Côte Rôtie „Les Binardes“ AOC 2022

Wine Description for Côte Rôtie „Les Binardes“ AOC 2022 by Maison Stephan

Colour & Appearance

Dense purple with violet hues and slight cloudiness – an honest, unadorned portrait of an uncompromising natural wine.

Nose

An aromatic kaleidoscope of beguiling complexity: white and black pepper, juniper and cinnamon caress dark berry fruit of elderberry, blackberry and sweet cherry. These are joined by liquorice, dark chocolate and black tea. Particularly fascinating: the iron-laden, almost bloody minerality that evokes pure stone. Garrigue, rosemary, thyme and green olive reveal the Mediterranean soul of this Northern Rhône wine.

Palate

Lean, taut and demanding – yet possessed of seductive elegance. The bloody, iron-laden minerality dominates over the fine Syrah fruit and lends the wine a cool, almost ascetic austerity. Silky texture meets wild spice: liquorice, white pepper and juniper characterise the mouth. The stony, mineral structure is of impressive precision – a wine caught between classical Côte Rôtie elegance and the untamed energy of a natural wine.

Finish

Long, spicy and suffused with Mediterranean herbs. The mineral tension persists and leaves an invigorating, captivating aftertaste.

Terroir & Origin

The 2 hectares of vineyards in the sites Tupin and Côteau du Tupin (historically „Les Binardes“ in the Napoleonic vineyard register) lie on extreme steep slopes with 40% gradient. Leucogneiss and quartz characterise the soils and impart the wine’s distinctive mineral signature. Vines aged 15 to 40 years, modest 30 hl/ha yield.

Grape Variety & Vinification

90% Syrah, 10% Viognier. Maison Stephan practises uncompromising low-intervention winemaking: no additives, pesticides or filtration, sulphur kept to a minimum. Cold maceration of whole bunches, largely destemmed, semi-carbonic fermentation, natural sedimentation. Twelve months maturation in cement tank before bottling.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Roasted lamb rack with olives, feta and beans, orecchiette puttanesca, artichoke with bulgur and rocket or Mediterranean braises with Provençal herbs.

Special Characteristics

A radically honest natural wine at just 12.5% alcohol – sexy, wild and classical all at once. For lovers of purist, terroir-driven Côte Rôtie with character.