Bernard Levet "Les Journaries" Cote-Rotie 2022

Syrah from the Northern Rhone of France is absolutely my favorite kind of red wine in the world. The two greatest villages are Hermitage and Cote-Rotie. Where as the wines of Hermitage are more dense and rich, the wines of Cote-Rotie are much more floral and aromatic. Domaine Bernard Levet is unquestionably one of the greats. We were shocked to have been given an allocation, albeit very *very* pleased. "Nicole Levet’s grandfather first purchased vineyards in Ampuis in 1936 and began making wine immediately thereafter. Initially, he delivered his Cote Rotie in barrels to the city of St. Etienne where he sold it to bistros and cafes for consumption by the miners of that city. In 1966, Nicole’s father, Marius Chambeyron, began to bottle a small portion of the production of the estate. I first encountered Marius Chambeyron in 1982 as I prospected in the region. He was a proud and somewhat brazen man who, despite the tiny size of his estate, proudly painted his name on the rocks that fronte