2018 Maison Clusel-Roch Vialliere Cote Rotie

Winery Notes

AOC: Côte Rôtie

Terroir: localities “Viallière, located north of the Côte-Rôtie appellation, on soils of ferrous mica schist. This hill faces south east. Area: 0.7 ha

Grape variety: Massal selection Syrah (old Ampuis serines)

Age of the vines: 30 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 and are cut into goblets. The soils are worked in spring and summer, with a plow pulled by a winch. 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. These “serines” are less productive and give grapes with more complex aromas than modern selections.

Vinifications:The harvest is done by hand, in small boxes. 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), (25% new, fine-grained French oak benefiting from a 4-year drying period) Annual production: around 3000 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, with good persistence. Complex nose of red and black fruits and spices. 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