2012 Les Amandiers Syrah

Still in barrel at the time of this tasting, the 2012 Minervois La Liviniere Les Amandiers looks to be the creme of the lineup. A serious wine that possesses ample dark fruit, exotic spice, cedar, toasty oak and crushed rock-like minerality, it is medium to full-bodied, textured and nicely concentrated on the palate. Give it a year or so once released, and drink it through 2022. Located in the windswept, rolling hills of the Minervois, just outside the village of La Liviniere, Chateau Maris is run by the affable and gregarious Robert Eden, whom I had a fantastic visit with during my trip through the region. Staunchly biodynamic and green conscious, Robert went as far as building their new winery out of thick compress straw (hemp to be exact) bricks. In addition, they farm select vineyards using estate-owned work horses. Focusing on the wines, they’re impressive across the board and offer serious levels of fruit and texture, while staying fresh, balanced and very drinkable. They also represent superb values in most cases. www.chateaumaris.com Importer: Natural Selection Wines - Verity Wine Partners, New York, NY; tel. (212) 683-8763