Jean Michel Gerin has prime land in Cote Rotie, and his Cote Rotie wines sell for $150 to $225 a bottle. Some of the grapes for this Syrah La Champine come from young vines on Gerin's property but most come from nearby Ardeche, hardly as prestigious. I bought a case of La Champine from Saratoga Wine Exchange for $144 ($12 a bottle). Perhaps the wine had less value on the market because the winemaker, on the label, advised drinking "now and during the next 5 years." But it sold out at that price and I am very pleased with my purchase.
Syrah dark, all the way to the rim. Black fruit, cassis and a touch of black olives on the finish. Just what I like in French Syrah. Matured 12 months in old oak barrels (similar to my prized Domaine Thalabert wines from the 1980s that are still drinking beautifully). Don't get me wrong; this is not Domaine Thalabert quality, but it has good fruit, good acidity and developing complexity on the finish. I like it.
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