Domaine Clos de la Bonnette Côte-Rôtie „Prenelle“ 2020
A lighthouse perched on the steep slopes of the Côte-Rôtie.
The nose is deliciously seductive. Fruit pours out of the glass, a potpourri of ripe red cherries, lilac, bergamot, and lavender dancing around my nose. Behind that, it gets playfully sweet, with a powerful smoky note of cedarwood, licorice, and chocolate. Always shifting back and forth with that juicy, thick fruit sweetness – and I haven’t even taken a sip yet.
Wonderfully powerful, yet elegant, it continues on the palate. This 100% Syrah from the Northern Rhône is fresh, almost at what I’d call its perfect drinking window. Now, after being open for half an hour, the wine becomes more serious, developing an insanely compelling drinkability – but be warned: this wine needs time to charm you, to reveal more of itself. I’ll save some for tomorrow, or even the day after.
Because the fascinating thing about natural wines is that they’re constantly evolving. You should never trust the first impression and hastily put them in a box. All too often, this happens during quick tastings: pop the bottle, take a quick sniff, and form a judgement. “Too closed” or “funky.” No – give it the time it deserves. After all, our Prenelle has been resting 24 months in large oak barrels. So please, don’t judge it within the first five minutes.
Certainly not an old-school Côte-Rôtie, but still a fine Syrah signature. Modern in its fruit, juicy, red, spicy, and cool in true Syrah style. Full-bodied, lots of wine, dense structure, insane drinkability – and yet, definitely not an “easy drinking” wine. This is solid quality. Destined for greater things. A granite outpost in the vastness of the Rhône delta, a lighthouse perched on the steep slopes of the “roasted” hillside, the Côte-Rôtie. Damn good stuff. 13% Vol. – Organic. An insanely great discovery – 96 points!