2014 Jean-Luc Jamet, Syrah, Valine, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes IGP, Northern Rhone, France.
The baby Jamet is a lovely and fresh Syrah from vines just outside the Cote-Rotie AOC on the same continuous hill as the famed Côte Brune on the brown schist that delivers wonderful detail and purity. Not as edgy as the original Domaine Jamet Cote-Rotie, but still an awesome little wine with layers of blueberry, crushed violets, boysenberry, mineral tones, peppercorns, black currants and plummy mouth feel as well as earth, truffle, black olive and dried herbs. Vibrant, tight and with a touch of funk, let this Syrah Valine open and magic bursts out of the glass with floral perfume and racy black fruit, lingering with cinnamon, lavender and savory notes, this is very tasty stuff. Jean-Lux split with his brother Jean-Paul, who took over the historic Domaine Jamet, in 2013 and began making his own wine under his own label, but from the same vines, which they divided equally, and this looks to be the only wine imported so far, but it will be well worth searching this one out, especially for the price. This Valine by Jean-Luc Jamet is certainly impressive and will make a lot of Cote-Rotie fans, and in particular Jamet fans, very happy with it’s traditional character, quality and it’s ease of use. Drink this 2014 now and as often as you can, but don’t wait, it won’t last long, I got this from Portland’s very savvy Vinopolis Wine Shop!
($26 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive
