Scores

94/100

A small-scale producer of exacting quality who has bucked the trend of friskier, lighter and fresh renderings of Rhone wines, instead, eking out tiny plots to produce serious wines of longevity and structure. Even though he’s a younger gen winemaker. This wine is from two tiny plots, wild fermented, lots of whole bunches, stainless steel before heading to older oak for maturation. No filtering or fining.

Stupendous wine. Immediately impressive and delicious for its wild scree of herbal inflection in dark and red cherry fruitiness, doses of pepper and bay leaf, very distinct liquorice characters alongside pulverised rock minerality and briny acidity. Its a sinewy, succulent red that leans into its firmness and yet dark fruited appeal. While time in cellar may seem apt, there’s drinkability in youth too, just be prepared for the pucker and chomp of very high grade, almost nebbiolo-like tannin, complete with gum-sticking chewiness. It compels drinking here. There’s so much interest and charm.

Rated : 94+ Points

Mike Bennie