Cote Rotie La Brocarde Christophe Billon 2016 (750ML)

94-96 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com: "Similarly colored, the purple-hued 2016 Côte Rôtie La Brocarde incorporates 5% Viognier and comes from the La Brocarde lieu-dit and will see 26 months in new barrels. It offers more blue fruits, violets, and liquid rock characteristics, full body, a deep, stacked mid-palate, and building tannins. It's a primordial barrel sample that's going to require 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years." 12/18 "The 2016 Côte Rôtie La Brocarde (95% Syrah and 5% Viognier aged in new barrels) looks to be a sensational Côte Rôtie. Possessing plenty of finesse and elegance as well as notes of cassis, black raspberries, toasty oak, and spice, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, terrific mid-palate concentration, and a great finish. It's going to need time to integrate its oak élevage, but it has gorgeous purity of fruit." 1/18