Clusel Roch - Cote Rotie Les Schistes 2019

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Vibrant, mineral-accented blackberry, blueberry and violet aromas pick up a spicy topnote with air. Concentrated red and dark berry, olive and floral pastille flavors display sharp focus and energetic drive thanks to a spine of smoky minerality. Finishes very long and sappy, with persistent blue fruit and floral qualities, subtle tannins and lingering spiciness. Josh Raynolds

Clusel Roch Description

Domaine Clusel-Roch (pronounced Cluzel-Roke) started as Domaine Clusel, founded by the Rene Clusel, who began bottling his wine in 1969. At the time, Rene Clusel had but 1 hectare of vineyard along with many hectares of apricot trees.

Rene's son Gilbert decided to continue in his father's winemaking footsteps and completed his enological studies in 1977. The domaine, however, was too small to provide income for two families. Gilbert consequently chose to rent some vineyards and begin producing his own wine, while at the same time helping his father both in the vineyards and in the chai.

When Rene Clusel retired in 1987, his vines were taken over by Gilbert. For the first time, the parcel in Les Grandes Places was bottled separately. Two years later Domaine Clusel became Domaine Clusel-Roch, incorporating the name of both partners, Gilbert Clusel and his wife Brigitte Roch. This also gave the domaine an identity of its own.

Today the property remains tiny: Just 3.5 hectares in Cote Rotie and 1/2 hectare in Condrieu. The chai, built in 1992 in Verenay, is attached to their house and just next to the house of Rene Clusel. Being on the side of the sloped hill of Cote Rotie allows Gilbert and Brigitte to take advantage of gravity and naturally treat their fruit gently by avoiding the usage of pumps at vinification time.

Vinous: 91-93 Points

Decanter

A lush, open, welcoming style with plenty of fruit and fairly loose-knit tannins. Just a little soft on the finish. Very pleasurable, drink young. From lieux-dits La Viallière, Champon, Le Plomb and Montmain, aged for 12 months in barriques, 15% new.