2011 Domaine La Soumade RASTEAU "Cuvee Prestige" (Southern Rhone Valley, France)

This 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre is dark, deep, rich, and soft.  Loads of mineraliness too.  Very nice.

Fully-saturated color:  dark, blackish plasma.  The nose is exceedingly low-toned, yielding dark scents of mineral oil, dark stones, and blackberry skins.  In the mouth it's rich and weighty, but surprisingly soft.  It coats the mouth with intense, dark minerality that clings and clings, leaving the dark, oozing blackberry fruit in the back seat.  Boatloads of very soft tannin.  Very full-bodied. Acid is a bit lowish.  It's hard to believe that there's any Grenache in this at all, let alone 70%, given how the Syrah and Mourvedre character seems to dominate.  B+.  This will likely improve over the next 2-3 years.  Was $19.99 from WTSO.  Imported by Serge Dore Selections, Chappaqua, NY.