1990 Domaine René Rostaing Côte-Rôtie La Landonne

Gamey, elegant wine that tastes much more naturally of the vineyard (as opposed to cellar) than the Guigal version. The fragrance and delicacy that Rostaing aims for, and is thus much closer to, the Côte Rôtie archetype. Elegant and refreshing. (JR)

Rostaing's 1990s are not as concentrated as the 1991s, but they are successful for this uneven vintage - at least in Cote Rotie. The 1990 Cote Rotie-La Landonne exhibits an earthy, animal, smoky character, superb richness of fruit, gobs of glycerin and extraction, soft tannins, and low acidity. Despite its considerable size, this is a wine that should be drunk in its first 10-12 years of life. Last year I was not impressed with Rostaing's 1990s, wondering if his soaring reputation might have gone to his head. My suspicions were not borne out in my recent visit. I grossly underestimated his 1990s, which after bottling, appear to be more complete wines. I was also delighted to hear that Rostaing, who began his career against filtration but then reversed his position at the insistence of his oenologist, appears to have decided that if the wine is healthy and clear, he will not filter it. Importer: Kermit Lynch, Berkeley, CA.