Chapoutier Cote Rotie Neve 2018

Parker: Chapoutier's 2018 Cote Rotie Neve features stunning scents of violets, purple raspberries and cassis. It's full-bodied, rich and creamy-textured in the mouth, turning silky on the finish. Concentrated but elegant, it showcases the amazing potential of the Neve lieu-dit. 95-98/100 (2019)

Jancis Robinson: Aged for 18 months in oak (25% new). Cask sample. More immediately fragrant than their Mordorée, with floral scent, pepper, black cherry and crushed herbs. Delicious purity and precision on the palate, with the black-cherry fruit showing excellent clarity and completeness. A great early sign of a promising vintage. 18/20 (2019)

Wine Spectator: A note of sweet bay leaf leads off, followed by dark earth, sweet tapenade and cast iron flavors. The fruit is stashed away, but it's there, with cassis, plum puree and red currant compote notes. A youthfully backward wine that just needs some time to get pointed in the right direction. 95/100 (2021)

Decanter: Good clarity and definition on the nose, good fruit expression, smoky raspberry and blackberry, sandalwood and tobacco. Medium-bodied, the tannins are quite discrete, very fine, rather slight. Lovely definition and freshness again on the palate, the tannins make themselves known on the finish rather than on the mid-palate. The oak regime is quite noticeable at this stage, but it doesn't dominate. Very well balanced, a wine that will drink well now and later. Lieu-dit Neve in the Brune side (mica schist bedrock), just under Le Plomb at the bottom of the slope. All destemmed, 18 months in barriques, 25% new. 95/100 (2021)