2016 Cote Rotie Bonnivieres

Yves’s 2016 Côte Rôtie Lieu Dit Bonnivières (100% Syrah) also spent 18 months in 50% new oak. It offers an incredibly spicy bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, cedarwood, incense, and dried flowers. This elegant, silky wine offers medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors, has terrific purity, no hard edges, and the class to evolve for 15+ years.

(50% new oak) Inky purple. Spicy black and blue fruit preserves, pungent flowers and olive paste on the deeply perfumed nose. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering wonderfully concentrated boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter and livelier as the wine opens up. The dark berry and olive notes linger impressively on the spicy, extremely persistent finish. In the past, this bottling was called "Terres Sombres."

Blackcurrants, high but fine tannic feel, excellent acidic freshness. Feels very compact and compressed at present. I'd be tempted to go for their cheaper Bassenon and enjoy its more immediate pleasures! (RH)