The 2012 Côte Rôtie Château d’Ampuis is a bigger, richer wine that offers full-bodied richness and a broad, expansive style on the palate. Black raspberries, toasted spices, cured meats and licorice all emerge from this incredibly sexy, complex and nuanced Côte Rôtie, and my notes finish with “wish I could drink a glass.” Enjoy bottles anytime over the coming 15 or more years.

(aged in new oak for 36 months): Opaque ruby. Mineral-tinged aromas of blackberry, cherry liqueur, licorice and violet, plus an exotic Indian spice nuance. At once weighty and energetic, offering sappy black and blue fruit flavors and hints of candied flowers, smoky minerals and spicecake. Smoothly blends power and vivacity, finishing pure, spicy and long, with repeating spiciness and smooth tannins. This bottling is steadily moving closer, quality-wise, to Gilgal's La La wines, but the price has yet to reflect that.

Tasted blind. Sweet and oaky. Confected and falls away. This bottle is not quite clean. (JR)