At the very top of the hill overlooking the northern Rhône town of Ampuis, you’ll find the modest yet rising-star estate of Christophe Billon. Since 1991, Christophe has crafted honest, authentic Syrah wines from these steep, terraced vineyards. His family’s roots go back generations in Ampuis; the family’s oldest parcel of vines was planted by Christophe’s grandfather in 1942. The family crafts four Côte-Rôtie cuvées, each generously structured and stunningly pure, and each a faithful representation of the power and purity of these “roasted slopes.”

The vineyard ‘Côte Rozier’ sits north of the village of Ampuis, on the same, east-facing flank of hillside as ‘La Landonne.’ Steeply graded, the plot’s soils are mostly schist, with some mica pieces; classic ‘Brune’ terroir. The family farms three small parcels within ‘Rozier,’ one of which was planted in 1942 by winemaker Christophe Billon’s grandfather. Aromas of black fruits trending toward purple, pepper, crushed stones. Full-bodied, concentrated; structured tannins, serious depth. Red meat or autumn stews; aged French cheeses.