Levet Cote Rotie Les Journaries, Rhone, France 2022

A small range of three Côte-Rôtie is made by the Ampuis based Levet family at their domaine, founded in 1929. Bernard Levet’s daughter Agnès has joined him and as elsewhere a new generation brings fresh impetus and an overhaul particularly of winemaking. The wines here though very much retain their traditional approach and are full of depth and character but also finely crafted and well made. The Levets have small plots spread across a number of sites with just over 4 ha under vine. The vine age varies but much of the vineyard is over 70 years of age, providing great intensity in the fruit. The vinification regime is to some extent driven by the wine and vine age

Bernard Levet’s Côte-Rôtie “Les Journaries” comes from old vines in the western sector of La Landonne, a site known for depth and longevity. The 2022 vintage shows dark fruit purity and fine-grained tannins, shaped by whole-cluster native yeast fermentation and aging in large neutral barrels. This is Levet’s most classically styled cuvée, offering elegance and structure with mineral lift. A serious, age-worthy expression of Côte-Rôtie tradition and granite terroir.

" Aged for a year in foudre then moved to demi-muids, the 2022 Côte Rôtie Les Journaries (known by the Maestria name in Europe) comes from the Landonne and Côte Rozier lieux-dits and was not destemmed. It has a similar perfume to the Amethyste with its red, blue, and black fruits as well as rose, potpourri, and peppery notes, yet it's more seamless, full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and has a great finish." Jeb Dunnuck 97