Les Bessards 2012

97 Points “The star of the show is the 2012 Hermitage Les Bessards. Coming from the pure granite soils of the Les Bessards lieu-dit, on the western edge of the appellation, it’s made from 100% Syrah and spent 16 months in 70% new French oak. It’s an incredible wine that offers classic powdered rock-like minerality, loads of crème de cassis and black raspberry fruit, smoked meats, spice and dried-flower nuances. Complex, pure and perfumed, it’s full-bodied and seamless on the palate, with fabulous density, ultra-fine tannin structure and impeccable overall balance. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and drink it over the following two decades.”
The Wine Advocate – Jeb Dunnuck – December 30, 2014

This has lovely layers of crushed fig, boysenberry and plum fruit, mixed with hints of anise, fruitcake and cinnamon. Gorgeous singed spice accents mix with a loamy element on the finish, adding treble and bass notes to the fruit’s midrange. Sneakily long, with serious buried grip.
95 points – Wine Specator