2005 Côte-Rôtie

Louis Barruol finds his 2006 northern Rhone wines to be more restrained than the 2005s, but believes that their low pHs will lift them, like Burgundies. In the south, he says, "the 2006s are a lot like the '99s, with more ripeness and great freshness. They will be delicious young but will also age." He pointed out that "20 years ago, 2006 would have been considered an extremely ripe year but now it's a normal one." As for his 2005s from both ends of the river, he advised putting them away "because it would be a shame to drink them now." He also made a point of saying that he is extremely happy with how the 2004s are turning out, especially in the south.

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. )