Jamet Côte-Rôtie 2016

96/100 Josh Raynolds

"Deep, lurid purple. Assertive, highly perfumed aromas of fresh blackberry, cherry, Moroccan spices and violet pick up olive and licorice nuances with air. Juicy, energetic and appealingly sweet, offering palate-staining red/blue fruit preserve, spicecake and violet pastille flavors that become deeper as the wine opens up. The floral and mineral notes repeat with gusto on an impressively long, focused finish that features youthfully firm tannins and a touch of bitter chocolate."
(Josh Raynolds, vinous.com)

"When his brother Jean-Luc Jamet went his own way with half of the family vineyards, Jean-Paul continued working in the existing winery above the town of Ampuis. It's always a treat to visit him there, getting a barrel-tasting tour of Côte Rôtie's numerous lieux-dits. Jean-Paul says 2018 is an excellent year, "very ripe yet with supple tannins and good freshness." He contrasts that to 2017, which he says is "a solar year with surprising elegance." As he sums up, "For me, 2018 is magnificent but perhaps a bit southern. In 2017, you know you're in the Northern Rhône." Jamet describes 2016 as "une belle expression de Syrah—classique." To illustrate his point that warm vintages aren't a threat to Côte Rôtie, Jamet poured a couple of older wines from hot years. Both the 2009 and 1989 Côte Rôties were singing. The '89 he compared to the '18, calling it, "fumé, lardé, épicé." He concluded, "I'm confident in hot vintages, because with time, the terroir emerges."
(Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com)

"Domaine Jamet respects the terroir and a passion for wine in its work, in the heart of the Côte Rôtie hills.
From the village of Ampuis, drive four kilometres towards the hills until you reach Domaine Jamet. This lovely drive allows you to appreciate the steep slopes of the Côte-Rôtie hills. These are the wonderful terroirs that give their character to this glorious nectar.
The Domaine Jamet lies on a plateau, known as "Le Vallin", with a fabulous view where Mont Blanc and the Alps can be seen in good weather. Entering the storehouse, nature and simplicity seem to be the Jamet family's key words, focused on the artisanal nature of the place. This is where Jean-Paul, his wife Corinne and, more recently their elder son Loïc cultivate vines and wines with a passion.
Bottles with character, such as those of Domaine Jamet, are the result of work on a terroir and especially by a man. Over time spent walking the hillsides of Côte Rôtie, Jean-Paul followed his instinct and built on his convictions. And so, he vinified the wines of Domaine Jamet for the fortieth year.
Grown on steep hillsides and terraces set out on terraces in what are commonly called "chayets", the vines evolve on a sub-soil mainly composed of schist and to a lesser extent granite. In view of the exceptional nature of the land, it is essential for Jean-Paul Jamet and his family to respect this heritage always."
(Domaine Jamet)