2022 Domaine Chambeyron-Manin, Cote Rotie, Cote Brune

Véronique Manin and her brother Michaël are the quiet guardians of one of the most infinitesimal and precious holdings in the appellation. Their estate consists of a mere 0.5-hectare parcel—a single plot of 40- to 50-year-old vines located on the iron-rich schist of the Côte Brune, directly above their home and cellar. This site is planted exclusively to the Serine clone, the ancient, small-berried ancestor of modern Syrah known for its aromatic complexity and legendary longevity. The winemaking here is a testament to the old school rigor of Véronique’s grandfather, Marius Chambeyron, who also managed Bernard Levet until 1983. The fruit for Chambeyron-Manin is vinified using 100% whole clusters and native yeasts in concrete tanks, followed by 18 months of aging in neutral 550L demi-muids. There is no artifice here; the process is designed to be transparent, allowing the wine to express the visceral power of the Côte Brune. This is a serious, upright wine with a tannic architecture that demands several years of cellaring to fully unwind.