Cote Rotie Binardes , Domaine Jean-Michel Stephan 2018

Youthful purple. Ripe black and blue fruit and floral qualities on the nose, along with building spice, earth and olive notes. A hint of gaminess emerges with air and carries onto the palate, which offers sweet, concentrated blackberry, cherry and violet pastille flavors. Finishes very long and smoky, with steadily building tannins and a lingering suggestion of cured meat. There's 15% alcohol here, by the way, which is on the high side for this domaine.