90pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Tasted twice, two months apart, with consistent notes, the 2020 Côtes du Roussillon Bastide Miraflors is a 70-30 blend of Syrah and Grenache, aged in demi-muids and concrete tanks, respectively. There's a hint of peppermint, but the primary focus here is on the fruit, ranging from blueberries and mulberries into darker notes of plum and dark chocolate. It's full-bodied and creamy in texture, with deliciously supple, soft tannins, which make it exceptionally easy to drink now, but maybe not particularly long-lived.

Winery Notes

Proprietors Jean-Marc and Eliane Lafage make a dizzying number of wines, many in collaboration with their American importer, Eric Solomon. The following wines were tasted last year, either at one of the Lafage properties in Roussillon or presented by Solomon at my home in the lower Hudson Valley. Always quite cleanly made—the main Lafage winery is a technical marvel and has always been spotless when I've visited—the wines are fruit-forward yet well balanced, offering considerable value for the generally modest pricing.