2022 René Rostaing Côte-Rôtie La Landonne Magnum 1.5L, Northern Rhone

The 2022 Côte Rôtie La Landonne ratchets everything up a notch, offing a darker, meaty style in its smoked black fruits, raw steak, ground pepper, and graphite notes. It's medium to full-bodied and has ripe, polished tannins and terrific overall balance.

95-97 points jebdunnuck.com

Remarkably soft on the palate for La Landonne, it doesn't have the same austere impact at this stage as a more classic vintage. Tannins are soft, ripe and not as intense as usual, but it does have length and ripe black fruit, with a graphite element to the tannins. Acidity is on the low side, as is the alcohol. From parcels planted at different times with an average age of 40 years.

95 points decanter.com

Brooding and complex, the 2022 Côte-Rôtie La Landonne has developed splendidly since I last tasted it from barrel one year ago. Fresh violets, stemmy subtleties, pencil shaving, black cherry and crushed rock notes are all dialed up. A slice of orange rind adds another aromatic layer. Firmly structured by ripe tannins, the 2022 is a singular La Landonne, closing with drive on the nuanced finale. Drink: 2028-2042

95 points Nicolas Greinacher vinous.com 

René Rostaing Côte Rôtie La Landonne is a bold and profoundly structured Syrah from one of the most legendary parcels in the Northern Rhône. This is not a wine that whispers. It speaks with authority, built on the steep schist slopes of La Landonne where the vines dig deep into iron-rich soils and produce fruit of serious concentration and intensity.

La Landonne is famous for producing the most powerful expression of Côte Rôtie. No Viognier is blended here. It's 100 percent Syrah, and in the hands of the Rostaing family it becomes something commanding yet impeccably refined. Pierre Rostaing now leads the winemaking, continuing the legacy established by his father René, with a focus on tradition and clarity of site.

The fruit is fermented with a high proportion of whole bunches, extracting firm tannins and layered aromatics. Ageing takes place in mostly used oak barrels, allowing the wine to breathe and evolve slowly without being marked by wood. This is a wine that demands patience and rewards it generously.

In the glass it opens with intense aromas of black olive, smoked meat, graphite, black cherry and crushed herbs. The palate is dense and tightly woven with immense structure, deep mineral grip and a savoury finish that lasts for minutes. It’s built for the cellar but unforgettable even in its youth with enough air.

La Landonne from Rostaing is one of the Rhône Valley’s great wines. Pair it with roast lamb, duck with black garlic or enjoy it decades from now as it continues to unfold its layers.