Estimate
Massively concentrated and dense, it offers sensational minerality to go with tons of dark fruits, bacon, black olive, beef blood and graphite. Building in the glass and showing more and more mid-palate density and serious amounts of tannin...
A huge perfume of black (and some blue) fruits, rendered bacon fat, iron, and graphite notes all lead to a powerful, full-bodied Hermitage that has incredibly purity and depth, awesome concentration, and building yet polished tannins.
An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes dark fruit liqueur, smoky Indian spices, potpourri and cracked pepper. Deep but lively, offering palate-coating blueberry and cherry-cola flavors and a sexy note of candied violet.
Opulent aromas of ripe and dark fruits with plum, licorice, tar and grilled meat. Pops out of the glass. Sexy aromas. This is very rich and exotic with loads of ripe fruit, from plums to blueberries. Finish is tight and closed.
The solid cocoa, raspberry confiture, roasted plum, tobacco and loam notes are nicely layered, backed by an ample but caressing structure. The long, lingering, tobacco leaf-filled finish shows ample depth and an echo of pastis.
Extremely ripe. Yet dry on the finish. This is much more sinewy and less offputtingly concentrated than the Grange 2010. Fine-grained tannins. Savoury and dramatic.