Guigal (as well as Ampuis of course). They know their stuff, and B&B continues to be quite nice after 10+ year.

I’m probably forgetting a lot of other stuff I like, I just haven’t tasted enough to really get a sence of the producer but I did like what I drunk from Garon, PJ Villa, Montez.

Never been able to find Xavier Gerard’s CR at a good price in France. Same for Gangloff, everyone rushes and take the Barbarine and Sereine Noire cuvée.

[LasseK1]

Thank you HMechbal! Will check out Bonnefond.

[Zachary_Ross]

I’ve found Bonnefond, Gaillard, and Cuilleron all to be too oaky for my palate. Different strokes.

[A_Rubin_Stein]

I’ve found Bonnefond, Gaillard, and Cuilleron all to be too oaky for my palate. Different strokes.

I agree 100%, although I have not tasted recent vintages.

[Zachary_Ross]

I’ve found Bonnefond, Gaillard, and Cuilleron all to be too oaky for my palate. Different strokes.

I agree 100%, although I have not tasted recent vintages.

Same. Of course that’s because of prior experiences.