Clusel-Roch, Cote Rotie Grandes Places, 2021
is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
This is Syrah with a capital S, from one of Côte-Rôtie’s top sites and one of the region’s most beloved old-school growers. Clusel-Roch’s Grandes Places comes from steep, schist-heavy slopes, planted with old vines that don’t mess around. It’s one of the Northern Rhône’s most serious addresses—but the wine? It’s all about grace and grit.
The 2021 vintage is especially cool and classic. You get that deep, savory core—smoked meat, cracked pepper, violets—but without the muscle-flexing of hotter years. It’s more about lifted aromatics and fine tannins than raw power. There's this earthy, almost foresty edge that keeps it grounded, but then it floats right back up on a wave of purple fruit and floral spice.
The Clusels are certified organic, super minimal in the cellar, and basically allergic to overdoing it. No flashy oak, no extraction—just pure Côte-Rôtie character in its most elegant form.
Let it breathe, or better yet, give it a few years in the cellar if you’ve got the patience. But it’s already got that cool balance of depth and drinkability that makes great Syrah such a joy. Steak night? Duck confit? Mushroom risotto? It’s game.
