Domaine de Creve Coeur Cotes du Rhone, 2011

As a long-time fan of Cotes du Rhone, I find this wine to be very good but not quite up to the highest standards of the appellation. I get the smells of black pepper and spice that I expect, but they are somewhat subdued compared to wines of the Plan de Dieu such as Vieux Chene and l'Espigouette. Maybe that's the appellation, and I'm not as familiar with wines from the Sablet/Seguret area where Creve Coeur is located. Or it could  be because of an unusually high percentage of Grenache in the blend. After an extended period of aeration in the glass, the wine shows some deep black raspberry scents, typical of Grenache. While the aromas offer potential, I find the flavors to be just a bit facile for my taste, without the grip that I expect. Maybe it needs some time.