Côte Rôtie "Les Grandes Places" 2020 Stéphane Montez | Rhône

At the pinnacle of the Domaine du Monteillet range, Stéphane Montez 's Côte-Rôtie Les Grandes Places is undoubtedly one of the noblest and rarest cuvées in the Northern Rhône Valley. Produced from a tiny parcel of just 0.39 hectares, located on the famous brown soils of Côte Rôtie, this parcel-based cuvée fascinates with its intensity and balance. On these micashist soils, Syrah (97%) and Viognier (3%) cohabit in the Rhone Valley tradition. Rooted in this arid, sloping terroir, the vines draw their vigor from the heart of the rock. Stéphane Montez meticulously applies the Domaine du Monteillet philosophy of hand harvesting, total destemming, long fermentation on indigenous yeasts, and low-pressure pressing. An exceptional 42 months of ageing in new French oak barrels gives this Côte Rôtie its refined texture and structure for long ageing.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Côte Rôtie Les Grandes Places is one of Monteillet's most emblematic cuvées. It's a masterful expression of Syrah on brown soils: a wine of restrained power, whose verticality and tannic grain recall the greatest reds of the northern Rhône Valley. Under Stéphane Montez's precise hand, depth becomes silky, strength elegant. This is a cuvée to be followed over several decades, as its structure and balance promise a harmonious evolution.

On the nose, Côte Rôtie Les Grandes Places delivers intense aromas of ripe black fruits, where blackcurrant, blueberry and plum are enhanced by elegant notes of smoke and peat. Fragrances of menthol and laurel refresh the ensemble. On aeration, the bouquet stretches to accents of graphite and black pepper, recalling the mineral nobility of this emblematic Northern Rhône Valley terroir.

On the palate, the voluptuous body is supported by a perfectly melted tannic structure with exemplary staying power. Velvety aromas of black fruits and garrigue herbs are enhanced by peaty, peppery notes that vibrate on the palate. The minerality of the micashiste adds a saline tension that deliciously lengthens the finish. A Côte-Rôtie of balance and depth, where power and nobility come together in rare harmony.