Deep brilliant ruby. An assertively perfumed bouquet evokes fresh black and blue fruits, Moroccan spices, vanilla and smoky minerals, while a suave floral pastille accent builds in the glass. Deeply concentrated yet surprisingly lively on the palate, offering sweet black raspberry, boysenberry, spicecake and mocha flavors that unfold slowly, picking up licorice and vanilla notes on the back half. Shows outstanding clarity and thrust on a supple, strikingly long finish shaped by smooth, building tannins. (JR)

This is really beautiful now, with blackberry and crushed-stone character. Full-bodied and juicy with some chewy tannins and flavors of crushed berries, figs and spices.

The 2015 Cote a Cote checks in as 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah that was brought up in 60% barrels and 40% in concrete and amphora. It offers lots of minerality as well as classic notes of black raspberries, spring flowers, crushed rocks and violets. It has plenty of grippy tannin and is going to benefit from a year or three of bottle age, but it has the vintage’s elegant, fresh character. 93+