The Rare Wine Co. - René Rostaing

Called a “masterful grower” by Robert Parker, René Rostaing crafts Côte-Rôties that are the very essence of this storied appellation: nuance, balance, texture and perfume.

The magic of his Côte-Rôties derives in part from his prized vineyards, some of which belonged to two traditionalist titans, Marius Gentaz and Albert Dervieux.

But others in Côte-Rôtie have great vineyards and don’t make wines like René’s. The secret, we believe, is his obsessive perfectionism and philosophically driven approach based on a deep respect for Côte-Rôtie’s typicity.

The Standard Bearer. René is a beacon for Côte-Rôtie’s “Classicists”—those whose winemaking is deeply rooted in tradition yet incorporates new thinking. Most importantly, Classicists like René seek to make wines that faithfully express their respective terroirs.

In the cellar, René's methods have evolved slowly and painstakingly over the past 25 years. He uses a mixture of small and large barrels, with only enough new wood (about 20%) for perfectly aged wines, without overwhelming the subtle Syrah perfume. And in the vineyards, he seeks optimum maturity, so his wines are consistently marvels of refinement and sublime bouquet.

He produces three Côte-Rôties: Cuvée Classique, a blend of parcels he owns, and Côte Blonde and La Landonne, each from one of the great terroirs of Côte-Rôtie. Yet, each is vinified and raised identically, to provide an even backdrop against which each terroir can be measured.

A Matter of Terroir. Whereas most are happy simply to divide Côte-Rôtie into two large sections, Côte Blonde and Côte Brune, René insists that these names should be reserved for two small, historic vineyards towards the center of Côte-Rôtie. He is also adamant that La Landonne is its own terroir, not part of Côte Brune as is commonly believed.

During our visit Chez Rostaing in November, we were fortunate to have filmed René in Côte Blonde and La Landonne, discussing their terroirs, especially their different soils: decomposed granite in Côte Blonde and mica-schist in La Landonne, each of which, in part, account for their signature perfumes. We invite you to view our video feature, previewed in the image at right, highlighting our visit with René.


	Learn more about René Rostaing:



			Read our recent blog on the future of classic winemaking in the Northern Rhone



			View a short video with highlights from our recent visit with René (see lower image at right)