2005 Cote Rotie, Patrick Jasmin

"Dark red. Perfumed, red berry-dominated bouquet of fresh violet, minerals and baking spices. Fleshy raspberry and cherry flavors are firmed by silky tannins and energized by vibrant minerality. I really like this wine's unadorned, understated personality. Finishes sweet, broad and long, with outstanding focus.

"Two thousand six was a beautiful year all the way down to Cornas," Patrick Jasmin told me in November. "The wines have excellent balance and finesse, while the 2005s are very rich and solid-like '99 but maybe with a little surmaturite. They're less classic and have less finesse than 2006 or 2004; they need to be put away." He concluded by stating, with emphasis, that elegance is what defines Cote-Rotie, adding that viognier always makes up about 7% of his wine."  Josh Raynold, Vinous.com, Jan 2008