91/100
The Hecht & Bannier 2005 Cotes du Roussillon Villages is 70% Grenache, with small components of Carignan, Syrah and Mourvedre, and was sourced from a variety of communes. If you don’t claim to smell crushed stone or the pungent scrub of arid Catalan France in the nose of this wine, then you never will. In addition, intense blackberry and cassis as well as roasted game strongly suggest themselves. With a striking combination of creaminess of texture with insistent pungency and brightness – herbs, black pepper, crushed stone, and smoke all seem to make tactile contributions – this reaches every corner of the palate, then lays down a black-top of tar, cassis, herbal concentrate, and stones for a finish. It should be worth following for at least 2-3 years. Drink 2008-2011. US$ 25
