Vignobles Levet is one of the most traditional grower estates in Ampùis, the heart of Côte-Rôtie, run by Bernard Levet and his daughter Agnès. Côte-Rôtie's vineyards cling to steep, terraced slopes above the Rhône, and the Levets are known for uncompromising, old-school wines of great intensity and longevity.

"La Chavaroche" is one of Côte-Rôtie's most celebrated lieux-dits, a steep amphitheater on the Côte Brune facing south and southwest. Its crumbling, iron-rich mica-schist gives Syrah of wild intensity, dark fruit, and firm structure. Levet works with old vines of Sérine, the local name for the area's traditional small-berried Syrah, planted on hand-built stone terraces called chaillées. The winemaking is strikingly traditional: whole clusters, foot-treading, native-yeast fermentation in open cement vats, and about 24 months of aging in neutral demi-muids and seasoned casks, with only 10 to 15 percent new oak.

Why You'll Love It

• A benchmark old-school Côte-Rôtie from the famed La Chavaroche lieu-dit on the Côte Brune.
• The nose bursts with black raspberry, wild cassis, and violets, with smoked bacon, black pepper, and tapenade.
• The palate is deep and savory, with iron and wet slate notes and muscular, finely grained tannins.
• Whole-cluster, foot-trodden fermentation and old vines give it rare intensity and character.
• Built for long cellaring, it is a prized bottle for Northern Rhône lovers to tuck away.

How To Serve It

• Serve at cool room temperature, between 60 and 64°F.
• If opening young, decant for 1 to 1.5 hours to soften its structure and open its floral, savory perfume.
• Pour into Burgundy or large Syrah stems to capture its expansive aromatics.
• Pair with a rosemary-and-garlic roast leg of lamb, grilled squab, juniper-crusted venison, or a hearty game stew.