It had been too long since I tasted any of the wines from Thierry and Marc Parce, and on this occasion it was only a single 2005 Collioure – seemingly a bit reduced and hard to coax from its shell – and this 2005 Banyuls Cuvee Leon Parce. An effusive nose of candied cherry, smoked meats and heliotrope leads to a mouthful of rich cherry concentrate that manages to remain juicy and refreshing despite the wine’s viscosity and enormous sweetness. Marzipan, toasted almond, chocolate syrup and cherry liqueur pour their way into a long finish, yet always there is a juicy, close-to-the-Grenache-grape essence. A Jack Siler Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 45 45 23 59