Am I being stingy in only awarding Rostaing's 2015 Cote Rotie la Landonne 99+ points? This is a tremendous wine, showing immense richness and power without any apparent weight. Raspberries flood the palate in waves, accented by various spices in a wine that's intensely tannic yet never hard or astringent. Breathtaking stuff. Joe Czerwinski <>

Inky ruby. Deep-pitched, smoke- and spice-accented aromas of black currant and cherry compote, violet and incense take on a hint of exotic spices with air. Lush and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated black and blue fruit liqueur, licorice and spicecake flavors that are sharpened by a smoky mineral element. Becomes sweeter and livelier with air and finishes extremely long, featuring rounded tannins and lingering spiciness.