2018 Maison Clusel-Roch Les Schistes Cote Rotie

Winery Notes

AOC: Côte-Rôtie Terroir: localities “Viallière”, “Champon”, “le Plomb”, “Montmain”, all located to the north of the Côte-Rôtie appellation, on soils of ferrous mica schist. These hillsides face South East. Area: 4 ha Grape variety: More than 95% Syrah from mass selection (old Ampuis serines), and a few vines of Viognier planted.

Age of the vines: 10 to 60 years Work of the vines:we cultivate our vines as naturally as possible. The work is mainly manual, the relief preventing any major mechanization. The density is more than eight thousand vines per hectare. In winter, the soils remain naturally grassy. The vines are trained on stakes or wire depending on the strength of the slope. On stakes, they are cut in goblet, wire, cord of Royat. The soils are worked in spring and summer. We do not use chemical fertilizers, but composted manure, and only treat very moderately, without insecticides or synthetic chemicals. Our vines are made from our own selections of old “serines” (traditional Syrah from Ampuis), which we graft onto the estate.

Vinification: The harvest is done by hand. Careful sorting is carried out in the vineyard by the pickers. Arrived at the cellar, the grapes are vatted by gravity; they are partially destemmed. Fermentation is done with indigenous yeasts. During the vinification, punching down and pumping over follow one another. We maintain a moderate temperature for a very gentle extraction. We devour after 3 to 4 weeks following tasting.

Aging: 2 years in oak barrels, (228l piece), (15% new, fine-grained French oak benefiting from a 4-year drying period) Annual production: around 15,000 bottles / year Aging and peak:They can be drunk in the year following bottling, in order to take full advantage of their youthful aromas, or a few years later, when age has added to their complexity. Tasting: fine and elegant wines, however with an assertive tannic presence. Complex nose of black fruits, spices and violets. On wines at their peak, we find aromas of undergrowth, toasted tobacco. Food and wine pairing: A nice grilled meat, a leg, a duck. On older wines we will have beautiful pairings with game. A slightly more tender vintage will surprise with a freshwater fish. Organic wine, certified by ECOCERT