Domaine Jamet Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge, Rhône Valley, France 2023

Best known for their iconic Côte-Rôtie, the Jamet family also crafts this expressive Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge from high-elevation sites just outside the appellation’s northern limit. Vinified with the same care and whole-cluster philosophy as their flagship wines, this bottling offers a pure, lifted expression of Syrah with a northern Rhône signature.

• WINEMAKER: Jean-Paul and Loïc Jamet

• FARMING: Sustainable (lutte raisonnée)

• VARIETY: 100% Syrah

• TERROIR: A blend of parcels from five sites located above the Côte-Rôtie appellation: Lançon, Tartaras, Tupin, Champrond, and Les Eguets. These sites sit at high elevations (250–400m) on complex soils of schist, granite, and mica schist, lending the wine both power and finesse.

• VINIFICATION: 100% whole-cluster fermentation with native yeasts in open-top stainless steel tanks. Gentle extraction via remontage and pigeage, followed by pressing in a vertical wooden basket press.

• AGING: 12 months in older barriques and foudres (no new oak), to preserve purity and highlight terroir

• TASTING NOTES: Aromas of blackcurrant, violet, cracked pepper, and smoked herbs open into a palate of fresh blackberry, plum skin, graphite, and savory spice. Medium-bodied, with vibrant acidity and firm, fine tannins.

• FOOD PAIRINGS: Pair with grilled lamb, roasted duck breast, mushroom stew, or lentils with sausage

• SCORES:

  • Jancis Robinson: 17/20 – “A Côtes-du-Rhône that punches far above its weight. Perfumed, peppery, and beautifully structured.”

  • Wine Advocate (2022 vintage): 91 – “Expressive and elegant, a Syrah of real northern character and drive.” (2023 review pending)

  • Kermit Lynch (Importer): “As close as it gets to Côte-Rôtie without the price tag.”