Rene Rostaing worked in real estate before turning his hand to wine in 1971, but it wasn’t until 2000 that he devoted all his time to his estate. Today, he looks after 7.4 hectares across 14 lieux-dits and 20 separate plots in Côte Rôtie. Since 1996 he produces just three wines - the Classic from a blend of 11 different lieux-dits, a seductive Côte Blonde and a densely structured La Landonne. On average 75% of the crop is destemmed and aging is split between 228-litre casks and 550-litre demi-muids, with only 10% of the oak being new. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Beautifully detailed wines that show restraint and elegance are the hallmarks of the estate.

Reasonably floral and red-fruited at the moment, the 2020 Cote Rotie la Landonne may not have the richness and power of the very best vintages, but it’s still a terrific wine. Tasted as a barrel sample drawn just hours earlier, in addition to those violets and raspberries, it’s also marked by the vineyard’s characteristic dark notes of roasted meat, black olives and espresso, ample tannins and a long, silky-textured finish. Date: Jan 2022; Drink: 2025-2040; Rating: 94-96 Points; Joe Czerwinski; Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

Classically dark, brooding fruits, this has length and depth, with good balance even though the acidity is quite low. With its intense and muscular tannins, this is for the long term. Four weeks in tank, 18 months in oak (limited new oak), with natural yeasts and as many stems as possible. Date: Oct 2021; Drink: 2030-2045; Rating: 96 Points; Matt Walls; Decanter

Opaque ruby. Displays an array of intensely perfumed, mineral-accented black and blue fruit, floral, botanical herb and exotic spice aromas, along with suggestions of licorice, smoked meat and olive. Shows serious depth as well as unlike energy, offering palate-staining kirsch, cassis, bitter chocolate, olive paste and violet pastille flavours that slowly turn sweet and become more energic through the back half. Youthfully gripping tannins add grip to the smoky, mineral- and spice driven finish, which emphatically repeats the licorice and blue fruit notes. Date: Dec 2022; Drink: 2028-2039; Rating: 97 Points; Josh Reynolds; Vinous