Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem

eRobertParker.com #195
Jun 2011 David Schildknecht (91-92) Drink: N/A $20-$23
From Grenache, Carignan, and Syrah planted in a mixture of gneiss, schist, and chalk, and vinified half each in tank and barrel (demi-muids as well as barriques), the 2009 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France Occultum Lapidem - due to have been bottled in May - is scented with rosemary, sage, blackberry, mulberry, which are joined on a rich, expansive palate by marrow-rich meatiness and a striking, saline, iodine-tinged savor that I can only liken to shrimp shell reduction. (It there's a wine for "surf 'n turf," it's this.) The sense of clarity, brightness, and energy here is utterly infectious and the combination of pure dark fruits, invigoratingly pungent smokiness, and saliva-inducing salinity is bound to induce hunger - among other things for the next sip. Look for at least ten or a dozen years of stimulating acquaintance.

Wine Advocate #198
Dec 2011 Robert Parker (95-97) Drink: N/A
These Chapoutier wines are sometimes reviewed by my colleagues David Schildknect in his Languedoc-Roussillon report and Lisa Perrotti-Brown in her reviews of Australian wines, so I will just list the wines, my score, and the region from which they emerge. They are of very high quality and deserve readers’ attention. Hopefully my prose has convinced more than a handful of readers to try these remarkable wines from one of the most fascinating and compelling personalities in the entire wine world, and one dedicated to the highest quality.

Vincent Messier-Lemoyne a écrit:Yves, c'est le 2010 que j'ai acheté hier.