Scores

95/100

From the Chapoutier organic vineyard in Pyrenees. This off-site exploration for Cobaw Ridge a worthy project diversifying the interest in that wonderful estate and winery. It sort of suggests that things are good for sales of the estate wines and that this is interesting gravy – a good thing in an industry where woe is often a byword. The wines of course made with same care, attention, vessels and concern as per the estate wines. There is 25% new French oak employed here, though you couldn’t tell.

It’s one of those somewhat lighter weight wines yet distinguished by savoury, game meat characters and distinct crushed-rock minerality. It soars with perfume, dark fruited, stony, herbal, meaty, the palate an echo of this with streaks of pulverised pumice tannin and gently sweet fruit tempered by alpine herb and lavish black pepper. It’s a serious syrah, yet has refreshment factor and lift too. It has an edge, a cockeye and hip thrust, it is the wink of Alan Cooper and the laugh of Nelly Cooper and wholly Cobaw in derring-do and distinction. It invokes difference and charisma and charm. I’m so in.

Mike Bennie