2016 Gigondas Le Plateau

The 2016 Gigondas Le Plateau is all Mourvèdre that spent 18 months in older demi-muids. It has a huge nose of blackberries, black raspberries, peppery herbs, and spiced meats. Rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and tannic on the palate, it's going to need at least 4-5 years to shed its tannin but is going to be long-lived.

Virtually all Mourvèdre (there are a few Grenache and Syrah vines mixed in), the 2016 Gigondas Le Plateau was fermented as whole bunches and developed an exotic nose, ranging from hints of flowers and herbs to fraises des bois, cherries, plums and pineapple. It's full-bodied and rich, with a supple mid-palate and firm tannins on the finish. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

Bright violet. Expressive blackberry, cassis, incense and spicecake scents show impressive clarity and pick up a smoky mineral nuance with air. Sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated red and dark fruit preserve, star anise and violet pastille flavors that are given focus and spine by a core of juicy acidity. Deftly blends richness and finesse and finishes extremely long and sappy; pliant tannins add shape and grip.