1991 Dervieux-Thaize “La Viaillere” Côte-Rôtie

This wine was actually made by Rene Rostaing. The Viaillere vineyard is up on the Northern end of the appellation, for what that’s worth, with darkish, tight soils. The wine is a bit of a disappointment. It’s either way too young or way too old. Or never was any good. It’s monolithic, tannic as can be, with drying fruit and a somewhat oxidative character. Not attractive, but it wasn’t actually physically painful. I rate it a Shemp. Rostaing’s Côte Blonde and La Landonne bottlings from ’91 were much better.

SY (8/01)