The 1998 Côte-Rôtie from Jean-Paul Jamet is now entering its apogee of peak maturity, as it is fully open and gorgeously expressive as it closes in on its twentieth birthday. The deep, complex and perfumed bouquet wafts from the glass in a stunning blend of cassis, smoked meats, raw cocoa, beautiful, gently autumnal soil tones, pepper, black olive, discreet nuttiness and a bit of cigar ash in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, seamless and meaty, with a fine core of fruit, modest tannins, great focus and grip and a very, very long, soil-driven and complex finish. While this wine is now into its plateau of maturity, it is still developing and may well be even better with another eight to ten years’ worth of bottle age. It is utterly classic in profile and undeniable in its beauty. - JG
JG95May 2017