2009 Crozes Hermitage Alberic Bouvet

Deep ruby. Intense dark berries and cherry on the nose and palate, with spice, mineral and violet components adding complexity. Densely packed and lively, finishing with strong cut and lingering smoke and spice notes. This wine packs a solid punch but shows impressive finesse as well; I suspect that another five years of patience will be rewarded but it drinks well now, with aeration. (Incidentally, the 2009 Crozes-Hermitage Papillon, which I retasted in January, has calmed down a bit since I tried it last year, just after it was bottled. It's still on the wild side, though, showing intense smokiness and powerful, open-knit dark fruit character.)