Clos de Tart 2020

The 2020 Clos de Tart Grand Cru is brilliant, bursting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, peonies, rose petals, sweet spices, orange rind and incense. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's elegantly muscular and multidimensional, with terrific depth at the core, ample reserves of ripe, powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. Seamless and integrated, it was blended in the summer of 2021 before returning to barrel to complete its élevage.

Only fractionally richer in purple than La Forge but there is greater finesse in the ripe fruit of the bouquet. An explosion of dark plums up front, then this raft of tannins, reminiscent of 2009 but more so, before the fruit comes back. How long will we have to wait? The fruit does work very well afterwards, and there remains plenty of energy, so the wait will be worthwhile. Drink from 2035-2050.