A somewhat exacting, but ultimately rewarding and generous season, in this beautiful, very steep, north-facing block. Coarse, shallow soils promote aroma; 15% clay, 5-10% active lime.
Carefully sorted, hand destemmed, and partially crushed by foot. Fermented with yeasts from the vineyard, cuvaison of one lunar cycle, 27-28 days. Settled for another lunar cycle, transferred by gravity to barrel, all French, 10% new. Elevage of 12 months, then bottled unfined and unfiltered, on a propitious day.
Alc. 13.4%. 834 cases of 6 x 750ml produced.
Tasting note
Dense, sustained ruby/garnet.
Dizzyingly aromatic, swells from the glass: indurate spice – clove, cumin, caraway, cassia; ripe and bright red fruit – raspberry, redcurrant, Morello cherry. Quite a head-spinning, aromatic ride.
Penetrating, juicy, sappy, brisk yet enveloping; vibrant flavours of red fruit and spice; also a lively earthy component that is relatively new to this vineyard, arriving in recent vintages: born of vine age and a deeper root structure, no doubt. One could hardly ask for a more invigorating, seductive, and briskly legitimate example of this wine.
13.4%