The 2014 Les Alcusses has always been a blend of local and French varieties aged in oak barrels; this year the blend is approximately 30% Monastrell, 20% Garnacha Tintorera, 15% each Petit Verdot and Syrah, and 10% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot fermented destemmed with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and aged in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels for eight months. I also noticed a strong balsamic strike here, full of aromatic herbs, thyme, rosemary and a touch of esparto grass and tree bark. The oak is very nicely integrated, with contained ripeness (they aren't replacing as many barriques, and in 2017, they bought some 5,000-liter oak foudres); it's more linear and balanced than in the past. There are some fine-grained tannins that would work perfectly with food. The French varieties felt very integrated with the others, and there were no pyrazines in the profile. Some of the wines that should have gone to Maduresa, which was not produced in 2012, 2013, 2014 or 2015, are now in the blend of Alcusses. 90,000 bottles were filled in July 2017.