Gorgeous white pepper and savory notes leap out, quickly followed by a solid core of bitter cherry, red currant and damson plum fruit. The finish is racy and tightly coiled, revealing a strong and persistent iron accent. Riveting acidity underscores this cellar-worthy version. Best from 2018 through 2028. - JM

I found the 2013 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde reductive and hard to read from barrel, and it still shows some reductive aromas from bottle. Olive, truffle, forest floor, violets and ripe, black raspberry-like fruit characteristics flow nicely to a full-bodied, seamless Cote Rotie that has solid mid-palate depth and ripe tannin on the finish. There's lots to like here, but the reductive character will be something to watch and gives me a touch of concern. Give bottles another 4-5 years, at which point it will be easier to see where this is going. - Jeb Dunnuck