2005 Clot de l'Oum Saint-Barts Vieilles Vignes

Monne’s 2005 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Saint-Bart Vieilles Vignes is named for a parcel of ancient Carignan on gneiss, but incorporates his other important varieties and terroirs as well: Grenache on granite, Syrah on schiste. As Monne elected to bottle no “Numero Uno” (see below) in this vintage, the quality of material in his Saint-Bart is enhanced. But this is a wine that needs a lot of time to open up and probably 5-7 years in bottle. Rhubarb and black raspberry, lavender and resin mark the nose. In the mouth, it is juicy and bright in cast yet palpably dense, with a finish dominated more by roasted lamb and rosemary, wet stone and smoky mineral pungency and only secondarily by lightly-cooked berries. (The 2004, last I tasted, was rather reduced, and tighter than this 2005.) A Thomas Calder Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29