Based on 91% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre, and the rest Viognier, fermented with 40% stems, all raised 22 months in 60% new French, the inky colored 2016 No 5 gives up a gorgeous bouquet of blackcurrants, olives, scorched earth, camphor, and ground pepper. Deep, rich, incredibly powerful, yet also pure, balanced, and seamless, with good acidity, it builds on the palate, has no hard edges, and delivers a blockbuster finish. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades.

Not yet bottled, the 2016 No. 5 is a similar blend and is 91% Syrah, 6% Mourv?dre and 3% Viognier that will see just under two years in 70% new French oak. It offers slightly more stem characteristics with a La Mouline-like perfume of bacon fat, pepper, blackberries, earth, and chocolate. Deep, full-bodied, opulent and hedonistic, yet pure, elegant and structured, it's unquestionably another brilliant wine from Jim.

Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the glass with gregarious blackberry preserves, blueberry pie, licorice, raisin cake and tree bark notes plus touches of cracked black pepper and smoked meats. Full-bodied, rich and beautifully textural with firm, velvety tannins, it has loads of spice sparked with black fruit preserves flavors, a lively line and long, plush-coated finish. 710 cases and a few magnums were produced.