HOW TO INVEST IN WINE?
Or rather, which wines to invest in?
We've chosen to use the word investment, not to advise you to buy a particular bottle in order to make a capital gain in a few years' time, but rather to invest in certain appellations or estates that will be harder to afford in a few years' time.
Which Côte-Rôtie wines?
For this second focus on the Vallée-du-Rhône, we've decided to talk to you about the appellation Côte-Rôtie. Although the reputation of the AOC is well established, we consider it to be one of the most underrated appellations in the wine world. It is one of the smallest appellations, with no more than 320 hectares of production, shared between a hundred or so winegrowers. 60 estates produce appellation wines, including 73 classified lieux-dits. The appellation produces only red wines, with Syrah as the only permitted red grape variety. This can be sweetened up to 20% with Viognier, a white grape variety found in Condrieu. Much of the character of these wines lies in their terroir. In the north, the soils are of brown Micaschiste rock, which produces powerful wines, while in the south, the Migmatite rocks derived from Gneiss parent rock are blond in color and produce more elegant wines. As a rule, the wines are powerful, spicy and highly complex. In this appellation, several winemakers are already making their mark, such as Yves Cuilleron, Pierre Gaillard and Yves Gangloff, among others, but we wanted to tell you about two estates that deserve a closer look.
LE DOMAINE DUCLAUX
David & Benjamin are two brothers who work their vineyards with the greatest respect. Heir to the family estate created in 1928 by their great-grandfather, he benefits from 5.8 hectares of vines located on the slopes of Tupons and Semons, in the south of the appellation. They don't believe in heavy ageing, but rather in producing fine, elegant wines that benefit from the Gneiss soils, which provide all the complexity and delicacy required.
The estate produces 3 Côte-Rôtie wines:
- Maison Rouge, the estate's flagship cuvée, from their finest terroirs. A 100% Syrah cuvée aged for 20 months in demi-muids. Elegant, fine and with melted tannins, this Côte-Rôtie will surprise you with its power and richness.
- La GermineA blend with 5% of Viognier. With its less rich soils, it offers a fruitier, greedier wine.
- La Chana is one of the more floral Côte-Rôtie wines, benefiting from a strong presence of Viognier, which brings all its sweetness and notes of flowers and white fruit.
We invite you to discover this estate very quickly, as the very confidential production of these three cuvées, especially the Maison Rouge, is disappearing fast.
The second estate we wanted to introduce you to in the Côte-Rôtie appellation, located in the commune of Ampuis, is Domaine Barge. A highly confidential estate that has belonged to the Barge family since 1860, the generations have succeeded one another to make way for Julien Barge, who has been in charge of the estate since 2019. The estate owns 5.7 hectares of vines in the Côte-Rôtie appellation, some of which have been planted since 1947. Denser and more powerful, the domaine's cuvées are distinguished by their aromatic richness, while offering silky tannins after a few years. The domaine produces 2 wines in the appellation.
- La Côte BlondeThis is a small parcel of less than a hectare, some of whose vines were planted between 1947 and 1952, and which is run at 100% under organic farming methods.
- Aged for 28 months in demi-muids, you'll need to wait between 10 and 15 years to enjoy this sweet beverage with its notes of red and candied fruit.
- Le Combard is the family's oldest property, as a long period of planting began during the First World War.
Today, Domaine Barge manages 3 hectares of 50% of organic and 50% of integrated farming. What makes this terroir so special is its unique soil, with a volcanic chimney at the heart of the hillside, giving it remarkable power and ageing capacity. If, however, you can't wait to taste one of the estate's cuvées, start with the Cuvée le Combard, which has a more expressive nose and palate when young.
The estate's two cuvées are interesting. The first for the age and finesse of its vines, the second for the untapped potential of its soils, which undoubtedly need further work.
A few examples of Côte-Rôtie Grand Domaines:
![✨ Comptoir des Millésimes honors Champagne's great winemakers ✨[LINK TO THE ORGANIC CELLAR]We've selected 11 exceptional estates that reveal the full richness of Champagne terroir through unique, refined cuvées. Hugues Godmé - In Verzenay, this family-run biodynamic estate offers precise, vibrant champagnes with a beautiful mineral tension.Egly-Ouriet - A benchmark for the Montagne de Reims, its powerful champagnes, aged for long periods in barrel, impress with their complexity.Moussé Fils - In Cuisles, the Meunier grape is king. Pertois-Moriset - Pure, taut Chardonnay Grands Crus for lovers of chalky finesse. A fine address in Mesnil-sur-Oger.Geoffroy - In Aÿ, this domaine produces fine champagnes, carefully crafted and barrel-aged to reveal the full complexity of the terroir.Larmandier-Bernier - Biodynamic viticulture, exceptional parcels and purity. Crystal-clear, intense champagnes for connoisseurs.Roger Coulon - Eight generations of expertise at Vrigny. Balanced, subtle and elegant champagnes.A. Bergère - In Avize, a dynamic house offering expressive, fruity and accessible cuvées.Adrien Renoir - A promising talent from Verzy, he produces fine, complex champagnes with a true sense of terroir.De Sousa - Emblematic house in Avize. Richness, depth, long ageing: Chardonnay at its peak.Pierre Paillard - In Bouzy, the family magnifies Pinot Noir with vinous, racy and sincere cuvées.📦 Order now on our website#ComptoirdesMillésimes #Champagne #VigneronsIndépendants #GrandVin #ChampagnesdeTerroir #LivraisonRapide](https://www.comptoirdesmillesimes.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)