Côte Rôtie, Côte Blonde, 2015

Intense and powerful but with a very fine, tight-knit structure. It takes coaxing out of the glass at first and this wine certainly has a sense of there being plenty in reserve but with it air it does starts to expand gently and discretely. Bit by bit this gives you more and more glimpses of its greatness. Violet and cherry blossom scented, wonderful Victoria plum, bramble, cassis and black cherry fruit with a little twist of pepper. There is plenty that lies beneath the fruit, too: Earth, forest floor, minerals and spices. Hauntingly long, this has that never ending peacock’s tail effect that the world’s greatest Grands Crus display. An awe-inspiring tasting experience. Fermented with whole bunches and aged in large demi-muid casks, a maximum of 10% of which are new.