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Profile
Structure
Drinking window
Best 6 to 20 years from vintage.
vintage6 yrs20 yrs22 yrs
Critic scores
No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating above is our own.
In the glass
What it pairs with
- Guinea fowl with tarragon cream sauce The wine's elegance and floral character suits mild poultry in cream.More wines for chicken and white meat →
- Herb-crusted rack of lamb The floral and pepper notes echo the herb crust on the lamb.More wines for lamb →
- Salmon with apricot hollandaise The wine's Viognier apricot character bridges to the apricot hollandaise.More wines for salmon →
With cheese
How to serve Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Guinea fowl with tarragon cream sauce, Herb-crusted rack of lamb, Salmon with apricot hollandaise. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Pierre Gaillard founded his domaine in 1987 and by 1989 was producing the Esprit de Blonde from his Cote Blonde parcels. The wine expresses the lighter, more aromatic character of the mica-gneiss Cote Blonde soils.
- 1987Pierre Gaillard founds the domaine in Malleval
- 1989First vintage of Esprit de Blonde from the Cote Blonde parcels
Facts
- Producer
- Pierre Gaillard · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Syrah (90%), Viognier (10%)
- Classification
- Cote-Rotie AOC
- Oak
- 18 months in new and used French oak barriques
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Price
- EUR 55-80 at retail
- Drinking window
- 6-20 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1989
- Organic
- ECOCERT
Frequently asked about Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde
What does Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde taste like?
Structurally full-bodied, medium tannins, high acidity with a long, floral and peppery finish.
When should I drink Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde?
Drink 6-20 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde?
Guinea fowl with tarragon cream sauce is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Herb-crusted rack of lamb and Salmon with apricot hollandaise. The wine's elegance and floral character suits mild poultry in cream.
What grapes are in Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde?
The blend is Syrah (90%), Viognier (10%). The wine is classified as Cote-Rotie AOC.
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