1999 and 1998 Rhone Valley Wines (Jan 2001)

Good full medium ruby. Complex nose combines black fruits, nuts and flowers; strong peppery, vegetal suggestion of young syrah. Quite tight and rather powerfully styled, with an herbaceous suggestion of youthful syrah. Like the ’99, this is tannic, but here the tannins are sweeter and more thoroughly buffered by fruit. Built for aging; may ultimately merit a higher score.