The 2019 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde is as seamless and silky as they come and is just a quintessential Côte Rôtie. Black raspberries, flowers, ground pepper, and subtle meatiness all emerge from this beauty, and it’s full-bodied, has remarkable tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It certainly offers pleasure today, but smart money will hide bottles for 4-5 years. It will knock your socks off over the following two decades.

Opaque ruby. Intensely perfumed, spice- and mineral-accented blueberry, kirsch, fruitcake and floral aromas are complemented by suggestions of incense and botanical herbs. Shows superb clarity and mineral thrust to its sweet black and blue fruit, cola, violet pastille and spicecake flavors, which deftly meld depth and vivacity. Finishes extremely long and smooth, with polished tannins and reverberating blue fruit, mineral and floral notes. -- Josh Raynolds

(95+ points) Is it really fair when a wine rated 95+? is a bit of disappointment? Yet I confess that's how I felt upon tasting Rostaing's 2019 Cote Rotie la Cote Blonde—perhaps a victim of my own overly high expectations? It was a bit closed on the nose, only to explode with vibrant red raspberries and cherries in the mouth. Full-bodied, concentrated and plush, with a long, mocha-tinged finish, it did begin to show a bit more aromatic range and complexity as it sat in the glass, so perhaps I'm being too tough on it. - Joe Czerwinski

This is really packed tight, with a rock-solid core of red and black currant, plum and bitter cherry compote notes, bristling with a singed iron spine and additional pepper and lilac notes along the edges. Ends with a long tarry echo through the finish. Best from 2025 through 2038. - J.M.

A more subdued nose than you'd normally find at this stage. On the palate there is a lovely generosity of rich, ripe, juicy berry fruit with beautifully bright acidity. Tannins are massy and fine-grained. Elegant, with a long finish and slightly higher alcohol than usual. Four weeks in tank, 18 months in oak, limited new oak, natural yeasts, and as many stems as possible.