Pierre-Jean Villa’s Carmina is a Côte-Rôtie hailing from the revered northern sector of the Rhône Valley, an area long celebrated for its elegant and profound red wines. Typically, Côte-Rôtie reds are primarily crafted from Syrah, though a small portion of Viognier may sometimes be blended in to add floral nuance and finesse. In its youth, as with a 2024 vintage, you can expect a wine defined by vibrant freshness and highly aromatic qualities—notes often reminiscent of black fruits, violets, subtle spice and a distinctive smoky or savoury undertone that speaks to the schistous, terraced slopes of the region. The winemaking here tends to favour gentle extraction, aiming to highlight purity of fruit and site rather than overt power, with judicious use of oak lending structure without overwhelming the wine’s expressive character.
The Côte-Rôtie appellation itself lies on the steep, sun-drenched hills overlooking the Rhône river, just across from the town of Vienne. The region is shaped by its vertiginous terraces, granitic and schist soils, and a temperate continental climate; the constant breeze from the ‘bise’ wind helps retain vibrancy and delicacy in the wines, as does the relatively high fraction of old vines and traditional viticulture. With a winemaking heritage stretching back to Roman times, Côte-Rôtie is particularly prized for the intensity and finesse its terroir imparts.
Carmina’s style—expressive, fine-textured yet structured—makes it an outstanding companion for classic dishes such as roasted lamb, duck breast with berry sauce, or even local delicacies like ‘saucisson brioché’ or char-grilled beef with black olive tapenade. Earthy root vegetable gratins work beautifully for vegetarians, too. To enjoy all the aromatic complexity and freshness of this young Côte-Rôtie, serve slightly cool at around 15–16°C, and if possible, decant an hour before drinking to let the bouquet open fully. This bottle promises beautiful evolution with a few years’ patience, revealing ever more nuance as it matures.
