Bonnefond Cote Rotie Rochins 22

Patrick and Christophe Bonnefond’s wines somehow keep getting better. They’ve enjoyed a string of excellent recent vintages in the vines, but they also seem to be hitting their stride in the cellar. Once firmly in the ripe, oaky, “extroverted” camp that made them a darling of Robert Parker, the domaine has shifted towards subtler expression in recent years: less time in oak, larger barrels, and earlier harvests. The Bonnefonds now achieve an extraordinary subtlety in their wines — it’s still bold, brooding, inky-dark Northern Rhône Syrah, but somehow also with subtlety, grace, and lift.

“Les Rochins” is a sibling of Rozier. The same elements are in play, but its fruit is a bit darker than Rozier’s (the vineyard has a more southern exposure) and its oak seems more in the background to the rich fruit. The wine is denser than Rozier, and its texture is particularly nice in 2022. Look for notes of leather, cocoa, coffee and cloves in the nose. The mouth carries a remarkable balance of intense concentration and vibrant lift – a bit like the character of Burgundy’s best red 2022s.