The 2016 Vieilles Vignes Francaises is being released ahead of the 2015, probably a wise choice. Airy and gracious in feel, the 2016 offers up attractive scents of baked apple, pasty, dried pear and spice. Hints of tangerine peel, jasmine and passion fruit appear later, adding a dimension of tropical nuance that is quite attractive. The 2016 doesn`t quite have the textural resonance of the very finest vintages, but it makes up for that with its persistence and long, sublime finish. 94 points