Pierre Gaillard Côte Rôtie 2021

Alcohol: 12%

Grape(s): 100% Syrah

Localization: Cote Rotie, Rhone Valley, France

Tasting Notes: Opaque with a full nose showing black fruits, oak spice, a hint of violets and an aromatic floral note. The palate is rich and full, with ripe fruit, some peppery spice, a tarry edge and full, very fine mouth coating tannins.

The Domain: Pierre Gaillard is a relatively new producer in the northern Rhone valley. His wine studies took him to Beaune to study viticulture and took him to Montpellier to study winemaking. Starting with just a quarter hectare of land, and today owns twenty-five hectares. Even with being “newer,” he is already making enormous strides. His parcels are spread throughout the Syrah-producing villages in the north, like Cote Rotie, Condrieu, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, and St. Joseph, though, also has property in the Banyuls appellation in the southern Rhone. Some of his winemaking techniques veer towards the modern side and his interest in experimenting.