V.I.T, Cotes-du-Roussillon Villages Latour de France, Bila-Haut, Chapoutier 2017

"Still in barrel when I tasted it, the 2017 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France Visitare Interiore Terrae remains an impressive blend of 60% grenache and 40% syrah from old vines located at around 350 meters above sea level. Crushed stone accents peppered cherries and blueberries on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate showcases ample power and structure, finishing with dusty chocolate notes on the finish." 90-92 points, Wine Advocate

About the producer:
Michel Chapoutier's Roussillon outpost is a worthy extension to his Rhône Valley operations. The emphasis is on the same varieties - reached and syrah, in varying proportions depending on the terroir - and overall quality is very good, with the séléctions parcellaires particularly notable for their excellence and limited production volumes. "My opinion is that Roussillon is like the Northern Rhône in Languedoc-Roussillon," Chapoutier said at the start of our February tasting in the tiny village of Latour-de-France. He and the rest of his team are quite high on the prospects of the 2017s and 2018s, both of which they describe as being excellent vintages. Worth noting is that while Chapoutier makes mostly dry wines in Roussillon, he hasn't abandoned traditional styles. "When I bought in Banyuls in 1995, the market for fortifieds was quite down" he said. "But I really believe there is a place in gastronomy for fortifieds."