2015 Côte-Rôtie, Madinière, Yves Cuilleron, Rhône

The Côte Brune vineyards of Les Roziers and Les Rochains, near to La Landonne itself, provide the fruit for this perennial favourite. The wine is dark and tight, with intense aromas of thyme, liquorice and smoked meat. The complexity continues onto the palate and underwrites ageing potential. This vintage, for Yves, shares the family traits of 2010 and even the under-rated 2006 (which is delicious now); very fine pedigree, in other words, but perhaps more elegant than so-called sunshine years such as 2009 or the irredeemably tannic 2005. Drink 2020-2026.