2017 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche

This is also markedly floral in character with additional breadth from the impressively pure combination of red cherry, currant, leather and a whiff of the sauvage along with a touch of oak. The beautifully energetic and detailed flavors are much finer than usual thanks mostly to the ultra-fine grain of the supporting tannins supporting the austere, serious and compact finish. This is a Dujac CdlR of refinement rather than one of imposing size and weight but even so, it is clearly constructed for the longer haul and it wouldn`t surprise me if it needed 20+ years to fully mature. 92-94 points

The 2017 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is an excellent wine in the making, offering up a complex bouquet of orange rind, warm spices, red cherries, rose petals, espresso roast and rich soil tones. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied with excellent depth and dimension, velvety textured after the satin of the Clos Saint-Denis but similarly supple and elegant, with juicy balancing acids and a sapid finish. While this remains a charming, giving vintage, there`s enough structural tension here to suggest the wine will be sneakily long lived. 93-95 points

Dense bright purple, the nose is restrained but suggests depth. The fruit on the palate is very high class, with fresh blue fruit notes, some chocolate at the back, filling the palate right to the back. This Clos de la Roche has a supple texture and fine juicy fruit. 93-96 points

The 2017 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru has a precise, beguiling bouquet of raspberry and wild strawberry fruit, cold stone and sea spray scents, plus a touch of dried blood. The medium-bodied palate displays slightly chewy tannin on the entry and good depth. This is quite masculine in style, leading to a potent, saline finish, yet I would aver it does not quite have the depth or penetration of the previous two vintages. That said, it is still a finely crafted Clos de la Roche, though I find the Cl os Saint-Denis romping ahead (at least in barrel). 91-93 points