2014 Domaine de la Mordoree, Lirac, La Reine des Bois, Rhone Red, France.
Grown on sand, clay and with galets the intense Domaine de la Mordoree Lirac La Reine des Bois is a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah with tiny amounts of Cinsault and Counoise. This 2014 is beautifully fresh and vibrant, but with a real dark hue in the glass with blue/black and purple at it’s core, maybe the result of a cooler vintage and one where the Syrah and Mourvedre did exceptionally well, which balanced out the riper Grenache character, but retains it’s overall terroir charms, this wine is gorgeously detailed and wonderfully pleasing, one of the most stylish of the new Domaine de la Mordoree’s offerings. Tasting through the wines with owner vigneron Fabrice Delmore was a great experience, on his tour of San Francisco, and his 2014’s were showing remarkably well in what some have reported as a difficult vintage for the southern Rhone and his Lirac and Chateauneuf-du-Pape offerings were all glorious youthful expressions of mostly old vine Grenache, stand outs were this La Reine des Bois Lirac and the 40+ year old vine Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Belle Voyageuse, as well as the sexy riper and fuller 2012 Lirac La Reine des Bois for contrast, which also impressed. Fabric’s 2014 La Reine des Bois Lirac starts with cassis, lavender, cracked pepper, mineral and sweet lilacs leading to a deep palate that while intense does not feel heavy, about medium full, with black currant, boysenberry, plum and kirsch as well as warm terra-cotta, salted black licorice, bitter coco, a hint of olive and black fig. The tannins are still firm as you’d expect, though not aggressive, and there is a certain juiciness that is very appealing making this a wine that you’ll want to drink young and often. Mordoree’s 2014 reds and their 2015 Rose wines are on schedule to be released in late March or April, be sure to keep an eye out for them!
($46 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
