Domaine du Mas Blanc (Docteur Parcé) Domaine du Mas Blanc (Docteur Parcé) Banyuls Collita, France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Banyuls

Quite excellent, though I would have enjoyed more character. Was still drinking well on the next day. 88-89

PnP, served non-blind. Past its prime, but still drinkable. A shadow of its former self, this has moved from brash fruit and alcohol to a place of refinement. Aromas and flavors of tobacco, briar, blackberry and raspberry ganache, savory, leather, dried herbs. Medium-bodied, with managing acidity and a medium finish. At the end of its life, this would have (quite unexpectedly, for me) been a good accompaniment to an end-of-evening cigar. The 17,5% abv is as resolved as it's going …

Alicia's surprise birthday party (Denver, CO) : Opened to inspect 6 hours before serving. Brown sugar, bright raspberry, toffee, earthen dust, milk chocolate. Banyuls, yum. Tonight's closer with OTT beignets. This is obviously fading, the impact and complexity of the fruit on its downward slide. Drink thru 2014, 17,5% abv, score: B/B+

consistent tn's. Just remember, it's not a party until someone opens up the Banyuls . Drink thru 2014, 14,5% abv, score: B

Slow-O 4 hours. Much better showing than a year ago, nothing heavy or flabby about it. And while the fruit came across as average in quality, the balancing acidity did its job quite well. Solid typicity, good QPR closing wine. The alcohol (17,5%) was well integrated, the tannins, resolved. Drink thru 2013.

Opens with a very sappy nose of chocolate covered raspberries and a touch of kirsch. These flavours follow to the palate, but ultimately this wine is lacking in acidity, keeping the wine a bit too sappy and somewhat monolithic. Yes, it does get a bit cloying at times. Not bad, but not great by any stretch. It did pair pretty well with a Vollmer's Black Forest Cake with raspberry icing, though. Drink thru 2016, approx $13.