The 2017 Côte Rôtie La Landonne is a candidate for the wine of the vintage and offers everything you could want from Côte Rôtie. Revealing a deep purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of black raspberries, blackberries, toasted spice, violets, and spring flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, no hard edges, and ample yet sweet tannins. This remarkable effort has loads of richness and intensity yet stays weightless and elegant. As I wrote in the barrel reviews, it's atypically charming and forward, yet it's going to nevertheless cruise in cool cellars for upwards of two decades given its balance.

Very well-built, with sleek and clearly defined cassis and blackberry fruit racing along, supported by a smoldering cast iron note and flanked by dark tobacco and fresh bay leaf hints. The long, mouthwatering finish features a white pepper echo swirling around as the fruit and minerality meld. Best from 2022 through 2040. 227 cases made.

Bottled just two weeks prior to my visit, the 2017 Cote Rotie La Landonne shows more raspberry and blueberry fruit than most La Landonnes, adding those delectable nuances to more typical mocha and roasted meat notes. Medium to full-bodied, it's lush, creamy and long, with up to two decades of aging potential. It's complete and elegant without being showy, just lovely stuff. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

Opaque magenta. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes minerals, black and blue fruits, pungent flowers, spicecake and black pepper. Juicy and precise on the palate, o!ering intense blueberry, cassis and candied violet flavors supported by a core of juicy acidity. Deftly blends power and finesse and finishes extremely long and minerally, with harmonious tannins adding framework and youthful grip.