2009 Domaine Les Aphillanthes Vieilles Vignes Cotes du Rhone Villages

Not long after Robert Parker began his assessment of 2009 Rhone in October 2010, he was commending winelovers to buy up. "This is the type of vintage consumers will love as the wines are fruit-forward, full-bodied, relatively high in alcohol with low acidity and sweet, well-integrated tannins". In this final shipment, traversing a range of terroirs the quality and value is obvious. They are wines that put Australian Grenache blends back in their place as the antecedents of these Southern Rhone archetypes. Now the treasure trove is drying up. One proviso on Parker's comments below: many of these wines were tasted before bottling. In this state, he tends to underrate wines initially, only to add points after they spend time in the bottle. The wines have rested since shipping and are now blossoming beautifully.

Tasting note: Opaque deep dark red black colour with dark red hue. The nose displays good perfumed lift with scents of black raspberry, black cherry, a touch of liquorice and some meaty spice like end notes. Rich, full bodied and possessing very impressive concentration the palate delivers a mouthfilling flavour experience of black raspberry, spice, black cherry and liquorice followed by some meaty earth like characters with some pepper persisting onto the back palate. At our initial tasting some 8 months ago the wine had a quite chewy mouthfeel, however, since then the tannins have softened to reveal all the lush opulent ripe dark fruit in all it’s glory. Still slightly chewy but fine grained tannins. Long aftertaste of black raspberry, black cherry, spice, pepper & dried meat. Cellar 4-5 years plus. Alc 14.5%

Other reviews...
"exhibits a deep ruby/purple color along with a sumptuous bouquet of raspberries, black cherry liqueur, licorice, roasted Provencal herbs, and spice. Full-bodied with an opulence and lushness that are difficult to resist in addition to sweet tannins, a broad, savory mouthfeel, and a long finish, this excellent red can be drunk now or cellared for 5-6 years."
92 points
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #190 - Aug 2010