2018 Clos Les Lunelles

Gorgeous black raspberry and cassis fruits as well as floral, graphite, and candied orange notes all emerge from the 2018 Clos Lunelles. This beauty has a distinct sense of minerality, medium to full body, silky yet present tannins, and a wonderful finish. It's another incredibly pretty, elegant, yet still concentrated wine from this estate that's going to benefit from 2-3 years in the cellar and keep for 10-15 years. It's impressive.

The 2018 Clos Lunelles is a heady, exuberant wine. Inky red/purplish berry fruit, mocha, rose petal, spice and lavender, with clean veins of mineral that lend energy as well as a palpable feeling of direction. I would cellar the 2018 for at least a year or two. The blend of opulence and vibrancy from these limestone-rich soils is compelling. This is a terrific showing for the Perse family's Côtes de Castillon.

The 2018 Clos Lunelles is composed of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 14.46% alcohol and a 3.64 pH. Deep garnet-purple in color, it struts confidently out of the glass with gregarious notes of plum preserves, fruitcake and blueberry pie, plus suggestions of Indian spices, Sichuan pepper, new leather and tobacco leaf with a waft of tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with black fruit preserves, supported by velvety tannins and impressive freshness, finishing long and extra spicy. Owned by Gérard Perse of Château Pavie, who noted the striking similarities between the terroir here and at Pavie, this is a 9.5-hectare vineyard on the limestone plateau of Castillon.