Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.2

2020 needs to hibernate. Iron fist without the velvet glove. — 9 months ago

Conrad Green

9.0

Very intense pure fruit. Plum, pencil lead, iron. High in flavor and alcohol. Punchy. — 2 years ago

with Jonathan, Paul and 1 other

Shay A

9.4

Forgot I opened one of these earlier in the year. Whoops. Wish I had more.

Hour decant, then consumed from decanter over the next 3hrs.

My note here is fairly similar to the 2014 note, but there is more concentration and power going on. Dark purple in the glass, with aromatics of both sweet oak as well as a kiss of whole cluster stem inclusion. Loads of dark floral notes, ripe blackberries, and smoked jerky. Large-scaled mid palate depth and richness of blue and black fruits with plenty of herbal flair and spice but it’s more iron fist in a velvet glove style. There’s black peppercorn and iron, as well as big central coast Rhône style with its rich and textural palate.

I love Syrah in all expressions. It’s natural to compare these wines to SQN (and Andremily), and rightly so. These are dialed up to 9, but pull back, whereas the others aren’t afraid of going to 11. No right/wrong answer, just style preference. I happen to love both. — 3 years ago

LM Segal

9.5

Sublime. Iron fist, velvet glove and all that. Beyond doubt that this cuvée rocks when Capo not made. Decant briefly and sip away slowly. — 6 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.3

The 2016 is out. It’s real and it’s spectacular. The past couple vintages have been enjoyable but a notch below. This one knocks it out of the park but it has to be your thing. Shows TONS of leather, mushroom, bacon fat. Lingering finish of iron. There quite simply is no better value out there than Pontificis - even in down years. Period. $7 at Trader Joe’s. Stock up! — 8 years ago

Chip Hughes

9.5

Achingly pure, filigreed and delineated...not the words you associate with Roussillon wine. But old vines, careful bio viticulture and the daring to harvest at the precise arrival of ripeness (13%) make for a modern-day version of iron fist in velvet glove. And on top of all that, the Catalan qualities shine through more and more with each successive vintage. Fraises, bramble, confits of tiny red fruits and the persistent haunt of black, low pH schist. Extraordinary. #rocdesanges #grenache #carignane #roussillon #catalonia — 8 years ago

Trent Fletcher

9.3

One of two bottles I have; a beauty! Deep, lush, floral, bacon, iron, currant; huge tannic structure but approachable and delicious now. Popped in anticipation of our upcoming visit and tasting at Bedrock Vineyard. — 8 years ago

Conrad Green

9.3

From mag. Plum and dried herbs. Iron and leather. Still quite fresh and complex. The best of this wine I’ve had by some distance — a year ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Daniel M

9.0

After the Sicilian off dry white which I drank only a glass of in disappointment, I decided to open something I knew would make me happy. We are watching Dunkirk while drinking this wine and the contrast between the on-screen drama and the funky liveliness in the glass is stunning!
As usual the nose is a bit funky at fist and takes a good 20 to 30 minutes to set into place. Then it's violet, blueberry, clay, that iron thing too, which I always smell in this cuvée, no matter the vintage. The palate is big, bright and fruity. There are blueberry notes all along, some cherry too. Some width, a nice and soft mouthfeel, some tannins in the rear, and a really nice anf long finish with fruits, some pepper, and a nice tannic layer. There is a subtle savory note too, almost meaty, that makes it more complex than you would have bet at first. Of course this is, as always, a very biased review, but I mean, what's not to like there? — 2 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.6

Get out the thesaurus because I do not have enough adjectives to describe this wine. A similar wine to Rayas in that both wines share characteristics, which if you are being blinded, leads you to Burgundy. Has that wonderful iron fist in a velvet glove texture. Wonderful florals, and red fruit, soar out the glass like a SpaceX launch. In the mouth, the telltale structure that all great wines have. On the palate, waves of complex fruit, earth and perfectly judged acid and tannins caress your taste buds. A long layered finish that will have you shaking your head. A big thank you to the sommeliers . — 3 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Wow was this good! I had this pretty soon after it was popped and it was just a powerhouse elixir of flavor. Very “iron fist in a velvet glove”. Up front, blackberry compote, shaved cocoa, and graphite. Velvet like on the palate...glides across picking up blueberry, nutmeg, currant and sweet pipe tobacco. Plenty of fruit and savory balance. I imagine this was even doing better after I left. I need to try this again! — 7 years ago

with Benjamin

Trent Fletcher

9.0

What a value! Highly perfumed nose of lavender, meats and dark fruit; very approachable; perfectly ripe black fruit, smoke and iron on the palate; not overly complex but just a well made wine that is soft and easy drinking with enough tannin and acid. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

