2000 Coteaux du Vivarais Cuvee Syrare

(low-cropped syrah aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak) Aromas of blackberry, cassis, bitter chocolate, black licorice, exotic spices, smoke, tar and roasted herbs. Fat, rich and smoky, with the black licorice and herbal character perking up the chocolatey black fruits. Impressively thick, lush and full, with just enough balancing acidity. Oak notes of smoke and vanilla compliment but do not overwhelm the fruit. Finishes very long, with lush, smooth tannins. Perhaps a bit less sharply delineated than the exceptional '99 version, but undeniably rich, with no rough edges.