2013 Arlaud Clos de la Roche

The 2013 Clos-de-la-Roche Grand Cru, which is aged in 30% new oak, is initially quite reticent on the nose. It stands there not moving and then begins to offer blackberry and boysenberry scents, touches of iris and violet emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannin that support layers of citrus-fresh black and red fruit. There is great minerality here, real precision with a chalky finish with touches of chalk on the aftertaste. I am just seeking more persistence on the finish here. 90-92 points

(from a .36 ha parcel in Mochamps; 75% from 25+ year old vines and the remainder is from 40+year old vines). A discreet application of wood frames intensely earthy and somewhat sauvage aromas of violet, tea and spicy black pinot fruit. There is excellent volume to the powerful and muscular yet seductively textured big-bodied flavors that deliver very fine depth on the beautifully long finish. This is a big but not rustic effort though there is an ample amount youthful austerity present that suggests this is unlikely to drink well without at least 6 to 8 years of bottle age. 91-94 points