2016 Cotes du Roussillon Fundacio Maury

70% Syrah from the granite and gneiss soils of Lesquerde, 30% Grenache on marl and black and grey schist in Tautavel, Maury and Latour de France. One-third is whole-bunch fermented. Aged 20 months in 1-year-old barrels. Very dark crimson. Intense and richly fruited and spiced on the nose, packed with dark fruit and black peppery spice but with an invinting dusty/stony overlay. Although there is lots of oak and fruit sweetness here, it is the texture that is really notable: very smooth and polished and with a dark, dry finesse and it is not as sweetly fruited on the palate as I expected from the aroma. Rich in fruit but it has a real sense of place in the dry heat of Roussillon's great vineyards. Long and spicy on the finish and with that lovely dry quality that helps to obscure/balance the alcohol. The freshness comes more from the texture and the dry tannins than from the acidity, which I guess is quite moderate. Suprisingly juicy on the finish. Lovely wine, elegant despite its intensity. (JH)

One of the finest wines I’ve tasted from the estate is unquestionably the 2016 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Fundacio, which is 60% Syrah from Maury with the balance Mourvèdre and Grenache, vinified and aged in small barrels. Full-bodied, incredibly pure, elegant, and silky, it boasts awesome notes of crème de cassis, black olives, leafy herbs, and subtle gamey, salty nuances. It’s a rich, powerful wine yet just glides over the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It should keep for a decade.