This is a thick, grimy wine, impenetrable in color and hinting at brick in its ability to stain the glass a deep garnet maroon. Ridiculously heady nose of choking mire, barnyard and composty briar; a sweet, piquant cherry rises above considerable alcohol; rich, concentrated berry and distinct chocolate coursing in on all sides through equally concentrated early signs of tertiary.

South France has long been known for the *coarsest* of French wine, and while this is not an exception, there’s a clean, distinct focus of fruit working with–but thankfully slightly over-powering–the base scorched-earth typicity. Tasting it proves a supple balance of Grenache and Syrah, a tannic, acidic wonder with stand-a-fork-up-in-it black cherry and wilted floral. It waters out rather un-sluttily mid-center, letting the acid and backbone speak tomes as to its gorgeousness here at almost 10. The cherry a grainy sprite throughout the finish, the chocolate and cola popping by to say hello, the still-green aspects of structure thumping solid farewells. This is the wine I wish Paso could make: and there’s a few people who come *close*, but at 3X the cost. Near-perfection.

2013 CHATEAU HAUT GLÉON Rouge SY/GR/CG 50/40/10 Corbieres Languedoc-Roussillon France-Sud 14.0

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