2016 Château la Négly La Falaise Languedoc La Clape

The 2016 La Clape Falaise is another hedonistic, downright opulent wine from this terrific estate. Blackberries, leafy herbs, bacon fat, and olive notes all emerge from this full-bodied, layered, and seriously textured red. It shows the sweet fruit and opulence that's the hallmark of the vintage, but also has purity and balance.

The 2016 La Clape la Falaise was the only red from that vintage that had been bottled at the time of my February visit. It's a blend of 55% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre that aged a year in foudres. It's a rich, velvety wine filled with black cherry fruit that verges on surmaturité. Creamy, supple and long, but not as concentrated or intense as the other bottlings, I'd opt for drinking this fruit-bomb within its first decade. It's a good introduction to the house style. 2018 - 2025.

2/3 Syrah, 1/3 Grenache, 12 måneders fadlagring. Sødladen, krydret duft, lidt henkogt i frugten men ren og præcis. Fyldig, temmelig sødmefuld, nærmest slikken på en ganske lækker måde og med høj alkohol, dog uden at være tung. Lang, ekstraktrig eftersmag, ikke uden en vis saftig spændstighed. Ambitiøs, flot pleaser.