2020 Coteaux du Languedoc Prestige Rouge

Leading off the reds and a blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and the rest Carignan, the 2020 Languedoc Prestige is brought up all in concrete. It reveals a deep purple color as well as a complex nose of mulled red and black fruits, ground pepper, garrigue, and new saddle leather. Beautifully pure, medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins, it's perfectly balanced and an incredible representation of the terroir in the region. Some vintages require a touch of bottle age, but this is already showing brilliantly and should evolve for 7-8 years in cold cellars.

Full bottle 1,340 g. Syrah and Grenache blend. Leather, plums, raisin-malt loaf. Lavish fruit, lavish wine. Big, drenched with generosity of sunshine-laden ripeness. Liquorice and cassis and exuberant puppy licks of sloe-berry liqueur laced with star anise and allspice berries. Yet there is also a beetroot-sweet earthiness and a strong, cool, dry breath of thyme that connects this wine to its place.  GV (TC)