2008 Cotes du Rhone Villages Rasteau

Possessing surprising depth and richness in the vintage, the 2008 Rasteau (a destemmed blend of 70% Grenache and the rest a mix of permitted varieties) was aged 12 months in demi-muid and foudre, followed by another 18 months all in concrete tank. It offers a beautiful perfume of sweet black cherries, currants, raspberries, cedar, spice-box and ground pepper, medium to full-bodied richness and a seamless, balanced profile. It’s loaded with Provencal character and will drink nicely through 2023.||Covering 13 hectare of old vines (45-90-years old) in Rasteau, this estate was taken over by Jerome Bressy in 1998. The farming is all organic, yields are miniscule and he producers a single red and white cuvee. Today, he's making some of the greatest wines in the Southern Rhone. Unfortunately, there's just not much to go around, but if readers want to taste the essence of these sun baked, south-facing slopes in Rasteau, don't miss a chance to grab some of these. Jan 2015, www.erobertparker.com, Drink: 2014-2023