2018 Grolleau
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Val de Loire Grolleau opens with a light reduction on the nose that is clear, fresh and spicy, with fresh raspberry, blackberry and elegant flinty aromas. Silky, fresh and elegant on the palate, this is a fleshy, sweet, silky-textured but generous red with fine tannins and an elegant, crystalline and concentrated, tart finish. Needs some time, but this is excellent and generous. Tasted in June 2021.
Critic scores
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Jancis Robinson MW
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The biodynamic domaine begun by the late Anne-Claude Leflaive and now run by her widower. 60- and 90-year-old vines on silty clay with sandstone and red flint on tuffeau. 30 hl/ha picked late September. Ambient yeast and a 20-day maceration without extraction and then half aged on lees for 12 months while the other half was aged in foudres and then four months in tank. Bottled earlier than the Chenin or Cab Franc. Mid garnet colour. A certain wildness on the nose and then great gentleness of texture. Serious wine; possibly the most serious Grolleau I have ever tasted. Relatively low acid and low tannin – ready to gobble. Great seriousness of intent. Quite long. (JR)