vignobles-levet

Vignobles Levet (Bernard Levet)

Overview

An STGT (Sur-le-Top-Grower-Table) Côte-Rôtie domaine. The outlook is traditional, with a hands-off cellar style exercised by the unassuming Levets. The winemaking is geared toward old-style depth and earthy flavors. Daughter Agnès has brought good extra impetus for the future. Bernard’s wife Nicole (née Chambeyron) sadly died of cancer in 2014. Based in Ampuis.

The family also hand-makes excellent apricot juice from their Bergeron apricots across the Rhône on the plateau in the Isère.

Appellations

• Côte-Rôtie
• Condrieu

Key Wines

• La Péroline (aka Chavaroche in USA) — the top wine, from the Chavaroche plot. Excellent, with the best and most refined tannins of the three Côte-Rôties
• Maestria (aka Les Journaries in USA) — mid-tier
• Améthyste — the entry-level Côte-Rôtie
• Condrieu — from 2019, ~1,500 bottles, from a 1990s vineyard (La Maraze at Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône) acquired via vineyard exchange with Domaine Richard at Chavanay. Traditional style

JLL notes a very coherent progression from Améthyste up through Maestria to La Péroline. Maximum fermentation temperature has come down from 32°C to a steady 29°C, which has helped fruit quality. With hot vintages of the late 2010s, more stems are being included.

Style Notes

Traditional, hands-off Côte-Rôtie with old-style depth and earthy flavors. The wines take time to come together but are very rewarding, always offering classic floral touches. These are wines for patient drinkers who appreciate terroir over technique.

Key Wines & Vintage Notes (JLL / drinkRhone.com)

Cote-Rotie La Peroline (Chavaroche)

100% Syrah from schist on Chavaroche (1947 vines plus 2004-10 plantings). Whole bunch, 3-week vinification, 24 months in oak. The top wine with the finest tannins. 6,000 bottles.

• 2024 (cask) — Promise of a serious Rotie, “a wine of authority, with length and joli red fruit.” Firm tannins for now. From 2029. Drink 2050-52.
• 2023 — “Breadth, speckled with iron, neat murmur of violets, very true to its place.” Traditional Cote-Rotie — “fewer and fewer of these around.” Potential ***(). Drink 2047-49.
• 2021 — “Country style Rotie, grounded in tone.” 100% whole bunch. “A ‘Bonjour, mon brave’ sort of wine.” From 2028. Drink 2049-51.
• 2020 — “Curvy, meaty, virile style, clenched tight. Pockets of iron from the schist.” Agnes: “It contains energy within.” Drink 2047-49.
• 2019 — “Springy, scented, airs of violets, perfume, suave texture. Rather sumptuous.” Drink 2048-50.
• 2018 — “Proper good traditional Cote-Rotie, one that will entertain the Thinkers.” Best tannins of the three 2018s. Drink 2048-50.
• 2017 — “Handsome. Concentrated, but fluid juice. A peek of late flowers, with rocky notes.” Agnes: “It’s long, persistent.” Drink 2047-49.
• 2011 — From cask: ***** — “The nose is more intense than Maestria. Real granite crunch, strong sense of rock. Excellent traditional style. Vive la Brune!” What a treat. Drink 2032-34.
• 2010 — ***** from cask — “A vin de garde par excellence. Nobility. STGT wine — lovely harmony in mid-palate.” From 2018. Drink 2034-36.

Cote-Rotie Maestria (Les Journaries in USA)

100% Syrah, 60% from La Landonne (1940s), 40% Cote Brune/Blonde. 24-26 months in cask/barrel. 4,000 bottles.

• 2024 (cask) — Good red fruit strike, promising. From late-2028. Drink 2048-50.
• 2023 — “Calm and appealing, nicely refined, well tuned throughout. Good, genuine Cote-Rotie.” Drink 2047-49.
• 2020 — “Well poised, serene flow wine, nothing hurried. Accumulates depth into the finish.” Drink 2044-46.
• 2019 — “Good structure, bold attack, wired, firm, thick. Close-knit, filled wine.” Drink 2047-49.
• 2008 — “Entertaining wine. Scented Burgundy in style. A connoisseur’s wine, not crowd friendly. Very good 2008, STGT.” Drink 2021-22.

Cote-Rotie Amethyste

100% Syrah, entry-level Rotie from Cote Blonde, Cote Brune, Mollard, Baleyat, Chavaroche. 30-65% destemmed, 24 months in oak. 6-7,000 bottles.

• 2024 (cask) — Plum flavour, gentle depth, first half lucid, second half more serious. Drink 2047-49.
• 2023 — “Very accessible.” Sure **(), approaching ****. Drink 2044-46.
• 2020 — Supple, overt richness, layered abundance. “Feel of iron reaching into the roots.” Drink 2042-44.
• 2018 — “High” black fruits, beef stock. Traditional, genuine. From 2024-25. Drink 2045-47.

Condrieu Vignobles Levet

Viognier from La Maraze at St Michel-sur-Rhone. First wine 2019. 1,000-1,500 bottles.

• 2024 — “Floral Condrieu, cosy and appealing, relaxed.” Drink 2030-31.
• 2022 — “Comfy, charming ease, generous school.” Drink 2029-30.

My Tastings

Sources

• sources/articles/JLL/Bernard_Levet.txt — JLL / drinkRhone.com producer profile
• sources/articles/JLL/rhone_wines_data.json — JLL / drinkRhone.com wine-by-wine vintage notes