Bernard Levet farms 3.5 hectares of vines above the village of Ampuis. He owns vines in some of the most prestigious real estate in the Côte-Rôtie appellation, including the famed parcels “Moulin” and “Landonne.” These properties have been in the family since the 1930s and are still farmed in exactly the same manner: no tractors; no chemicals; and everything done by hand. Following harvest, fruit is left in whole clusters for fermentation in large tanks. The process of macerating grapes and carrying the juice through alcoholic and malolactic fermentation is always slow, and rarely if ever completed until the new year. Ultimately, Levet’s wine is aged in medium-sized demi-muid barrels for three years before bottling and further aging until release—the entire process generally takes four years. It is a gradual, delicate approach in the cellar produces wines of unique nuance, aromatic complexity, and that possess enormous potential for cellar aging. I’ve enjoyed numerous bottles of Levet Côte-Rôtie from decades past, but never once has a bottle struck me as tired or over-the-hill. These wines are delicious in their youth but they absolutely roar with some additional time in the cellar!

The 2013 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie “Les Journaries” shows an appearance in the glass that is as traditional as its flavor and aroma: deep purple with translucent pink at the rim. It leads with blackberries, black cherry and wild red berries on the nose, but the “take home message” with Levet is, as always, one of almost peerless excoticism in the northern Rhone. Dark-toned notes of coffee, dried meat, olive and sage weave in between more delicate violet and lavender. The palate bursts with fine, espresso-ground tannins and a satisfying dose of red and black fruit. I’ve said it before but the story remains the same with this outstanding 2013 vintage: Domaine Levet makes Côte-Rôtie for Burgundy lovers! If opening in the next year, or two, I urge you to decant for 90 minutes and serve in large Burgundy stems. If you’re looking for a boldly memorable dish to partner with it, Daniel Boulud’s famous beef short ribs will not disappoint. Still, I want to reiterate that Levet Côte-Rôtie “Les Journaries” is a wine revered for its aging potential. Especially at this comparatively modest price, it is the perfect northern Rhône red of which to keep multiple vintages in the cellar. I don’t know how much longer SommSelect will keep receiving an allocation, but it’s here now and we couldn’t be happier!