Chateau Peyros Vieilles Vignes 2014 Madiran

A deep-ish purple core with a narrow, cherry red rim. This vintage offers the classic Peyros aromas of blackcurrant, bramble and black cherry, with some enticing earthy, smoky, oaky notes. With air, it develops real lift, courtesy of some faintly citrus and herb aromas, with tiny hints of black olives and iodine. That said, and unlike previous vintages (which were really quite modern and very approachable in their youth), this is very much in the "traditional" Madiran style - deep, dark and full-bodied, with ripe, herb-infused bramble and cassis fruit countered by gently rustic tannins, yet nicely balanced by juicy, cherry-skin acidity and a cool, minty finish that lingers for a good while. It's not a "bruiser", but it does demand food. When writing my tasting note for this vintage (May 2018), it went nicely with duck breast and sautéed potatoes, and it will pair nicely with all manner of red meats and casseroles. Approachable now - *with food* - and will age nicely for another 5-10 years.