WTN: Je n'ai jamais ouvert cette vin

[Otto]

WTN: Jamet Côte-Rôtie 2001

I hope I got the French correct. I had never tried this wine before. Having read a few reports that this is open now, I decided to correct that. And I'm glad I did. It certainly is young, but it isn't showing awkwardly at all.

The nose is as classic Northern Rhône as one can hope: very meaty/olive-like, very savoury, very stern, nicely mineral, but with a nice juicy fruitiness to it also.

The palate has the purest essence of Syrahfruit, fine structure, with a juicy acidity that carries the aftertaste interminably. It doesn't yet have the nuance that age will bring, but it is showing as a wonderful young wine just now, and it does show lots of promise to evolve into a pretty and classically styled Côte-Rôtie.

I'm glad I bought four bottles of this at a very fair price. The other three shall rest, but I am happy to have tried one now.

[Redwinger]

Otto,
Thanks for the note, but no matter how hard you try to tempt me, my modest stash of 2001 Jamet's will remain hidden until 2012 or so...I just hope I survive that long.
Thanks again for the note, as this month's Wine Focus has been dreadfully slow and that is a pity since No. Rhone is my favorite wine region.
Bill
a/k/a Jamet Slut

[JoePerry]

I've got one bottle, but no plans to drink soon. Thanks for giving me the heads up.

[JoePerry]

Thanks again for the note, as this month's Wine Focus has been dreadfully slow

That's because all the Rhone freaks are at the Marche aux vins Ampuis right now. I just got an e-mail from Mike Lawton who's drinking a hell of a lot better than I am right now.

[Robin Garr]

this month's Wine Focus has been dreadfully slow and that is a pity since No. Rhone is my favorite wine region.

This is the kind of thing that's an ongoing issue for Wine Focus, WOTM, WT101, whatever: The more "interesting" topics tend to have a higher barrier to entry in terms of either availability or cost. I had an old Cote-Rotie kicking around, but even though I like Northern Rhone Syrah and will drink one at any good excuse, the only other examples I have here are Big Boys like younger Hermitage that I'm just not going to open the only one (or one of two) that I have just to experiment.

I do have notes coming up on an '03 Cave de Tain Croze. It wasn't very good.

But seriously, what do you guys suggest? Is it better to put up really interesting topics even though they may lure only light traffic? Or go with more available wines that will generate more discussions but not really offer as much inspiration? It's not a totally easy call.

[Otto]

What an odd day. Sudden answers to posts days old that went by unnoticed! And I think that an American Bx blend will become my QPR wine of the year (TN to follow in another thread). And I find a 5cl jar of the Jamet in my fridge that I'd forgot I stored there. And the 5cl was just wonderful with no oxidation evident. If not Riesling, I find it strange that any wine makes so many days unharmed.

To Robin's question: at least here, N Rhone is really hard to find (even considering how difficult it is to find anything worth drinking in our monopoly). If these wines are even half as hard to find as here, I would say it would be best to have an open-mike rather than a month of focus. Yet I do think that this are deserves a month of focus. It's a fascinating region and I for one would love to read more about it, and would love to be able to taste more of it. I was hoping for more threads to improve my understanding of the region.

[Redwinger]

Hi Otto,
It was I who brought your Jamet thread back to life. I was traveling much of this week and when I finally had more time to devote to the internet found your thread on my "desert island producer". YES!
Glad you are finding and exploring the wonderful world of Jamet. Whenever I am fortunate enough to taste some Jamet it just makes me happy.
BP

[Otto]

Thanks for the resurrection! Just to be clear: when I said hadn't tasted this wine before I meant the 2001 vintage. I have un an unclear habit of talking of new vintages of a familiar wine as different wines. TN to follow on a 1999 that we drunk a few months back once I find it.

[Redwinger]

Otto,
I'd be interested in your take on the 1999 Jamet. I had the '99 about a year ago, so I will also dig through my "notes archive". If I find it, I'll post it to your thread.
Wm