2010 was a very good vintage in Rhône. Rostaing is a well know producer with people that know and drink Northern Rhône wines, not so much with others that do not. The Ampodium is the entry level into Rene & Pierre Rostaing wines. It is a blend of 13 vineyards in Northern Rhône. They are simply one of the very best producers in the region. I spent an afternoon with Rene & his son Pierre tasting in the their cellar and in their La Landonne vineyard as shown in the photos. The 2010 is drinking beautifully with many good years ahead. On the nose; ripe & slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries, cherries, steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, iron pan, some white & black pepper, bacon fat, grilled savory meats, pork, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with violets. The body is round and medium full. The tannins round, still a little chewy & around 55% resolved. The length, texture, tension and balance are in near perfect harmony. The fruits are; round, ruby & ripe; slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries & cherries. Steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, chalky minerals, iron pan, coffee grounds, spice, some baking spices w/hints of vanilla, white & black pepper, drying blood, dry herbs/bay leaf, dry stems, moderate levels of bacon fat & pork, grilled savory meats, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with fresh violets for days. The acidly is round and dripping. The long finish is plush, velvety delicious and lasts & lasts. In good vintages, I would put this in blind with the best of of the best new world wines from any vintage that many love; SQN, Booker, Saxum, Alban, Cayuse, Horsepower etc.. I’d bet most of you would pick it over these producers that cost much more $$$. It’s simply one of the best pound for pound wines/producers for this varietal. Especially, for the $$$. Wow, what a wine for the $. $55 upon release. Photos of; Winemaker Pierre Rostaing and our group in their La Landonne vineyard, the small sign that barely identifies their Estate, an example of the Quartz mineral that runs throughout their La Landonne vineyard and the view back onto the river from the top of the very steep La Landonne Vineyard. Producer notes and history...Rene Rostaing produced their first wine in 1971. However, it took almost three decades before wine became a full time occupation for Rene Rostaing. Domaine Rene Rostaing came about through marriage. The wife of Rene Rostaing was the daughter of the famed Cote Rotie grower, Albert Dervieux, and the niece of Marius Gentaz-Dervieux who gave Christine the vineyard land that became the Northern Rhone estate for Rene Rostaing. Through inheritance from Albert Dervieux Thaize (his father-in-law) who retired in 1990, and from Marius Gentaz Dervieux, his uncle, Rene Rostaing expanded his holdings, giving him some of the best terroir in Cote Rotie. The new vineyard land was basically 3 small parcels in the La Landonne, Cote Brune and Vialliere lieux-dits. This initial expansion from his initial tiny parcel, allowed Rene Rostaing to change careers and become a full time vigneron. Since 2007, the estate has managed by Pierre Rostaing, (son) of Rene Rostaing. Currently Rene Rostaing owns 7.5 hectares of vines that is spread out among 20 different parcels located in 14 locations. Perhaps the most celebrated vines of Rene Rostaing are the 1.6 hectares of vines they own in the La Landonne vineyard (photo). On La Landonne, the vines are more than 60 years old. Some vines are even close to 100 years of age! Those are his largest holdings. The smallest vineyards of Rene Rostaing are located on Cote Blonde. Rene Rostaing also has vines planted in; Fonjean, La Vialliere, Le Plomb, Bouchare, Leyat, La Roche and La Tupin. Their oldest vines are more than 70 years old and are used for Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde. The majority of those plantings are on the steep hillsides with mica, schist and rocky soils. 25% of those vines are closer to the bottom of the slopes and on the flats. Rene Rostaing remains a traditional Cote Rotie producer who is not among the last to harvest. His wines are aged using very little new, French oak barrels. On average, Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie are aged in about 10% new French oak barrels. Rene Rostaing produces 4 different Cote Rotie wines. Rene Rostaing Ampodium, which was previously known as Rostaing Cuvee Classique, is a blend of 13 sections of different vineyards, but it does not include their best holdings on La Landonne or Cote Blonde. The fruit for Rene Rostaing Ampodium has at least 40% or more of the stems removed and run between 12-13.5% abv. The wine is usually made from 100% Syrah and is aged in an average of 15% to 25% new, French oak barrels. The amount of new oak can be less, depending on the character of the vintage. About 1,750 cases are produced each year. The wine is no longer called Cuvee Classique, the name was changed to Rene Rostaing Ampodium with the 2009 vintage. Rene Rostaing La Landonne comes from a terroir consisting of sands with iron oxide and traces of quartz. This wine is always produced from 100% Syrah. The grapes are partially destemmed, with about 10% to 20% of the stems removed, depending on the vintage. There are vintages when no destemming takes place. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats. Rene Rostaing is not a believer of using too much new oak for the aging, which on average uses 10% new, French oak barrels and the remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids (600 liter) and French oak barrels. This wine is like most wines from La Landonne, masculine and meaty in character, requiring at least a decade to soften and develop. On average, Rene Rostaing La Landonne produces less than 600 cases depending on what the vintage delivers. Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde is perhaps his best. It’s produced from a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. The grapes are co-fermented. The vineyards is planted in the region call Arzel. Arzel is a poor, mineral laden soil with deposits of Silex and Mica on a steep hillside. The vines are more than 50 years of age. The grapes are partially destemmed…35% to 50% of the stems are removed. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats.
The remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids. This one is the hardest to find and most collectible of all their wines. In fact, they only produce close to an average of 350 cases of Cote Rotie in most vintages. Rene Rostaing Cote Brune made its debut with the 2013 vintage. The vines were once part of the holdings of Marius Gentaz, which eventually passed to Rene Rostaing. Rostaing replanted those vines in 2000. Made from 100% Syrah. — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.5

