2020 Clos St Denis

Cask sample. Deep, dark, dense and briary. Lovely purity of fruit. Sweet. Great balance of oak and acidity. Long future.

100% whole bunch vinification, 50% new wood. Bright crimson purple. The nose takes some teasing out, but is not initially among the most flamboyant. Whole bunch pepper is apparent and a weight of dark fruit. Huge volume on the palate, a brooding dark raspberry with more lifted red cherries, the whole bunches quite evident but also well integrated, a refreshing mineral acidity and the sumptuous hedonistic style which is typical of Clos St-Denis dominating the aftertaste. Certainly very long indeed. Would like to see this in ten years time.

The 2020 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru is not one of those wines that comes out with all guns blazing. This bides its times in the glass, unfurling with dark cherry, wild strawberry, sous-bois and orange pith scents. The palate is very well balanced with fine definition, gentle grip, very cohesive and yet you come away with the sense that it is keeping everything under a tight lid at the moment. This is more difficult to read than the ‘19, but I am certain that it will blossom with patience.