Domaine l'Aigueliere, Montpeyroux Cote Rousse, 1995

A serious, ageworthy Syrah from Montpeyroux, one of the cooler, higher corners of the Languedoc at the foot of the Larzac plateau. Domaine l'Aigueliere's Cote Rousse is built almost entirely from Syrah on rocky slopes, made in a structured, traditional style meant for the cellar. This is a deeply mature back-vintage bottle from a private collection, now around three decades old. A wine this old is a gamble and a treasure both: expect fully resolved tannins and tertiary, savory, leathery complexity rather than fresh fruit, with bottle variation part of the adventure. For drinkers who love what time does to good Syrah.