Not bottled every vintage, and then only in magnum, the 2016 Minervois Black Knight is a Syrah-Grenache-Carignan blend cropped at only 20 hectoliters per hectare and then aged in French oak for 22 months. The new oak is apparent on the nose, delivering scents of toasted coconut and dark chocolate, while the full-bodied palate is plush and inviting, broad and generous, adding plum and blueberry fruit, peppery spice and vanilla overtones. I find the oak a bit overbearing at this stage of the wine's development, but I hope that I'll be proven wrong, as the raw materials appear excellent, showing a welcome spine of mineral strength on the finish. Certified organic and biodynamic.
(Joe Czerwinski, The Wine advocate, 1st Jul 2020. 90+ Pts)
