Côte-Rôtie Vieilles Vignes en Coteaux Jean-Michel Stephan 2011 (Red)

Jean-Michel Stephan established his property in the commune of Tupin-Semons in the Côte-Rôtie appellation in 1991. This enthusiastic young winegrower planted his first hectare at the age of 14 and began his career at Jean-Paul Brun's Domaine des Terres Dorées (Beaujolais). From the outset, he opted for a very natural approach, both in his vineyards and at the winery. His vineyard was even certified organic at one stage, until he left this system believing it to be unreliable (particularly in the area of checks). Although no longer accredited, he has retained the practices of organic farming and does not use any artificial products, only organic fertilisers. New plots are planted with massal-selection Serine. His 4.5 hectares of vines have a hillside location and an ideal south, south-east exposure. On some of these parcels the work can only be carried out with the help of a horse or on foot. After a meeting with Yvon Métras and Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Michel stopped adding sulphites to his wine in 1997. He uses indigenous yeasts for fermentation and all aspects of his winemaking are as natural and as low intervention as possible. élevage, in barrels used for several fills, ranges from 12 to 24 months depending on the vintage. The wines are not fined or filtered. Jean-Michel Stephan takes every possible step to bring out the freshness and purity of the fruit and a sumptuous and elegant character. Because of the minimal use of sulphur, some of his wines can have a slightly reduced nose but these aromas quickly fade after aeration. Côtes-Rôtie wines from Jean-Michel Stephan are some of the most sought-after within the appellation.

This cuvée came about thanks to vieilles vignes of Syrah and Viognier, grown on the steep slopes of the Côte Blonde. These are characterised by a terroir of granite and shale, soils typical of the Côte-Rôtie appellation. Aged in barrels of several wines, this cuvée stands out thanks to its intense notes of black fruits, white pepper and violet. Its palate perfectly balances the delicacy of the fruit and the intensity enhanced by some tannins which are noticeable towards the finish. This is a lovely cuvée which deserves to rest for a few years in the cellar and pair with flavoursome dishes.

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