One of the wines I supplied for an annual lunch hosting (co-host this time). I was really hesitant to open this given the fanfare of this specific wine, but also how DrCrane can be an in-between wine for me (so explosive young, shut down at 5-10yrs, re-open 10+). Decanted two-three hours.

Classic deep purple-black DrCrane in the glass. Aromatics are immediate with ripe blue and black fruits, baking spices, mocha and graphite. Just a little bit of high-toned EA to make it pop, along with this roasted character I always get from DrCrane wines. Opulent and polished in every way on the palate, this is a tidal wave of flavor with no hard edges. It’s a towering wine in the sense of so much concentration and depth on the mid-palate, but it’s so incredibly polished at the finish…almost shockingly so. The ripe fruits and the dark chocolate linger longer than any Napa cab I can remember. Iron first in a velvet glove.

No need to worry, these are open for business. Plenty of structure to carry a while, but this window seems like it was made for how this wine is drinking now. — a year ago

Willem Booij

9.6

20 years young VP, what a iron fist in a velvet glove. Love it! — 3 years ago

Will Stanley

9.5

Just rock-solid Châteauneuf, this is exemplary and for me personally my exact sweet-spot in terms of the varied styles from this region. The nose takes a little coaxing, but has a great yin / yang profile of pure, fresh blue fruit, liquorice, violets, and garrigue, versus seared meat, iron and loamy earth. This all puts it square in the middle of the ‘old’ and ‘new’ schools, broadly speaking, and it’s a wine that has the best of both worlds as a result.

The palate is huge, an iron fist in a glove of velvet and so much more, but in no way imbalanced or over-extracted - not overtly alcoholic, at a modest 14%. It spreads out in waves across the palate, ripples which are felt long after the finish. This is clearly a baby now, but it drinks well and will see its 20th birthday in damn fine fettle. Excited to have a case in the cellar.

Decanting not required nor recommended. — 3 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.4

2006 El Puntido is the current release, and it is stunning. Remarkably elegant, Burgundy-like expression of Rioja Alta from a cooler high elevation site. High-toned, floral and mineral with silken texture, melted tannins and ample concentration. Iron fist inside a velvet glove. — 7 years ago

Chip Hughes

9.4

Brooding, dark and Syrah-like. Raspberry, cocoa powder, game juices...suffused with Alpine minerality. A definite iron fist/velvet glove. #lagrein #niedrist #südtirol — 8 years ago

Mark Rosse

9.6

La Tache of Switzerland! Iron fist in a velvet glove. — 8 years ago

Heather McCann

9.2

Soooooo good. I would just repeat the comment about an iron fist inside a deeply velvet glove! — 8 years ago