Maison Stephan Cote Rotie Coteaux de Bassenon 2022
Maison Stephan Cote Rotie Coteaux de Bassenon 2022
Maison Stephan Cote Rotie Coteaux de Bassenon 2022
Maison Stephan Cote Rotie Coteaux de Bassenon 2022

Maison Stephan Cote Rotie Coteaux de Bassenon 2022

Northern Rhone

Maison Stephan Cote Rotie Coteaux de Bassenon 2022

Northern Rhone
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94 pts Vinous (Josh Raynolds)
Saturated magenta. Displays an array of ripe red and blue fruit, floral and exotic spice qualities on the highly perfumed nose, along with suggestions of smoked meat and botanical herbs. Sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering spice-laced blueberry, kirsch and fruitcake flavors that firm up steadily through the back half. Finishes very long and smoky, with well-knit tannins and reverberating blue fruit and floral notes.

For over a decade, Jean-Michel Stephan, a resolutely organic/bio-dynamic domaine, has been developing a full-on cult following of natural wine enthusiasts. But the “natural wine” description shouldn’t imply a not unjustifiable fear of overt funkiness, at least these days. That was not the case back then, when Stephan’s wines were as out there as Côte-Rôtie could get. Today, Stephan produces from 4.5 hectares of vines, plus another five outside the appellation. A large, modern winery was built next door to the original Tupin-et-Semons cellar that came online just in time for the 2021 harvest. I do not doubt that this will help the family further enhance their wines’ already increasingly high quality. Prices have been moving upward rapidly. While Stephan’s wines (made with as little sulfur as possible and often with some carbonic maceration) still lean to the wild side, they are now significantly less feral than they were in the past.

From the northern Rhône’s prestigious slopes, Maison Stephan delivers a Côte-Rôtie that is both expressive and refined, capturing the elegance of Syrah on the famed steep granitic hillsides above the village of Ampuis. The 2022 “Coteaux de Bassenon” showcases the house’s commitment to precision, minimal intervention, and terroir-driven winemaking.

Technical Notes

  • Grape Variety: 100% Syrah
  • Appellation: Côte-Rôtie AOC, Northern Rhône
  • Vineyard: Coteaux de Bassenon, mid-slope, south-facing vines
  • Vine Age: 30–50 years
  • Soils: Stony granite with decomposed schist and sandy loam — giving lift, minerality, and elegance
  • Farming: Organic practices; hand-harvested fruit
  • Vinification: 100% destemmed; fermentation with native yeasts in stainless steel and concrete; aged 14 months in neutral French oak foudres; bottled unfined and unfiltered
  • Alcohol: ~13.5% ABV

Terroir
Coteaux de Bassenon benefits from the steep, granitic slopes of the Côte-Rôtie, where southern exposure ensures ripeness while the altitude and cooling northern breezes preserve freshness. The rocky, well-draining soils stress the vines, producing small, concentrated berries that result in wines of elegance, spice, and mineral precision.

Tasting Notes
This Côte-Rôtie 2022 opens with aromas of black olive, cassis, violet, smoked meat, and cracked pepper, layered with a subtle floral lift. The palate is refined yet powerful, showing flavors of black cherry, blackberry, graphite, and star anise, supported by fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity. There’s a clear sense of minerality and energy that carries through to a long, savory finish, balanced and precise.

Maison Stephan’s Coteaux de Bassenon 2022 is a terroir-driven Syrah that combines elegance, freshness, and depth — a Côte-Rôtie of clarity and expression. Perfect for pairing with roast lamb, game, or aged cheeses, it’s a wine that rewards careful drinking now or a few years in the cellar.

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