2012 Vire-Clesse Cuvee Special

This comes from 40- to 75-year-old vines, fermented 70% in barrel and 30% in tank. Ripe citrus and a touch of apricot, as if there were a little bit of botrytis here, though this could just be the richness of the barrel ferment and the character of the vineyard. Big and generous and a touch of spice but still finely fresh and no rush to drink this even with all that richness. GV (JH)