Domaine de la Rectorie Collioure 'Coume Pascole' 1998

Domaine de la Rectorie Collioure 'Coume Pascole' 1998: A bright, vibrant red-black hue, and a deep, dark, brooding nose, rich in macerated black cherry Grenache fruit with a hard yet herby edge, later showing more smoky, oaky, black berry fruit. Balanced, structured yet very fluid on the palate, with firm, dry tannins behind a layer of herby blackberry fruit and charcoal smoke. Very savoury, with no significant oak apparent here. With time the palate evolves to demonstrate a really beautiful texture, balanced by fine acidity, with a creamy edge. This certainly has the structure and substance for the cellar, and will continue to improve over the next 3-5 years. 16.5+/20 (13/12/04)