2009 Coteaux du Languedoc La Peira

A warm year. Pruney colour. Scented and charming. More obviously sweet and pruney than the earlier vintages. Not as refreshing as some. A bit drying on the end. Very sweet overall. A dramatic wine but less my style than some others. Quite chunky tannins. Heat on the finish. (JR)

More perfumed, floral, and sexy than the slightly brooding ’08, the 2009 La Pèira Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac - a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache that’s aged in 60% new French oak - boasts knockout aromas of sweet crème de cassis, raspberry ganache, crushed flowers, licorice, graphite, and sappy garrigue that flow to a full-bodied, perfectly balanced, and surprisingly elegant palate. Despite the overall size here, it’s far from over the top and possesses a deep, yet semi-opaque color to go with a creamy, energetic texture, beautiful purity of fruit, and polished tannin that emerges on the mid-palate and carries through the finish, framing the sweet fruit beautifully. Benefiting from a substantial decant, this is thrilling stuff that should have a long drink window (I followed this bottle for 4 days and it was never short of stunning); I would give bottles 2-3 years in the cellar, and then plan on drinking over the following two decades.