Vacation Wines - Number Fourteen - 2007 Hermitage Arena Mica, J. Boutin

I have previously tasted a 2007 Saint-Joseph and a 2007 Côte-Rôtie from J. Boutin, but this was my first bottle of their Hermitage. I hope its not my last...

2007 Hermitage Arena Mica, J. Boutin

The nose is wonderful from the first pour until the last, three hours later; full of smoked sausage, blackberries, sweet violets, dried flowers and red liquorice. A great prescence in the glass. Deep and refined. A solid backbone of chrushed rocks. Really, really good.

The taste is tight, multi layered and intense with notes of ripe blueberries, flint, violet pastills, bay leaves and a hint of dark chocolate. Long, long and long. Ripe, steady tannins, promising a long life ahead of it. A very fine, taut structure. Great wine.

93p   (tasted 2016/07)