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The wines of Domaine Daubrée, Côte-Rôtie, Northern Rhône

Martin and Lucette Daubrée have a small domaine with just 6 ha of vines. Currently only 2 ha are in production – a mature vineyard on the Côte Brune – with the other 4 ha, at Corps de Loup, currently being replanted. The wines are generally impressive, and I was particularly taken by the 1999, which is close to perfect. House style here favours elegance and terroir expression, surely a good thing in this age of international-style taste-alike wines. When you have an appellation with such potential and character as Côte-Rôtie, it seems almost criminal to mask the wines with excessive new oak and over-extraction.  

UK availability: OW Loeb (www.owloeb.com)

Domaine Daubrée Côte-Rôtie 1998
Distinctive meaty, green olive nose is perfumed and very savoury. Good typicity. The palate is midweight, savoury and meaty with good acidity. Not a big wine but an expressive one. Very good/excellent

Domaine Daubrée Côte-Rôtie 1999
Almost perfect nose: ripe, perfumed and with meaty, green olive notes. The palate is savoury and intense with good acidity and firm, savoury tannins. Very expressive. Excellent

Domaine Daubrée Côte-Rôtie 2000 (cask sample)
Quite subdued, gently spicy nose, with a touch of meatiness. Midweight, lightly spiced palate with some tannin. A light style. Very good+

Domaine Daubrée Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde 2001 (cask sample)
For the first time in 2001 Martin Daubrée is bottling his Côte Blonde and Brune wines separately. This has a warm, ripe, spicy nose. The palate is quite chunky and spicy with good acid. Nice enough but fails to hit the heights. Very good (£179 ib)

Domaine Daubrée Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune 2001 (cask sample)
Firm, spicy woody nose. The chewy, savoury palate is very tannic and firm. A sinewy wine for keeping. Very good+ (£189 ib) 

see also: tasting notes of Rhône wines; Rhône 2001; spotlight on Côte Rôtie

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