2024 Tawse Gevrey Lavaux St-Jacques

The 2024 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 1er Cru was taken from the single barrel; it was reduced without stems this year. This has one of the best aromatics amongst the Marchand-Tawse portfolio: very well defined and minerally, pure red berry fruit laced with wilted rose petal and iris flower. The palate is medium-bodied and here there are some wood tannins that will require time to enmesh. Quite peppery in style with gentle grip, there is decent substance on the finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle as there is plenty of potential. Victory in a difficult vintage! 93-95 points

One barrel, not new, instead of the usual six. Destemmed. Deeper purple in colour. The very toasty nose reflects, I think, a form of reduction. Plenty of fruit concentration, dark red fruit. Reduction firms up the finish. Hard to see today but there is fruit concentration so when this cleans up, it may very well merit a higher rating. 91-93 points