From: Northern Rhône Valley, France
Varietal: Syrah

The “house cuvée” is a selected blend from all the parcels that the Levet family owns (known as the Amethyste on the European label). This bottling tends to be the most open and immediately seductive of the three versions of Levet Côte-Rôtie. This easiness is relative, of course, for this bottling still impresses. Levet’s typical smoky and savage character is here counterpointed by an elegant, floral, and wild-berry fruit. 

Critical Acclaim: 94 points Vinous
“Glass-staining ruby. Pungent aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, licorice, smoked meat, potpourri and black pepper. Offers densely packed cassis, bitter cherry and candied violet flavors that show fine definition and are braced by an undercurrent of juicy acidity. The licorice, cassis and floral notes repeat on a long, spice- and mineral-accented finish that features youthfully chewy tannins and a hint of bitter chocolate. (JR)” (12/2022)

92-94 points Jeb Dunnuck
“Moving to the 2020s, which were still in barrel, the estate commented that this was an early vintage, and the wines are slightly less concentrated due to well-timed rains. The 2020 Côte-Rôtie Améthyste showed beautifully, with an exuberant, perfumed bouquet of violets, cracked pepper, spring flowers, and raspberries. This medium-bodied, elegant, incredibly satisfying Côte Rôtie would be a great introduction for readers looking to understand the style of this terrific estate.” (12/2022)

91-93 points Wine Advocate
“A prospective blend assembled from several barrels for my tasting, the 2020 Côte-Rôtie Améthyste - a blend of five lieux-dits - is dark fruited and plummy yet also vaguely herbal and wiry. In the mouth, it's medium to full-bodied, tannic but ripe, with a rich, silky feel and a long finish that echoes of blackberries and dusty tannins. (JC)” (1/2022)

About. Nicole Levet’s grandfather first purchased vineyards in Ampuis in 1936 and began making wine immediately thereafter. Initially, he delivered his Cote Rotie in barrels to the city of St. Etienne where he sold it to bistros and cafes for consumption by the miners of that city. In 1966, Nicole’s father, Marius Chambeyron, began to bottle a small portion of the production of the estate. Importer Neal Rosenthal first encountered Marius Chambeyron in 1982 as he prospected in the region. He was a proud and somewhat brazen man who, despite the tiny size of his estate, proudly painted his name on the rocks that fronted the terraces of his small swath of vineyards as in the manner of the seigneurs of the appellation like Guigal, Delas and Vidal-Fleury. As wthey were preparing to begin their commercial relationship, Monsieur Chambeyron took ill and they never had the opportunity to bring his wines to the States. Fortunately, his daughter, Nicole, and her husband, Bernard Levet, were prepared to continue Chambeyron’s life’s work. It was with the formidable 1983 vintage that Bernard Levet took over the wine production as well as the management of the vineyard with Nicole. This exceptional couple has now been responsible for the development of the domaine, increasing the vineyard holdings and expanding the cellar capacity so that they can now bottle their entire production. Nicole and Bernard have now been joined by their daughter, Agnes, who has inherited the love for vineyard work and obsession with detail that are essential parts of her parents’ character.