(93-95 Points) (50% new oak) Inky purple. Spicy black and blue fruit preserves, pungent flowers and olive paste on the deeply perfumed nose. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering wonderfully concentrated boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter and livelier as the wine opens up. The dark berry and olive notes linger impressively on the spicy, extremely persistent finish. In the past, this bottling was called "Terres Sombres." -JR

Impressive, spicy depth to the nose with intense, dark berries and a wealth of licorice. The palate has a smoldering core of fine, mineral-flecked tannins and bold, vibrant, berry flavors. Long, succulent and juicy. Powerful. Will age well. Try in 2023. -JS

Yves’s 2016 Côte Rôtie Lieu Dit Bonnivières (100% Syrah) also spent 18 months in 50% new oak. It offers an incredibly spicy bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, cedarwood, incense, and dried flowers. This elegant, silky wine offers medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors, has terrific purity, no hard edges, and the class to evolve for 15+ years.-JD