Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards 2011

RP100: Between 900 and 1,000 cases are normally made of the luxury cuvee, the Hermitage Les Bessards. An astonishing wine for the vintage, the 2011 is a candidate for the wine of the year in the entire Rhone Valley. Its black/purple color is accompanied by copious aromas of pen ink, licorice, blackberries, cassis and crushed rocks, huge body, sweet tannin, and extravagant, nearly over-the-top richness and density that nearly defy the vintage character. This is a remarkable achievement from an outstanding terroir and one of France’s finest winemaking teams. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 2-3 decades.