Morgon Athanor 2015

Named after an alchemical furnace, the one-off 2015 Morgon Athenor has the same origins as the domaine's cuvée 3.14, but it was so atypically ripe—attaining fully 15.4% alcohol—that the Foillard family thought it ought to bear a different name. Offering up a deep and brooding bouquet of cherries, wild plums, dark chocolate and fruit compote, it's full-bodied, rich and powerful, with an ample and muscular chassis of powdery tannin, a generous core of fruit and a long finish. While it's certainly no lightweight, it has turned out well despite its extreme style. It will be interesting to see how it evolves.