Clos de Vougeot, Domaine d'Eugénie 2018

The 2018 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru has a gorgeous bouquet of dark cherry fruit, black currant, crushed stone and light iodine aromas, very pure and seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and good acidity, the whole cluster (70%) lending a touch of pepperiness toward a finish that is precise and persistent. Superb.

Here too the nose is quite restrained and requires aggressive swirling to coax the aromas of cool and softly spice black cherry, violet, plum and earth. There is excellent volume and power to the palate coating big-bodied flavors that deliver fine length on the mocha-infused finish that flashes a touch of youthful austerity. This is even a bit more structured than the Grands Echézeaux so I would advise acquiring it with the express intention to exercise at least moderate patience. Drink: 2035+
Note: from a 1.37 ha parcel of 60+ year old vines situated close to the Château

16 new barrels out of 19 with 70% whole bunches. The colour offers a ripe, full, glowing purple but thereafter the wine on the day was rather out of sorts. Apart from a suggestion of liqueur cherries, it seemed rather beaten down aromatically. On the palate there were some headily concentrated,dark fruit but with some red berries too, along with a raft of relatively firm tannins. It tasted to me more like a wine which was dissociated than one which will miss its mark, so I hope it will reintegrate in due course and deserve a higher rating.