Domaine Viret Emergence Vin de France Rouge 2004 750ml

“Emergence” comes from a single parcel of deep clay and lots of limestone pebbles, and it is planted to Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan in descending proportions. It ferments in cement with a long 45-day maceration and spends a staggering five years aging in well-used oak casks with no sulfur added at any point during the fermentation or aging. Dense and concentrated, but beguiling in its tannins and impressive in its caressing energy, “Emergence” evolves over time into a staggeringly complex wine, reminiscent of Châteauneuf-du-Pape from an old master such as Henri Bonneau.