Syrah, Dom Rene Rostaing 'Les Lezardes'

A Northern Rhône masterclass in savory elegance. Blackberry and black plum meet smoked violets, cracked pepper, and that signature olive brine note Rostaing fans get smug about. Silky texture up front, mineral backbone underneath, and the kind of finish that makes you rethink what “entry level” even means. A fresher, lifted style in 2018, showing purity of fruit, high-toned aromatics, and restrained tannin. Native-yeast fermentation followed by aging in older barrels [neutral oak] so the fruit, florals, and savory Rhône spice stay clean and unmasked.

René Rostaing is one of Côte Rôtie’s most respected traditionalists, with tiny parcels across some of the region’s best schist slopes. Les Lezardes pulls from younger vines and parcels just outside the cru, giving the style without the price tag: savory, whisper-smoky, precise.