The 2015 Hermitage Cuvée Emilie comes from the Les Grandes Vignes region of Hermitage (a small part is from Les Rocoules) and was brought up in 100% new French oak. Its inky purple color is followed by sensational notes of charcoal, burning embers, blackberry liqueur and graphite. A huge, rich, and enormously concentrated wine, it has sensational mid-palate depth and stays fresh and lively on the palate, with a firm, concentrated, age-worthy style. It's certainly not for instant gratification and is going to need time. Forget bottles for a good 7-8 years.

Black cassis and dark chocolate meld harmoniously in this powerful, sultry wine. It's massive on the palate, densely packed with black-fruit flavors and piquant hits of licorice, bramble and earth. Brisk acidity and ripe but persistent tannins lend structure. This hedonistic sip is ready now but should continue to improve through 2030 and hold further.

Roasted beef, savory herbs and espresso notes mark the nose of the 2015 Hermitage Cuvee Emilie. This full-bodied, massively endowed wine is rich and velvety, pushing the limits of ripeness toward fruitcake and dried fruit but staying just this side of my tolerance for that sort of thing. It’s already remarkably approachable. - Joe Czerwinski

Intense, with inviting blackberry puree, plum reduction and cassis notes coursing through, with a buried graphite edge providing spine. Licorice snap, roasted juniper and warm fruitcake details fill in on the finish, while the fruit drives through. Best from 2020 through 2028. 300 cases made. –JM