Clos l'Eglise 2023

Strong aromatics, really quite deep, opulent and rich. Tart and sour but then soft and almost creamy with some spiced notes in the background and some ferrous iron notes. Quite a lot of bite and tang. A little tight still, coiled and restricted on the finish by the wood and the slightly austere tannins, but there’s good, slow expansion and a sense of finesse as well as mouthwatering freshness. I like this—not charming as such, but it has confidence and punch, although it’s a little toasted on the finish. Ageing 50–55% new oak.

Aromas of dark berries, plums, cassis, iron and a hint of cocoa powder savoriness. Medium-bodied with well-packed flavors and fine, dusty tannins carrying the fruit to a long but pristine finish. There is still nice fluidity at the end, making it very poised and drinkable now, but it should develop more complexity with age. Drink or hold.

Chocolate mint, flowers, plums, truffle, black cherries, licorice, and herbs create the aromatic profile. The palate is even better with its layers of silky, sensuous, velvety fruits that linger. The finish is all about the sexy, chocolate-drenched, sweet, elegant plums. The wine is deep, concentrated, opulent, and sexy. Picture molten dark chocolate-coated, black plums coating your palate with lingering, sweet, fresh, lifted fruits that stick with you. The harvest took place September 12-13 for the Merlot and October 1 for the Cabernet Franc. The blend is 70% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc, making this the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc ever used in the blend. 14% ABV 3.7 pH. Drink from 2028-2050. 94-96 Pts.

Smoky oak, good lift and zip, waves of rosemary and dark chocolate, cocoa bean, espresso, intense but with peony and iris aromatics, and fresh waves of acidity that send the palate upwards to meet blueberry fruits. Love the silky texture, and the grip, very much an appellation signature. The oldest vines here are more than 80 years old, planted before the frost of 1956. Mathieu Bellot is the vineyard consultant, but there is no outside winemaking consultant.