Occultum Lapidem, Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2015

A blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 5% each of Carignan and Mourvèdre, the 2015 Haut Cotes de Roussillon Villages Latour de France Occultum Lapidem is another fabulous effort that’s overflowing with ripe fruit (cassis, black raspberry), licorice and smoked herbs characteristics. These all give way to a full-bodied Roussillon that has a big mid-palate, moderate acidity and a plump, mouth-filling, hard to resist style that will drink nicely for at least 5-6 years. I continue to be blown away by the quality coming from Domaine de la Bila Haut, which is run with the Chapoutier team. They’ve continued to grow these Roussillon releases, and even at the entry-level price point, the quality is stunning. In short, these are fabulous wines that show classic characters (most are aged all in concrete) and represent incredible values. Don’t miss them.

Score: 93 - 95

Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2016-2022 28 April 2016