There are just 475 bottles of the inky 2018 Hermitage Autrement, but wow is it impressive. One whiff of the swirling echoes of raspberries, blackberries, wild thyme, licorice and mocha shadings nearly brought me to my knees—and I was sitting down at the time. Medium to full-bodied, it’s concentrated, yet remarkably drinkable at the same time, with its richness balanced by refreshing veins of crushed stone and salted licorice and a long, velvety finish. I won’t fault anyone who wants to try this wine in its youth, yet it should be even better in five or ten years, and it should drink well for up to two decades. Collectors should look forward to trying this against Delas’s new Ligne de Crête bottling which is also sourced from the Les Grandes Vignes lieu-dit.