M Chapoutier La Mordoree Cote Rotie Rouge 2018 750ml +14%

M. Chapoutier La Mordorée Côte-Rôtie Rouge 2018 is a flagship, premium single-vineyard (or rather, multi-lieu-dit) Northern Rhône Syrah from Michel Chapoutier's biodynamic holdings. "La Mordorée" (meaning "the golden brown" or evoking the toasted appearance of the grapes) draws from prime plots on both the Côte Blonde (lighter, more aromatic soils) and Côte Brune (darker, schist-rich soils), including some very old vines (up to 70+ years). This blend captures the classic Côte-Rôtie duality: floral elegance and perfume from the Blonde with power, structure, and minerality from the Brune. It's a serious, age-worthy wine that sits well above the village-level Chapoutier reds you've asked about earlier.

Blend and Production

• 100% Syrah, with a small traditional addition of Viognier co-fermented in some Côte-Rôtie styles (though often minimal or none specified for this cuvée).
• Grapes are destemmed and fermented in open-top vessels. Aging occurs in a mix of oak (including some new barrels) for about 18–24 months, contributing subtle toast and integration while letting the terroir shine.
• The 2018 vintage in the Northern Rhône was generous and warm, producing ripe, concentrated fruit with good balance and structure — powerful yet not over-extracted. Production is limited (around 500 cases annually on average).

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Deep, intense ruby/purplish-red with saturation.
• Nose: Highly aromatic and complex — black raspberry, mulberry, blackberry, and red/blue fruit preserves; spice (baking spices, white pepper), violets/acacia flowers, new leather, incense, scorched earth/mineral, pencil shavings, licorice, and hints of tapenade, rosemary, or smoky notes.
• Palate: Full-bodied yet elegant and harmonious, with plush, sweet, silky tannins that feel refined rather than aggressive. Layers of ripe dark fruit, spice, floral perfume, and savory depth (smoke, earth, olive). It offers power and opulence with a deceptively weightless or crisp finish, vibrant energy, and excellent length. Described as stunning, velvety, balanced, and precise.

Critics were enthusiastic: 98 points Jeb Dunnuck (straight-up stunning, does everything right; drink 2020–2045+), strong Vinous scores around 95, and community/Vivino praise for its elegance and structure. In 2026, it's drinking beautifully now through the mid-2030s to 2040s, with potential for further evolution into secondary notes like leather, game, and dried herbs.