Dom. de Vallouit Les Roziers Cote Rotie 1998

"The 1998 Cote Rotie Les Rosiers Cuvee Speciale is a monstrous effort exhibiting aromas of bacon fat, blackberries, and cassis liqueur, full body, leathery, meaty, olive-like flavors on the palate, immense body, and moderate tannin. Interestingly, this wine saw only 10% new oak. It should age nicely for 15-18 years."
-Wine Advocate

"Wonderful. A mixture of finesse and power, blending aromas of a garden in bloom with minerally notes from wet soil. Full-bodied, with ripe, supple tannins and a silky texture, pickingu p leather, game, smoke, grilled meat and blackberry along the way. Drink now through 2007. 505 cases made."
-Wine Spectator

A Rhône valley producer whose wines have steadily improved over the last decade, culminating in its acquisition in June 2001 by Domaine Etienne Guigal. Louis de Vallouit, a former French athlete and Monte Carlo rally driver, has 30 hectares of vineyard in the Rhône Valley stretching from Côte Rôtie to Montpellier. His cellars are based in the small town of Vaulier, 15 kilometres north of Tain and almost equidistant between the vineyards of Côte Rotie and Hermitage.

Louis de Vallouit is most renowned for his Côte Roties and in particular for his prestige cuvees, Les Roziers, which is produced from a single plot of 40-year-old vines, and La Voniere. He also produces a superb Hermitage from 90-year-old vines in the Clos des Greffieres, the oldest plot of vines on Hermitage hill. With additional investment from its new owner, Domaine Etienne Guigal, this producer will surely now go from strength to strength.