2013 Clos de la Roche
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Tasting notes
Deep red, the least ruby of these 2013s but still bright and dark. A hint of yeasty reduction to the aromas of musky black raspberry, dark chocolate and spicy underbrush. A wine of outstanding complexity and energy, with its dark berry fruit complicated by notes of iron and earth. Less thick than the Clos Saint-Denis but juicier. Finishes very long, with suave, seamless tannins.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Extremely embryonic, dry with a touch of oak char, the tannins super-fine but closing ranks around the fruit for now. Savoury, dry length. (JH)
(tiny yield here due to an outbreak of caterpillars in the spring): Deep red-ruby. Reticent, cool aromas of blackberry and curry powder. Dense and brooding on the palate, showing a rather clenched, medicinal aspect today. Comes across as chunkier than the Clos-Saint-Denis, with its fruit currently hidden by strong tannins. Finishes saline and long, with little in the way of easy sweetness. All in reserve today and a bit inscrutable.
From 0.4-hectares of vine split over 3 parcels, the 2013 Clos de la Roche has a fragrant nose very similar to the nascent Clos Saint Denis 2013, but with a little more delineation and minerality. The palate is elegant and refined, very smooth in the mouth with layers of blackcurrant, raspberry preserve, black pepper and a touch of mint, although I feel that the Clos Saint Denis, at least at this stage, is showing just a little more verve and persistence. Still, this should be very interesting to revisit after bottling.