2020 Côte-Rôtie “Fongeant”
Barruol / Lynch
While Louis Barruol has long been one of the most acclaimed producers in the southern Rhône, it’s a wonder that he hasn’t yet achieved the same recognition for his grandiose work in the northern Rhône as well. Armed with encyclopedic knowledge of Côte Rôtie terroirs, and with an approach inspired by the greats of lore (think Marius Gentaz and Robert Jasmin, for example), Barruol consistently comes up with incredibly complex, yet delicate, old-school Syrah worthy of the Côte’s pantheon. Perhaps it would be better for you and me if it stayed under the radar! It is our privilege to bring in a pure cuvée sourced exclusively from the Fongeant lieu-dit, which sits right on the border of the Côte Blonde and Côte Brune, and is renowned for sharing the best of both: tannins and structure from the Brune side, with silky, floral elegance provided by the Blonde.
—Chris Santini
| Wine Type: | red |
| Vintage: | 2020 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | Syrah |
| Appellation: | Côte Rôtie |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Northern Rhône |
| Producer: | Barruol / Lynch |
| Winemaker: | Louis Barruol |
| Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
| Alcohol: | 13.5% |
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About The Producer
Barruol / Lynch
Louis Barruol is an indefatigable force in the Rhône, the 14th generation in his family to be making wine in Gigondas. On what was once the site of a Roman villa, Louis’ cellars show spectacular remains of Roman vinification vats carved into the limestone. Here, Louis works with different grape varietals from the Rhône, vinifying each parcel separately. He’s taken to acting as a micro-négociant, working with top growers in the region who still work with Sérine. Producing only a few precious barrels of each cuvée, Louis is helping to save the authenticity and identity of old Côte Rôtie parcels. Together, he and Kermit blend our Northern Rhône wines and a Southern Côtes du Rhône Blanc and Rouge from a selection of Louis’ purchases.
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Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch