2017 - Hermitage Les Dionnieres, Ferraton Pere and Fils

Opaque ruby. Highly expressive aromas of black/blue fruit preserves, exotic spices and incense pick up a smoky nuance as the wine opens up. Seamless and broad in the mouth but distinctly energetic as well, offering intense, mineral-inflected black raspberry, bitter cherry and blueberry flavors and a hint of candied violet. Finishes seamless and extremely long, with an echo of juicy blue fruit and harmonious tannins that add gentle grip. This wine is an especially lively example of the vintage; no way I would have guessed that it came from a hot year. (20% whole clusters and 25% new oak)

The 2017 Ermitage Les Dionnières reveals scents of maple syrup, mocha and ripe cherries. It's full-bodied and creamy-supple but dense and concentrated, with a long finish that hints at bitterness and brine—just enough to provide a welcome balance to the lush fruit.

Cask sample. Tasted blind. Lifted floral nose alongside thick, tarry, heavyweight black fruit – shows the contrasting sides of Syrah nicely. Firmly tannic mouthfeel, but there's enough acid to counterbalance. Rich and layered, though also fairly simple in flavour profile. (RH)