La Peira 2016: “Up with the finest vintages of this cuvée and a candidate for perfection” 97-99/100 Jeb Dunnuck

Up with the finest vintages of this cuvée and a candidate for perfection, the 2016 Terrasses du Larzac La Peira checks in as a Syrah-dominated blend raised all in barrel. It got more than one expletive in my notes and offers heavenly notes of black raspberries, garrigue, olives, lavender, and truffles. This full-bodied beauty has terrific mid-palate depth, sweet, polished tannin, and despite being a rich, powerful wine, has remarkable elegance and purity. I’ve called this estate one of the best in France, and I stand by that statement today. It’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring and have two decades of overall longevity. Hats off to the team at La Peira. 97-99/100 Jeb Dunnuck

45025770842_741229bd47_b-6537157

“This will be another brilliant vintage for the cuvee”  95–97/100 Wine Advocate

This will be another brilliant vintage for the cuvee, and the 2016 Terrasses du Larzac la Peira is a more Syrah-dominated cuvee: 70% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre. The change in the blend was due to the difficulty in Grenache in 2016 for the region, and the Las Flors blend is shifted to include less Grenache as well. This 2016 has terrific notes of cassis, pepper and ample meatiness, full-bodied richness, sweet, sweet tannin and a beautiful elegance and purity that makes it a gorgeous drink even today. More open and supple than the 2015, it should drink nicely on release, yet evolve gracefully on its balance and purity. 95-97/100 Wine Advocates

44162792895_62a00dd186_b-1545453

Las Flors de la Pèira 2016

43944371721_ed9d647674_b-5149862

“I was able to taste the individual components of the 2016 Terrasses du Larzac Las Flors de la Peira, and this more Grenache-dominated cuvee always impresses for its upfront, sexy fruit and texture. The 2016 offers lots of both red and black fruits, spice and pepper, with medium to full-bodied richness, impressively sweet tannin and a finesse-oriented style.” 93–96/100 Wine Advocate

44162792525_c6f7a4e1b8_b-8879057

The more Grenache-heavy 2016 Terrasses du Larzac Las Flor de Peira offers a more red-fruited, floral character as well as complex notes of garrigue, Asian spices, and dried earth. It too is full-bodied and remarkably elegant, with a seamless, pure style that just begs to be drunk. This cuvée is always more forward and approachable than the La Peira release yet still ages remarkably well. 94-96/100 Jeb Dunnuck

31201300698_61edf7dfb7_b-4936089

Obriers de la Pèira 2017

43944369581_a784d34e09_b-9797676

Unreviewed as yet

Jancis Robinson on the Obriers cuvee

“Then there is also what might be regarded as a third wine, Les Obriers de la Pèira, that retails at around £17 a bottle (see my tasting notes on a wide array of vintages with an average score of around 16 or 16.5)”

Wine Advocate on the Obriers Cuvee

All previous vintages of the Obriers since 2005 have been rated 90/100 or over on release by the Wine Advocate.

31201300518_3aa6572bd2_b-7711774