Clos de la Roche, Domaine Dujac 2016

(the estate made a full crop of 40 hectoliters per hectare, as there was no frost here): Full, dark red. Captivating aromas of raspberry, strawberry, spices, flowers and sweet new oak. Juicy, intense and aromatic on the palate--youthfully imploded in a positive way. Projects compelling energy and subtle sweetness to its red berry and spice flavors. Finishes very long and tight, with an exhilarating wild berry element. A knockout sharply delineated Clos de la Roche that offers terrific intensity without any sense of weight.

The 2016 Clos de la Roche from the Seysses family was really singing at the time of my visit. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a refined blend of red plums, cherries, gamebird, a touch of fresh nutmeg, superb soil tones and a deft base of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very elegant out of the blocks this year, with a sappy core of fruit, outstanding backend soil signature, ripe, suave tannins and a long, complex and tangy finish. I love the balance and breed this exudes this year. Drink between 2030-2075.

They have 1.95 ha here. No frost in 2016. Barrel sample. Deep crimson. Really very sumptuous on the nose. Rather glorious. Very headily and obviously a grand cru. Dense and thick with a heavy tannic charge than most but thick. Massive. Impressive. Lots of ‘microbial life’ here!

A restrained and almost mute nose only grudgingly displays its blend of various red berries, spice and pretty floral wisps. There is terrific intensity to the sleek and beautifully delineated flavors that possess evident power on the stony, deep and gorgeously long finish. The supporting tannins are both ripe and firm and this beauty is going to require extended cellaring.