Hermitage Marquise de la Tourette, Delas Frères 2018

Certainly not far behind the Les Bessards, the 2018 Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes sports a dense purple/ruby color to go with thrilling notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, peppered meat, and violets. Full-bodied richness, a seamless, elegant texture, great tannins, and serious length all characterize this young yet incredibly promising Hermitage. Hide bottles for at least 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

Relatively open and generous, the 2018 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes blends notes of red plums and cassis, then adds flourishes of pencil shavings and crushed stone. It's full-bodied and velvety, still a bit tannic and young but nearly drinkable already, with a lingering, licorice-tinged finish.