2018 Domaine Gérard Raphet Clos de la Roche

Aromas of ripe black fruit—cherries, blackberries—mingle with hints of plum preserve, smoke and dark chocolate to introduce Raphet's 2018 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, a full-bodied, velvety and gourmand wine that's rich and enveloping, with ripe acids, melting tannins and a balsamic finish. Generous and front-loaded, this is already drinking well in its luscious, fruit-driven style, but given its borderline overripe profile, I suspect it won't make old bones, and it will appeal more to Burgundy newcomers than to seasoned purists.