98 J. Vidal-Fleury, Gigondas

Milky currants, chocolate sauce, and rinsed Kalamata olives behind a wafting funky stewed plum nose. Full, round, supple texture, melting tannins, and lingering acidity that turns this wine plesantly briney in the finish. I guess. For the first several minutes in the glass the flavors are so distinct they're almost distracting, but after some time this wine comes together like coal miners locking arms through a cave –- classically dry, grapey grenache blending and ultimately empathizing with the increasingly earthy and fleshy syrah.