2020 La Grave a Pomerol

I loved the 2020 Château La Grave, which has a wonderful freshness in its ripe red, blue, and black fruits as well as notes of tobacco leaf, chocolate, and spicy oak aromas and flavors. With medium to full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, and ripe tannins, it's a classic Pomerol that will benefit from just short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.

The 2020 La Grave has a delightful bouquet with that hint of Japanese seaweed still present, imparting a subtle estuarine tincture that neatly complements that red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, quite a backbone for this habitually "malleable" Pomerol cru with a judicious touch of spice as it fans out on the finish. Very fine.

The 2020 La Grave is a powerful, savory wine. Black cherry, gravel, incense, dried herbs and smoke are some of the notes that build in this decidedly virile, imposing Pomerol. La Grave is more muscle than finesse, but all the elements are impeccably balanced. I imagine the tannins will always remain rather burly. La Grave is a potent, structured Pomerol for the dinner table.