2019 Château de Montfaucon "Baron Louis" Lirac

A lot of iron-edged mineral notes underline the flavors of dried rose, brambly red fruit, dusty earth and toasted alder in this beautiful red. Tobacco leaf and mocha chime in, while menthol and black pepper add freshness. Full in body, with fine-grained tannins stitching everything together. Shows good harmony now and impressive definition. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre.

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the new Baron Louis, since I first tasted it almost a year ago at Chateau de Montfaucon. The vintage is stellar and will prove to be long lived, but more importantly the "Baron" is truly reflective of its terroir in Lirac. On the opposite bank of the Rhone river from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, we often think of Lirac as the kissing cousin to Chateauneuf in terms of style and flavor. The gravelly soils are there and the limestone deep under the soil is present. I feel like Lirac has really started to distance itself though. This is not pure hedonism, this is savory with blackcurrant, tobacco and pepper spice. There is a richness for sure, but so much lift and freshness go hand-in-hand here and the finish is long and complex. Montfaucon is firmly established as one of the greats of the Lirac region and they have long been one of the most important producers in our Direct Import program but every year, they reach for something deeper and longer and each year, that step forward impresses me. Few wines deliver this much wine for this kind of price. Drink now but discovering a few in your cellar a decade from now will lead to great rewards and memories for sure.