Clos de L'Oratoire des Papes : Les Chorégies 2016

This has a warm persona, with blackberry and plum confiture notes moving through slowly while scorched earth, smoldering tobacco, bay and worn leather accents fill in. Stays fine-grained in feel, with the finish showing more bass notes than treble as a meaty note checks in. Has character but may be a bit rustic for some folks. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2032. 800 cases imported.

Deep-set blueberries, blackberries and a brambly, herbal thread. The purity and concentration are both impressive. Silky, polished palate. Beautiful, nutty, ripe tannins weave through lush, dark-plum flavors. Drink or hold.

Shimmering magenta. Ripe red and blue fruit, floral and spice qualities on the expansive nose, along with a suave vanilla nuance and a hint of musky garrigue. Palate-staining Chambord, boysenberry, candied lavender and cola flavors smoothly blend power and finesse and betray no rough edges. The impressively long, supple finish features harmonious tannins and an emphatic echo of sweet blue fruit.

Fairly dark colour with a purple hue. Sweet nose displaying leather, jammed plum and red berries with some pepper and garrigue notes. Dense palate, a fine backbone of tannin and acidity giving lift to the sweet fruit, and a long, dense finish.

80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah. Cask sample. Melted chocolate aroma, cooked black fruit and gummy tannic feel. Ungainly structure. (RH)