La Mordoree
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 10–25 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, grilled ribeye steak, wild mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the precipitous, sun-drenched terraces of the Côte-Rôtie appellation in the northern Rhône, M. Chapoutier's 'La Mordorée' is a masterclass in single-vineyard expression. The wine takes its poetic name, which translates to 'the golden-brown one,' from the woodcock—a migratory bird celebrated in local folklore that seeks refuge in the vineyards during autumn. Sourced from exceptionally old Syrah vines planted on both the steep, mica-schist soils of the Côte Blonde and the iron-rich clay of the Côte Brune, this cuvée captures the dual nature of the appellation. Cultivated using strict biodynamic principles, the grapes are entirely hand-harvested and destemmed before undergoing fermentation in open concrete vats. The wine is then aged for 14 to 18 months in French oak casks, resulting in a deeply complex, aromatic masterpiece defined by black fruits, violets, tapenade, and a distinct mineral spine.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1808 in Tain-l'Hermitage, Maison M. Chapoutier was transformed into a global benchmark for terroir-driven viticulture after Michel Chapoutier took charge in 1990. Operating on the motto 'Fac & Spera' (Do and Hope), the estate became an early, outspoken pioneer of biodynamic farming in 1991 across its extensive estate vineyards. Rooted along the granite terraces, fluvioglacial alluvial soils, and limestone outcrops of the northern and southern Rhône Valley, Chapoutier crafts transparent, single-vineyard bottlings (sélections parcellaires) alongside international ventures in regions like Portugal's Douro Valley. Winemaking favors indigenous yeasts, gentle extraction, and minimal intervention to preserve purity of origin, often eschewing new wood in favor of neutral oak casks or concrete vats. Benchmark cuvées—famed for their tactile Braille labeling introduced in 1994—include Hermitage icons such as Le Méal Blanc, De l'Orée, Les Greffieux, and Côte-Rôtie's La Mordorée, epitomizing tension, minerality, and structural longevity.
🍇 Grapes
Syrah 100%
🍷 ABV
13.5% - 14.5%