2000 Eric Texier Côte-Rôtie Vieilles Vignes

Bright dark red. Highly aromatic, slightly roasted nose melds raspberry, bitter cherry, mace, nutmeg and exotic woodsmoke. Juicy, peppery and a bit youthfully raw, with modest fat and flesh for its oak component. The strong woodsmoke quality carries through in the mouth. Initially seemed a touch dry but seemed to grow sweeter with aeration. Finishes with ripe, oak-enhanced tannins.