2020 Crozes Hermitage Le Clos
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2020 Crozes-Hermitage Le Clos is tighter and more focused, with a more blue-fruited perfume of cassis, graphite, violets, and peppered meat-like aromas and flavors. The polar opposite of the broad, ripe, sexy Domaine des Grands Chemins, this stays focused and inwards on the palate, with ripe, polished tannins, beautiful balance, and outstanding length. Hide this for 4-5 years and it's going to drink brilliantly over the following 10-15.
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Glass-staining garnet. Expansive blackberry and cherry preserve scents are complemented by suggestions of exotic spices, incense and olive. Round and fleshy but lively as well, offering intense black and blue fruit liqueur and spicecake flavors that are underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. A smoky mineral note builds emphatically on the youthfully tannic finish, which hangs on with superb, spice- and mineral-driven tenacity. 25% new oak.
The 2020 Crozes Hermitage le Clos—tasted from barrel—features notes of black cherries and raspberries accented by hints of cedar and vanilla. It's full-bodied, rich and silky textured, with a long, tart finish. Very promising stuff.
Cask sample. Like the Grands Chemins, a slight reductive and toasty edge to the black fruit. But much more severe and tannic on the palate, much less approachable. Smoky, dark, introvert. But lovely for the longer term. (JH)