(93+) Deep, dark red in color, the 2006 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie La Landonne shows a perfumed, masculine and gamey nose of pepper meat, smoke and black raspberries intermixed with copious amounts of earth, iron and mineral aromas. The palate is medium to full bodied with dark, meaty fruit, beautiful precision and lively acidity that carries into the long finish. Balanced, clean and long, this doesn’t show the level of harmony or integration of the Côte Blonde but has more structure and depth. I’d hold for a couple years and then drink over the next 15+.

The 2006 northern Rhône vintage initially not as highly-touted as the riper 2005, but in retrospect, it is quite clear that this is the far superior vintage of the pair. The 2006 La Landonne from René Rostaing offers up an absolutely classic bouquet of red and black raspberries, smoked game, black pepper, a stunning signature of soil, a touch of nutskin, coffee and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core, moderate tannins and excellent focus and grip on the long and soil-driven finish. A beautiful wine in the making, I would give this another few years in the cellar to more fully express its secondary layers of complexity. (Drink between 2016-2035)