2012 Clos de la Roche
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Tasting notes
(Landanger's holding is in the middle of the cru): Medium-deep red. Ripe black raspberry, smoky minerality, mocha and animal fur on the inviting nose. Plush, sweet and horizontal; wonderfully rich, broad, palate-coating flavors of minerals, smoke, chocolate and savory brown spices. A voluptuous, varietally expressive Clos de la Roche with noble tannins, great sappy energy and outstanding echoing length.
Critic scores
Average Score
Allen Meadows, Burghound
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
(picked at the end, on September 29): Good dark red-ruby. Wild black cherry and dark chocolate dominate the nose. Sweet but a bit youthfully imploded, with slightly tart acidity keeping the black cherry and licorice flavors under wraps today. Very tight-grained and rather tough going today, but with a chocolatey ripeness lurking. The broad, spreading finish features substantial tannins that reach the teeth. (The Bonnes-Mares showed porty, rather stunted aromas and some volatile acidity. Landanger was similarly surprised by its showing and sent off a sample to the lab. Turns out it was still in the middle of its malolactic fermentation!)
The 2012 Clos de La Roche is beautifully nuanced and layered from start to finish. Graphite, plum, blackberry jam, chalk and violets are some of the many notes that grace this utterly impeccable wine. Gorgeous, expressive aromatics are woven throughout, heightening the impression of total finesse. The 2012 is shaping up to be a beauty, but it naturally needs time.