Chateau La Dournie Elise 2017 Saint-Chinian

A deep, semi-opaque red-purple core, fading to a narrow rim. An enticing array of fruit and savoury aromas - bramble and plum combine with black olives and new leather, garrigue herbs, damp earth, along with subtle woodsmoke and floral notes - a wine of considerable complexity. Elise is always the most "northern Rhone" of La Dournie's wines in style (and therefore also representitive of the finest schiste-grown Saint-Chinian terroir) and this vintage is no different. And though it is still somewhat primary and youthful on the palate, it already displays the body, freshness, fruit, minerality and black olive quality typical of this cuvée. It is beautifully ripe and full of succulent black cherry and bramble fruit flavours, but with plenty of nuance and complexity peeping through, with a nice balance between fine tannins and juicy, spiky acidity. Although undoubtedly approachable now, it is only just beginning to show it's true potential, and should evolve nicely for at least another 5 to 8 years or more. Without a doubt one of the finest wines in the Saint-Chinian appellation.