A biodynamic domaine that seems to have been turning out delicious bottles for some years with a sense of the natural in the best sense. Another from auction. Going away for a couple of months and still browsing and bidding, I got back to over fifty bottles ready to collect from my local Dan’s. Coming home can be fun. One of the good things about Woolies owning so many booze businesses is arranging collection and avoiding a courier leaving boxes of wine on the doorstep at the mercy of hot weather or the opportunistic. Better get drinking. Not owning an AhSo opener or one of those mega expensive Durand contraptions means my sad attempts at extracting dodgy old corks usually ends up with bits everywhere. Finally poured a small taste after straining the powdery residue of tree bark, oddly cedary and dull at first but it did open really well over a couple of hours. It’s labelled Sérine I think to reflect a perfumed Northern Rhône version of Syrah. And, yes, this has that violet and smoky fragrance backed up by some red fruit richness and scrubby herbs. Medium bodied, still fresh and pure fruited, a long way from the alcoholic soup of some warm years’ Southern Rhône. Really good grape growing from what’s become a favourite vintage. The red fruit element is beguiling, raspberries and cherries infused with a bit of fresh mint and spice and such a lovely mouthwatering texture. So glad no one else thought to bid. Happy, it made up for the totally cooked and corked Oratoire St. Martin Haut Coustias from the same box. Sort of a win.
13.5% alcohol. Cork in its most organic vagueness. $21 at auction.
93 points.
Cognitive Bottle Therapy 