Robert Gilliard – Roussanne – 2012

Bright, with a light golden nuance. Intense nose, with a wealth of aromas; smells a bit like patisserie, there’s a lot of sweet stuff in there, glazed fruit, we have some almond, vanilla, cardamom, honey. Feels like ripe grapes, almost late harvest style. Good bite on the palate, classically dry despite what the nose indicates. We have a wine with a high degree of ripeness there, showing off that luscious spicy yellow fruit; but bone-dry on the palate with a good grip, a slight phenolic presence that adds freshness to it. Rounded acidity, nicely integrated alcohol. Long and lingering finish. Well-balanced, with a fine drinkability right now. I think this is still a wine that will develop for many years. Plenty of character and style.