2022 Rene Rostaing - Coteaux du Languedoc Puech Noble (750ml)

René Rostaing built his reputation in Côte Rôtie, launching his estate in 1971 though he kept a foot in real estate for another two decades before committing fully to wine. Between 1989 and 1992 he inherited prized vineyard holdings from two towering figures of the northern Rhône, his father-in-law, Albert Dervieux, and his uncle, Marius Gentaz, absorbing their classical, noble style of winemaking along the way. In the late 1990s, René and his wife expanded south, purchasing a property near Nîmes in the Coteaux du Languedoc that they renamed Puech Noble.

Puech Noble sits on a small plateau covered in the same rounded galets roulés stones found in parts of nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but at an elevation about 150 meters higher, giving the site a notably cooler, fresher character. That combination of limestone-rich ground and altitude let the Rostaings grow Syrah with real distinction here, rounded out with smaller amounts of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Carignan. The Syrah and Mourvèdre are aged separately in oak casks before the final blend comes together.

The 2022 is a sophisticated, well-structured red with a distinct mountain freshness running through its focused, medium-bodied palate. Dark fruit and spice carry through a long, crisp finish with a chalky mineral edge, and the wine shows real potential to develop further with a few years in the cellar. Drink it now or hold it, and pour it alongside roast lamb, grilled steak, or a firm sheep's milk cheese.