Domaine La Fourmone Domaine La Fourmone Les Ceps d'Or Vacqueyras 2016 750ml

Brilliant ruby. Fragrant aromas of fresh red and blue fruits, spicecake and candied flowers, along with an emerging smoky element. Silky and seamless in texture, offering concentrated and surprisingly energetic black raspberry and boysenberry flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. Closes sweet, gently tannic and impressively long, delivering emphatic red fruit and a clinging floral pastille note. (Josh Raynolds)

While not yet bottled, the 2016 Vacqueyras Les Ceps D’Or appears to be one of the top wines from the appellation. Made from mostly Grenache, with a splash of Mourvèdre, it boasts sensational notes of red fruits, flowers, forest floor, and hints of limestone-like minerality. This medium-bodied, finesse-driven effort has more than a passing resemblance to a Grand Cru Red Burgundy and does everything right. It’s going to drink beautifully for over a decade.

The prospective blend of the 2016 Vacqueyras les Ceps d’Or contained an elevated level of carbon dioxide, which made it difficult to evaluate. I expect it will perform better from bottle. It’s full-bodied and concentrated, with a rich mouthfeel and complex spice notes layered over ripe fruit.