Rene Rostaing worked in real estate before turning his hand to wine in 1971, but it wasn’t until 2000 that he devoted all his time to his estate. Today, he looks after 7.4 hectares across 14 lieux-dits and 20 separate plots in Côte Rôtie. Since 1996 he produces just three wines - the Classic from a blend of 11 different lieux-dits, a seductive Côte Blonde and a densely structured La Landonne. On average 75% of the crop is destemmed and aging is split between 228-litre casks and 550-litre demi-muids, with only 10% of the oak being new. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Beautifully detailed wines that show restraint and elegance are the hallmarks of the estate.

Leading off two perfect wines, the 2020 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde comes from two separate plantings going back to the 1970s and was brought up all in barrel. A legendary Côte Rôtie in every way, it offers an incredible perfume of sweet cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, incense, camphor, and hints of cured meats. This carries to a full-bodied Côte Rôtie that has just about off-the-charts richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, beautifully polished tannins, and flawless balance. This unquestionably rivals the 1999, and while it's going to have some early accessibility, it deserves at least 4-6 years of bottle age and will last for two decades or more. Date: Dec 2022; Rating: 100 Points; Jeb Dunnuck

My favorite of the 2020s from Rostaing—at least until I try the wines again next year—is the 2020 Cote Rotie la Cote Blonde. Scents of crushed stone and red raspberries give the impression of seamless transmission of terroir allied to incredible fruit purity. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it's an amazing expression of Cote Rotie that should age effortlessly for a couple of decades. Date: Jan 2022; Drink: 2025-2040; Rating: 97-97 Points; Joe Czerwinski; Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate