2021 Domaine de Baron'Arques

The 2021 Limoux, a blend of Merlot (64%), Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, reveals a deep, complex bouquet with aromas of spices, licorice, pepper and dark berries, intertwined with vanilla-inflected notes. Medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it's firm on the mid-palate with structuring tannins and finishes long and penetrating. This estate is owned by the Rothschild family (Mouton branch), and the 2021 will be released via the Place de Bordeaux for the first time this fall.

Full bottle a quite unnecessary and outmoded 1,543 g. Background notes from the Barone Philippe de Rothschild team are coy about the exact assemblage though mention the 'white-grape varieties often found on fresh, clay-limestone terroirs: Chardonnay which predominates along with some Chenin Blanc'. Most white Limoux is oak-aged Chardonnay. Buttery, luscious-but-crisp nose and some green-apple flavours on the palate. The palate is still very tight, tighter than the nose. A wine that's still very youthful and is relatively inexpressive at the moment but may just bloom some time in 2024. (JR)

A refined nose of blackberries, dark cherries, dried herbs, earth and black pepper with a touch of cedar, too. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Well-structured with a harmonious core of berries and spices at the center. Well-framed and focused with texture and a long finish. Try after 2025.