Mas Coutelou Mourvedre 2020 Vin de France

Semi-opaque, deep purple colour, with a narrow rim. The nose displays myriad fresh and dried red and black fruit aromas, with notes of leather, curry spices, roasted red meat, damp earth and a generous sprinkling of garrigue herbs. It really is immensely complex and perfumed - there's even a hint of florality too. It is quite lively when first poured, with a faint CO2 prickle, but this disperses quickly to reveal an immense core of juicy, sweet autumn black and red fruits and even a hint of white tree fruit (apricot, perhaps?) with refreshing cherry-skin acidity, countering the ripe, slightly rustic tea-like tannins. It really is a rather voluptuous, full-bodied, earthy, sweet-sour wine, with a long, dry finish, yet with a good deal of charm and elegance lurking behind that youthful exterior. On day 2, it is even better - and on day 3, better still, with all of its primary and tertiary flavours and elements melding together beautifully, into something quite delicious and compelling. This really is a brilliant wine, which can of course be drunk now (with food) but will age and evolve into something even more special, if kept for another 5 to 8 years.