2016 Fleurie
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Tasting notes
A great success in a challenging vintage, Métras's 2016 Fleurie wafts from the glass with a kaleidoscopic bouquet of rose hip, orange rind, strawberry, Griotte cherry and subtle savory bass notes of grilled cep and cinnamon: evolving with each glass, it's a moving target. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, savory and supple, with a long, penetrating and fragrant finish that displays some delicate mouthwatering bitterness. It should see out its tenth birthday if cellared in ideal conditions, something that's of critical importance with Métras's wines.
Critic scores
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Deep, brilliant red. Depending on the condition of the bottle this wine ranges from undrinkably mousy (the metallic smell and theoretical flavor - although I can't vouch for the latter - of an uncleaned rodent den or cage) to superb. The best bottle of the three that I tasted in New York was intensely perfumed on the nose and palate, showing an array of red fruit and floral qualities and an exotic Asian spice nuance. Sweet and penetrating, with excellent concentration, silky texture and outstanding persistence, it's worthy of a 93-point score. The other two were, well, mousy in the extreme. I scored both of them, generously, at 74 points. I wish I could recommend this wine with confidence based on that one outstanding bottle but given the history and the odds, I can't.