The nose is still quite closed, not revealing much aroma beyond blue fruit. More structured than the 2020, medium bodied, quite light and elegant for a Hermitage. Best after 2030. 92-94
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Concentrated, deep, dark, vibrant, fresh, and loaded from top to bottom with smoky, black, red, and blue fruits, thyme, cocoa and an array of spices. Full-bodied, long, rich, crisp, tannic, and structured to age, this is clearly on the road to greatness, if you have just a bit of patience. Drink from 2030-2055.
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Less overtly exuberant and much more of a “cooler” feel to it than the 2017, the 2016 carries an older world restraint that presents a balanced and suave profile, especially for such a young wine; much truer to its Northern Rhône DNA than its younger sibling. With 3 hours of a decant, this was just starting to get into a nice stride. Unfolding with red and purple berry, salami, clove, and subtle limestone notes, the 2016 impresses for its professorial focus and classic demeanor.
Ideally this needs another 4 to 5 years to fully express its harnessed complexity and depth. The length on the finish is just starting to bud, so be patient my friends for just a little bit longer. This has the acid, tension, and grip to go for another 10-15 years of course, but with freshness in mind, I think optimum drinking starts around 2026+. 94-95+ points.
SLDS February 2021: Pepper, blueberry, floral notes with raspberry as well. Delicate flavour with a lovely texture and flow to it. Well structured but actually surprisingly approachable - no doubt will age further as well.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Still quite young. Inky, purple juice with classic Hermitage nose and attack. Long finish - - I have plenty more for the long haul - but was fun to try in its infancy.
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Big but not as brutish as I expected. Opulent purple fruit. Lush on the palate with waves of dark berry, olives, herbs, and crushed stone. The minerality was prominent and took me by surprise. Good complexity and as balanced as it could be. Very, very long with waves of fruit. Much more velvet than the Clape and without the meat and pepper. A touch of heat. Overall very enjoyable.
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By the glass. An elegant infanticide from the first sip, from the first inhalation. Notes of fresh mint, yogurt of various berries, leather, anthracite, granite stone among many others. That is called complexity. In the mouth it is not pleasant at the moment: excessively tannic and dense, without refining and with the acidity of the red fruits. It will need those usual twenty-five years to prove its truly aristocratic nature.
Por copas. Un elegante infanticidio desde el primer sorbo, desde la primera inhalación. Notas de menta fresca, yogurt de bayas diversas, cuero, antracita, roca granítica entre otras muchas. A esto se llama complejidad. En boca no es agradable en estos momentos: excesivamente tánico y denso, sin afinar y con la acidez de los frutos rojos. Necesitará sus habituales veinticinco años para demostrar su verdadera y aristocrática naturaleza.
dark inky black red, little clarity, ruby hue Nose: blackberries, scorched earth, barnyard, swine, dirt, tobacco, cigar, chocolate, clove, cola, minerals, green pepper, oak Pal: blackberries, plum, cigar, tar, olives, tobacco, bitter chocolate, scorched earth, swine, barnyard, clove, minerals, green pepper, tannins, oak Feel: medium, astringent, tannic Finish: long T8 (this could very well come up after some years)
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3/4/2024 - Collector1855 wrote: 92 Points
The nose is still quite closed, not revealing much aroma beyond blue fruit. More structured than the 2020, medium bodied, quite light and elegant for a Hermitage. Best after 2030. 92-94
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10/4/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Concentrated, deep, dark, vibrant, fresh, and loaded from top to bottom with smoky, black, red, and blue fruits, thyme, cocoa and an array of spices. Full-bodied, long, rich, crisp, tannic, and structured to age, this is clearly on the road to greatness, if you have just a bit of patience. Drink from 2030-2055.
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3/31/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Probably open too many days at this point because a little flat.
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3/30/2022 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
Less overtly exuberant and much more of a “cooler” feel to it than the 2017, the 2016 carries an older world restraint that presents a balanced and suave profile, especially for such a young wine; much truer to its Northern Rhône DNA than its younger sibling. With 3 hours of a decant, this was just starting to get into a nice stride. Unfolding with red and purple berry, salami, clove, and subtle limestone notes, the 2016 impresses for its professorial focus and classic demeanor.
Ideally this needs another 4 to 5 years to fully express its harnessed complexity and depth. The length on the finish is just starting to bud, so be patient my friends for just a little bit longer. This has the acid, tension, and grip to go for another 10-15 years of course, but with freshness in mind, I think optimum drinking starts around 2026+. 94-95+ points.
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2/17/2021 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
SLDS February 2021: Pepper, blueberry, floral notes with raspberry as well. Delicate flavour with a lovely texture and flow to it. Well structured but actually surprisingly approachable - no doubt will age further as well.
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12/13/2020 - Dnordh wrote: 90 Points
Too young, needs a few more years. Good potential though.
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10/31/2020 - sdsull Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Still quite young. Inky, purple juice with classic Hermitage nose and attack. Long finish - - I have plenty more for the long haul - but was fun to try in its infancy.
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2/22/2020 - The Guzz wrote: 93 Points
Big but not as brutish as I expected. Opulent purple fruit. Lush on the palate with waves of dark berry, olives, herbs, and crushed stone. The minerality was prominent and took me by surprise. Good complexity and as balanced as it could be. Very, very long with waves of fruit. Much more velvet than the Clape and without the meat and pepper. A touch of heat. Overall very enjoyable.
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12/29/2019 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
By the glass. An elegant infanticide from the first sip, from the first inhalation. Notes of fresh mint, yogurt of various berries, leather, anthracite, granite stone among many others. That is called complexity. In the mouth it is not pleasant at the moment: excessively tannic and dense, without refining and with the acidity of the red fruits. It will need those usual twenty-five years to prove its truly aristocratic nature.
Por copas. Un elegante infanticidio desde el primer sorbo, desde la primera inhalación. Notas de menta fresca, yogurt de bayas diversas, cuero, antracita, roca granítica entre otras muchas. A esto se llama complejidad. En boca no es agradable en estos momentos: excesivamente tánico y denso, sin afinar y con la acidez de los frutos rojos. Necesitará sus habituales veinticinco años para demostrar su verdadera y aristocrática naturaleza.
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8/17/2019 - Frijole wrote:
dark inky black red, little clarity, ruby hue
Nose: blackberries, scorched earth, barnyard, swine, dirt, tobacco, cigar, chocolate, clove, cola, minerals, green pepper, oak
Pal: blackberries, plum, cigar, tar, olives, tobacco, bitter chocolate, scorched earth, swine, barnyard, clove, minerals, green pepper, tannins, oak
Feel: medium, astringent, tannic
Finish: long
T8 (this could very well come up after some years)
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2/2/2019 - hprphf wrote:
La Tablee 2019: Composed and elegant. Will revisit.
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