Hermitage Ligne de Crete Les Grandes Vignes, Delas Frères 2016

The 2016 Hermitage Ligne de Crete Les Grandes Vignes is more approachable than the 2015, offering up notes of violets, blueberries, peppered meat and black olives. It's medium to full-bodied, ripe and velvety-textured—perhaps a bit open-knit for truly long-term aging—but open enough to enjoy now and over the next decade or so. Notes of crushed stone and menthol mark the intense, lingering finish.

Showing a little blond oak on the nose, there's wood apparent but it's not oaky per se. Good weight, and fresh with exceptionally fine tannin. Seamless, very well balanced and extremely elegant - almost too elegant for Hermitage! Reflective of the 2016 vintage in its measured freshness and classicism. Will always be light in tannin, great precision and balance however. This is delicious, and most will no doubt be drunk early as a result. And why not, it's certainly drinkable now - and with great pleasure - but it could show itself to be a really special wine with more time in bottle.