Raw, Unapologetic, Traditional
2012 Levet Côte Rôtie La Chavaroche
Levet's Côte Rôtie La Chavaroche is one of our go-to bottles every year. There's no Côte Rôtie currently available that can match its untamed beauty.
Levet's La Chavaroche is one of the most soulful and mysterious wines of the Northern Rhône.
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There's simply no one in Côte Rôtie making wine like Levet. There's a directness to them, a truthfulness: this is Côte-Rôtie with its finesse and with its wildness. There's something unique about its plain honesty that's elusive - and startlingly compelling.
Chavaroche is a brutally rocky and steeply-terraced southwest facing vineyard. They pamper their vineyards and let the grapes simply do their thing in the cellar - vinification is thoughtful, but there's no artifice at work.
Neal Rosenthal, Levet's importer, isn't shy about singling Chavaroche out: "There is no more consistently great wine in our portfolio than Levet's La Chavaroche... If you want the truest of Côte-Rôties... if you admire both the intellectual and the savage, then this is a must-buy wine." The famed importer breaks it down here: amidst his strong portfolio of producers like Fourrier and Barthod, Levet's Côte-Rôtie Chavaroche is one of the best.
In general, 2012 in the Northern Rhône has a startling clarity and brightness. It's a pure and classical vintage. The 2012 Chavaroche shows plenty of snap and drive without coming across too sternly. There are wisps of smoke, herbs and jet black pulverized rock mineraly that melds seamlessly with the dark red fruits.
To fully understand what Chavaroche can deliver, you have to experience it with age. Wines like Levet feel like an endangered species. For us, tasting them is life-affirming.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits