At this very early date, 2011 looks likely to be a great, great vintage of utterly classic wines from Monsieur Rostaing, and the Côte Blonde ’11 is a superb young wine. The stunning young nose jumps from the glass in a blend of sweet dark berries, black pepper, dark chocolate, coffee, lovely soil tones and just a whisper of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and wonderfully focused, with a fine core of fruit, ripe, moderate tannins and excellent length and grip on the already very transparent finish. A classic in the making!

Shows savory and pepper notes out front, featuring a slightly rigid, cedary spine that holds the core of cherry, red currant and damson plum fruit together. Grippy, with a cedary twinge hanging on the finish. (JM)

Darker fruit than the Ampodium, light pepper and spice that is almost incense-like, maybe that is the combination of spice and leaf. Paper-fine tannins, lithe and fresh and elegant, the tannins showing reluctantly on the finish in this refined structure are almost the only thing revealing the wine's immaturity. (JH) 17.5/20