Domaine de la Grange des Peres, VDP l'Herault 2001

1.0cm or better

A blend of Syrah (40%), Mourvèdre (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Counoise (10%). 14,5% alcohol.

Rather translucent pomegranate color with an evolved maroon hue. The nose feels fragrant, characterful and quite fascinating with quite singular aromas of wizened cranberries and heather honey, some evolved meaty tones, light briny notes of kombu kelp, light woody nuances of savory wood spice, sweet hints of wizened cherries and ripe red fruits, a perfumed touch of dried flowers and a lifted whiff of ethery VA. Really tons of things going on here. The wine feels evolved, harmonious and wonderfully airy on the palate with a medium body and ripe, characterful and subtly sweetly-fruited flavors of arctic brambles and wizened cranberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, light ferrous notes of blood, light nuances of acacia honey and saffron, a hint of dank herby spices and a touch of rustic funk. The overall feel is silky yet balanced and firm enough, thanks to the moderately high acidity and ripe medium tannins. The finish is long, characterful and moderately evolved with some tannic grip and a savory, complex aftertaste of beef jerky and meaty umami, some distinctive honeyed tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light juicy notes of arctic bramble and wild strawberry, sweetly-spiced hints of saffron and anise and a touch of hoisin. (5/18/2023)

A tasty, harmonious and - above all - very characterful red with lots of everything both in the nose and on the palate. The wine doesn't feel so big, impactful or "impressive" on the palate, just so very balanced, fragrant and surprisingly airy. Not really Burgundian, but in sort of that direction. Furthermore, the distinctive honeyed notes and nuances of saffron, combined with those savory, meaty flavors contributed to the exceptional and quite distinctive complexity of the wine. A fascinating wine and probably the best vintage of Grange des Pères I've tasted thus far. Furthermore, I wasn't the only one to think this wine was terrific: it got 10 points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on first place.