2020 Les Grandes Murailles

The 2020 Les Grandes Murailles has a gorgeous, nuanced bouquet with pure blackberry and bilberry scents, lightly spiced with well-integrated new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins that are beautifully balanced. It feels very natural and harmonious toward the finish. Some very classy winemaking is evident in this wine. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

The writing is on the wall for this estate, which will be incorporated into its neighbor Clos Fourtet, but the 2020 Grandes Murailles has turned out quite well, exhibiting aromas of blackberries, licorice, sweet spices, petals and toasty new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's a touch more overtly extracted in profile than its suaver 2019 counterpart.

Supple, and vibrant with layers of sweet, ripe, black plums, chocolate, licorice and smoke. Texturally, this is pure silk with a bit of chalk that is perfect for showing off all of its flawlessly ripe black cherries and plums with their licorice and chocolate accents. Priced from 100% old vine Merlot, this is going to be delicious on release, and it will be even better with age. Drink from 2023-2040.