Côte-Rôtie Lieu-Dit Semons Graeme & Julie Bott 2019

Lot presentation

Côte-Rôtie Lieu-Dit Semons Graeme & Julie Bott 2019

The wine

The Syrah grapes used to create this Côte-Rôtie originate from a vineyard in Semons, and more specifically from a parcel in Tupin et Semon owned by Didier Cote, owner of the new Graeme and Julie Bott winery. Originally planted in the 1980s, the vines have benefited from cultivation in granite soils on the famous Côte Blonde, which?–?astonishingly?–?is home to more terraces than vines. With 40 or even 50% gradients, the work is primarily manual.
Hand-harvested, the berries are destemmed before vinification, culminating in a 20-month ageing period spent in barrels used for three?or four wines. These containers prevent excessive woody aromas, while providing ideal micro-oxygenation to develop aromas and unfold texture. Finally, a year’s bottle-ageing in the estate’s cellar precedes commercial release.
On tasting, a surprising purity of fruit, with beautiful ripe black fruit, candied raspberry and a hint of black pepper providing great energy. We recommend pairing this wine with characterful dishes that will support its tannic structure. Don’t hesitate to aerate this wine at least one hour before serving.

The story of the domain is intimately linked to that of the couple formed by Julie and Graeme Bott. Julie, a native of the Rhône Valley, and Graeme, from New Zealand, built their business from the ground up after buying their first parcel of Condrieu in 2015. To add a bit of charm to this tale, it’s worth noting that this small parcel happened to be none other than their very own garden, which they obtained upon purchasing their house. After a great deal of hard work, the domain now boasts seven hectares of Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussane vines. Their guiding principle is to produce wines that are pure and open, generous and richly sculpted. To attain this perfect balance, the couple combine environmental awareness with natural conviction. Their vines, in the process of converting to organic farming, are tended to by hand. As a result, they benefit from the highest quality raw materials and a well-earned reputation among connoisseurs of fine Rhône wines.