2003 Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape Clos des Truffiers

From a tiny parcel of nearly 40-year-old Syrah vines outside Saint Pargoire (near the source of two of the Languedoc’s other most profound – though stylistically very different – Syrahs, those of Marlene Soria’s Domaine Peyre Rose), the Clos des Truffiers – owned by importer Jeffrey Davies and managed and vinified by the team from Chateau de la Negly – is based on exceptionally low yields subjected to extraordinarily rigorous sorting, long maceration, and (26 month) aging in new barrels. The resulting 2003 Coteaux du Languedoc smells of soy and cocoa powder-dusted and brown spice-laced cherry preserves and pickled watermelon. Almost medicinally-concentrated on entry, it saturates the palate with a rich, sweet, yet also invigoratingly bright and pungent concentration of black cherry and black raspberry preserves, underlain by soy, roasted meat, and chocolate. Voluptuous yet somehow lithe as well, voluminous but not fat, this clings with almost terrifying tenacity, deploying ultra-fine tannins and managing not to betray its 16% alcohol as roughness or heat. I hope to learn soon what becomes of Clos des Truffiers with bottle age, but surely one cannot imagine this benefiting from fewer than 7-9 years of cellaring. Lucky are those who latch onto one of 3,600 bottles of this amazingly intense libation! Imported by Jeffrey Davies Signature Selections, Highland Park, IL; tel. (847) 403-7215