2004 Côte-Rôtie

When I asked Louis Barruol for his impressions on current vintages, he told me that "2004 has an elegance, almost an austerity, that's a lot like 1999 in both the north and the south. I think that the wines will really age and I like them quite a bit since my preference is for precise wines. Two thousand five," he went on, "has a remarkable fruit/acid balance. The acid and pH are such that you don't really notice the ripeness, which is quite interesting. "Although he is a child of the south and is based at his family's ancient domain in Gigondas, I continue to be struck by Barruol's sure hand with his northern Rhone wines, especially his Cote-Rotie, which is sourced almost exclusively from the Cote Brune. (Chemin des Vins; imported by Millesimes Fine Wine Traders, Boston, MA; Wine Warehouse; Los Angeles; CA; Fine Vines, Chicago, IL; The Stacole Company, Inc. , Boca Raton, FL; also imported by Vintage '59 Imports, Washington, D. C. )

Young and energetic, with a tendency toward reflection that seems beyond his years, Louis Barruol has quickly emerged as one of the Rhone Valley's most exciting producers.Regardless of their appellation, his wines are precise in flavor and graceful in texture."My goal is to harvest at optimal ripeness, not overripeness," explains Barruol, who is dedicated to working with old vines.Barruol is an outstanding source of Rhone wines whose work seems to be improving from vintage to vintage.(Patrick Lesec Selections; imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; Vintage '59 Imports, Washington, D.C.)