2016 Paul Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle, Northern Rhone

Sourced from the granitic western portion of the appellation, the 2016 Hermitage La Chapelle features mouth-watering aromas of black olives and charred beef. It's full-bodied and creamy-velvety in texture, incredibly lush without being overtly fruity. In fact, it's largely savoury, with elegant shadings of leather and spice on the long, silky finish. Yet despite being delicious now, this still has the granite backbone to age through 2040.

Dark purple. A highly expressive, mineral-accented bouquet evokes fresh blackberry and blueberry, candied flowers, incense and exotic spices. Sweet, palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur and violet pastille flavours are complicated by suggestions of cracked pepper and bitter chocolate; a spicecake nuance gains strength with aeration. Steadily building tannins add shape and grip to the extremely long, incisive finish, which emphatically repeats the floral and mineral notes. I wouldn't be surprised to see this wine turn out as well as the amazing 2015 version.

Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.