1996 Prieure St Jean de Bebian

Dark red. Pungent, nuanced nose combines spiced cherry, blackberry, violet, minerals, black pepper and nutmeg. Supple, fruity and stylish, with bright acidity and a flavor of dark chocolate complicated by a strong component of baking spices (nutmeg, mace). Ultimately a wine of modest flesh but very well made and refined. Finishes with firm, dusty tannins. Rather like a leaner-styled Cote-Rotie. My sample of the 1997 La Chapelle de Bebian, the estate second red, was muted by excessive sulfur and was impossible to assess with confidence.