Tardieu Laurent Cote Rotie Rhone Wine, Complete Guide

Learn about Tardieu Laurent Cote Rotie with wine tasting notes, wine and food pairing tips, best vintages, a history of the property and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important wineries and wine makers from the Rhone valley: Links to all Rhone Valley Wine Producer Profiles

Tardieu Laurent Cote Rotie History, Overview

Tardieu Laurent takes its name from the two original, founding partners, Michel Tardieu and Dominique Laurent. Unlike many well-known negociant firms, Tardieu Laurent is not steeped in history.

It’s a relatively young company. Prior to the entering the wine business, Dominique Laurent worked as a pastry chef. Tardieu became interested in the wine business at an early age. When they began their partnership, Michel Tardieu was already an experienced negociant.

Michel Tardieu and Dominique Laurent ended their partnership and today, the company is managed solely by Michel Tardieu. Michel Tardieu decided to retain the name of Tardieu Laurent.

Tardieu Laurent is one of the top Rhone wine negociant firms. They are one of the few domaines that strives to use biodynamic farming techniques.

They produce wines from Burgundy as well as from a myriad of Rhone appellations including; Condrieu, Cornas, Crozes Hermitage, St. Joseph, St. Peray, Languedoc, Chateauneuf du Pape, Hermitage and Cote Rotie. In Cote Rotie, their fruit is sourced from Moulin, Chavaroche, Valliere, Landonne and Rozier. Michel Tardieu is also working in the Bordeaux appellation with estates in St. Emilion.

Tardieu Laurent Cote Rotie Vineyards, Wines, Winemaking

Maison Tardieu Laurent makes 1 Cote Rotie wine. Although that was not always the case.

Tardieu Laurent is not shy about using new oak, or modern winemaking techniques. Many of their wines are very modern in style. As Tardieu Laurent makes wine from purchased fruit, they focus on obtaining the best sources possible.

They seek out growers with old vines that farm to obtain low yields. Tardieu Laurent does not participate in the vinification process of their Northern Rhone Valley wines. Instead, they send the barrels they want the wine raised in directly to the growers.

When the wines have finished fermentation, the barrels are transferred to the cellars of Tardieu Laurent.

Tardieu Laurent Cote Rotie comes from vines planted on the Cote Brune and is made using 100% Syrah. The Syrah vines are old, with an average age of 60 years.

The vines are planted in the Chavaroche, Lancement, Landonne, les Rochains and Rozier lieux-dits. The terroir in those vineyards is mostly hillsides with schists rocks in the soils. 30% of the grapes are destemmed, the remainder is vinified in whole bunches.

The wine is aged in a combination of 100% new, French oak barrels and 1 year old, French oak barrels for 12 months. Next, the wine is aged for an additional 12 months in foudres, before bottling.

When to Drink Tardieu Laurent, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Tardieu Laurent, when young, should be decanted at least 2-3 hours, give or take, allowing the wines to soften and open their perfume and for the oak to integrate. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Tardieu Laurent is often better with 7-9 years of cellaring and should be at its best between 8-20 years of age.

While today, Tardieu Laurent only makes 1 Cote Rotie wine, that was not always the case. The following Cote Rotie from Tardieu Laurent are no longer in production: Les Dames Brune, Les Grandes Bastides, Vieilles Vignes and a Vieilles Vignes Cuvee Speciale.

Serving Tardieu Laurent with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Tardieu Laurent is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Tardieu Laurent is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised and grilled dishes, tomatoes, eggplant and sausage. Tardieu Laurent is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta.

Condrieu, the white wine of Tardieu Laurent is best served with a myriad of different seafood dishes, shellfish, crab, lobster, sushi, sashimi, chicken, pork and veal, as well as Asian cuisine.

The few wines I’ve tasted from Cote Rotie and Hermitage produced by Tardieu Laurent seem to retain too much of an oaky quality, even after a decade of bottle age.

www.tardieu-laurent.com